Red-capped Plover
Anarhynchus ruficapillus
Small energetic plover with a fine bill, white underparts, and pale gray back. Lacks breast band. Adult has an obvious rusty-red cap, whereas juvenile has varying reddish tinges on the back of the head. Occurs beside a wide variety of saline wetlands where it moves quickly as it forages along the ground. Common around inland lakes as well as at the coast.
Identification
Red-capped plovers have a white forehead and underparts. Their upperparts are mainly grey-brown. Adult males have a rufous or reddish-brown crown and hindneck. Adult females have a paler rufous and grey-brown crown and hindneck, with a pale loreal stripe. The upperwing of Charadrius ruficapillus shows dark brown remiges (flight feathers) and primary covert feathers with a white wingbar in flight. Its length is 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) and its wingspan is 27–34 cm (10.6–13.4 in); it weighs 35–40 g (1.2–1.4 oz).<p>Breeding plumage shows a red-brown crown and nape with black margins. Non-breeding plumage is duller and lacks the black margins.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Anarhynchus ruficapillus
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1821)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Genus
- Anarhynchus
Range and habitat
The red-capped plover is widespread in Australia; it is a vagrant to New Zealand, although it bred there for some time in small numbers from 1950–1980. The species occupies a range of coastal and inland habitats, including estuaries, bays, beaches, sandflats, and mudflats; inland saline wetlands. It is also found in inland wetland areas with bare ground.
- Breeding range
- AU : Timor (e Lesser Sundas), inland and coastal Australia and Tasmania
- Non-breeding range
- to e Java
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
With a large range and no evidence of significant population decline, this species' conservation status is of Least Concern.
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Heterotetrax humilis
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White-banded Swallow
Atticora fasciata
Small, unmistakable swallow of lowland rivers. Glossy black plumage, appearing metallic blue in good light, with bright white chest band is unique. Deeply forked tail is easy to see in flight. Almost always in pairs or groups, and can be particularly common in areas with high exposed banks, where the species nests. Frequently perches on bare branches and snags along the edges of rivers.
Red-capped Flowerpecker
Dicaeum geelvinkianum
Tiny bird, black above, pale below, with fiery bright red cap, red chest patch, and red rump. Plain juvenile has orange bill but otherwise unmarked; lacks the reddish undertail of juvenile Mistletoebird. Found in mangroves and forest on New Guinea and islands in the northern Torres Strait. Calls similar to Mistletoebird, a high-pitched short "seeep" and buzzing sounds.
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