Name
Grey Plover [Pluvialis squatarola]
Appearance
The Grey Plover is a medium sized, white bird, with predominant black underside that starts from the face and ends just past half of the body. The Grey Plover has alternating white and brown feathers on the top of its body, similar to that of a Sanderling. It has long black legs and feet with a long black beak.
Diet
Grey Plover feed and hunt using sight. Grey Plover’s diet consists mainly of insects, crabs, worms and molluscs. Grey plovers do not form large feeding flock but instead feed widely dispersed.
Breeding
Grey Plovers are arctic breeders and cold habitat breeders that nest on the ground in open dry areas that have good visibility. Grey Plovers make their nests in a shallow grave and lay up to 4 during early June. Young birds will only start breeding after 2 years of age. The eggs of a Grey plover are orange in colour and is covered in black spots.
Behaviour
Grey Plovers will migrate to winter coastal areas world wide, from Southwestern Norway and Ireland to South Africa and the African Coast. Most birds that travel to Australia are females. Plovers make regular non-stop flights over Asia, North America and Europe during their transcontinental flights. Only some groups will land during their migration to feed on coastal shores of lakes or when the weather forces them down.
