Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, May 2011

Bird name: European Golden Plover
Latin: Pluvialis apricaria
Other: Pluvier doré (Fr) • Goldregenpfeifer (De) • Chorlito dorado común (Es) • Piviere dorato (It) • Goudplevier (Nl) • Ljungpipare (Sv) • Tarambola-dourada (Pt)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers & Lapwing, Waders
Range: Breeds Iceland, UK, Scandinavia, Russia etc, winters further south.
Similar: Pacific Golden Plover, American Golden Plover

A lovely shot above of a European Golden Plover in breeding plumage in Iceland, early May.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Nice, France • Jan 2009

Bird name: Northern Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus vanellus
Other: Lapwing • Vanneau Huppé (Fr) • Kiebitz (De) • Avefría europea (Es) • Abibe-comum (Pt)
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwing
Range: Widespread Eurasia to China, North Africa. Breeds Scandinavia, Russia, Mongolia etc.

I saw the flock of Northern Lapwing below in the middle of the Var in Nice in the winter. The flock seemed to fly in a linear pattern. Also seen on banks in the Danube Delta, above, in May. The Northern Lapwing develops long head feathers in breeding plumage. Some greenish sheen to feathers. White and black below.

More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Costa del Este, Panama, 9 May 2010

Bird name: Grey Plover
Latin: Pluvialis squatarola
Other: Black Bellied Plover (US) • Pluvier argenté (Fr)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers
Range: Worldwide

The above Grey Plover, or Black-Bellied Plover, were seen on the beach by the airport in Panama City in good numbers, mixed with other seabirds, in May.

In full breeding plumage they have a well-defined black band running from face to belly. The others are in non-breeding plumage, like those below (“more photos”) seen in France in March.

Grey Plover breed in the Arctic and migrate to southern coastlines worldwide in the northern winter.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Ngorongoro Crater • Oct 2009

Bird name: Blacksmith Plover
Latin: Vanellus armatus
Other: Blacksmith Lapwing
Family: Charadridae • Lapwings

The Blacksmith Plover is quite abundant in Kenya wetlands. Seen here in the Ngorongoro Crater.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Crowned Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus coronatus
Other: Crowned Plover
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Crowned Lapwing is easily identifiable by the white band on its crown.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Long Toed Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus crassrostris
Other:
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Long-toed Lapwing photographed here by André in Amboseli, Kenya. There are 24 species of Lapwing in the world.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Spur Winged Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus spinosus
Other: Spur-winged Plover
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Spur-winged Lapwing has shoulder spurs, which it uses to charge down predators and intruders, much like its South-American cousin the Southern Lapwing.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe + • November 2009

Bird name: Southern Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus chilensis
Other: Tero (Uruguay) • Quero Quero (Brazil) • Other Es: Avefría, Fraile, Queltehue, Teruteru, Traile, Treile, Trel, Caravana, Alcaravan, Triel
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers & Lapwing • Waders

The Southern Lapwing is common and visible throughout Brazil, on farmland, pasture, wetlands, etc. During nesting season, pairs chase potential predators such as hawks, caracaras and gulls - so they are a useful indicator of approaching birds of prey.

They have small pink spurs on their wrists. I saw one Caracara, which had stolen an egg, cleverly taking shelter next to a fence so that it couldn’t be dive-bombed by an aggressive Lapwing.

The Southern Lapwing is the national bird of Uruguay.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Semipalmated Plover
Latin: Charadrius semipalmatus
Other: Batuíra-de-bando (Br) • Chorlo Semipalmado (Es)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers

Although the Semipalmated Plover is marked as a vagrant to Brazil in some guides, it is in fact present the length of the Brazilian coastline.

These presumed Semipalmated Plover were photographed on the beach near Lagoa do Peixe in Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, in November.

They were identified by their collar, small amount of yellow at base of bill and yellowish legs.

Semipalmated Plover migrate from Arctic breeding grounds to the US and South America during the northern winter.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe, RS • November 2009

Bird name: Collared Plover
Latin: Charadrius collaris
Other: Batuíra-de-colleira (Br)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers

The Collared Plover, which is the most widespread Charadrius plover in Brazil, is characterised by a thin black collar which does not run round the back of the neck, yellow legs and black bill, even during breeding season.

The Collared Plover breeds in Mexico and throughout most of Central and South America, at different times of the year depending on location.

These individuals were seen a few hundred yards from the beach, in southern Brazil in November.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Cote d’Azur, France • Mar 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Ringed Plover
Latin: Charadrius hiaticula
Other: Pluvier Grand Gravelot • Grand Gravelot
Family: Charadriidae
Tags: Plovers & Lapwing • Waders

A better shot (top) of the Ringed Plover in flight as they swept past the mouth of the Var in Nice…More photos...

Bird name: Kentish Plover
Latin: Charadrius alexandrinus
Other: Pluvier / Gravelot à collier interrompu
Family: Charadriidae
Tags: Plovers & Lapwing • Waders

Photos: monacoeye • Hyeres • May 2009

This Kentish Plover was at some distance on a salt pan in Hyeres, hopefully I’ll get a better shot eventually …More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Camargue, France • Mar 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Little Ringed Plover
Latin: Charadrius dubius
Other: Petit Gravelot • Pluvier Petit Gravelot
Family: Charadriidae
Tags: Plovers & Lapwing • Waders

The Little Ringed Plover is principally distinguished from the similar Ringed Plover by its dark beak (vs orange for Ringed) and duller legs. The Little Ringed also has less of a white stripe on the wings. Both Ringed and Little Ringed were seen together a couple of weeks ago in the Camargue.More photos...