Waders- Plovers

Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. There are about 40 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfamily, Vanellinae, comprises another 20-odd species.
Plovers are found throughout the world, and are characterised by relatively short bills. They hunt by sight, rather than by feel as longer-billed waders like snipe do.
They feed mainly on insects, worms or other invertebrates, depending on habitat, which are obtained by run-and-pause technique, rather than the steady probing of some other wader groups.
The plover group of birds has a distraction display subcategorized as false brooding, pretending to change position, to sit on an imaginary nest site.

Kentish Plover. Goa, India. January 2004
(Photo Stan Culley)

 

Little Ringed Plover. Goa, India. February 2004
(Photo Stan Culley)

Lesser Sand Plover. Goa, India. January 2004
(Photo Stan Culley)

Greater Sand Plover (behind) and Lesser Sand Plover (infront)
 Goa, India. January 2004
(Photo Stan Culley)

Caspian Plover. Goa, India. January 2004
(Photo Stan Culley)