Bird Guide

Kittlitz's Plover vs White-fronted Plover

Kittlitz's Plover (Anarhynchus pecuarius)

Kittlitz's Plover

Anarhynchus pecuarius

Kittlitz's plover is a small shorebird weighing between 35 and 40 grams. Both males and females share similar physical characteristics, with a black bill, dark brown eyes framed by black eyelids, and black legs, although at times, the legs can appear greenish or grey. During the breeding season, the male displays distinct features, including a white forehead, a blackish bar followed by a narrow white bar on the forecrown, while the remainder of the crown appears brown with sandy tips on the feathers. Voice: The Kittlitz's plover's calls include 'pipip', 'towhit', 'tit-peep', 'trit-tritritritrit', 'perrup' and 'kich-kich-kich'. They give alarm calls when in danger or when flushed, which include 'chirrt', hard 'trip', 'tric', 'prrrt' or plaintive 'pip-ip'. During fights, the males give a buzzy call in aggressive or courtship chases.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Nicolas Huet / Jean Gabriel Prêtre · Public domain
White-fronted Plover (Anarhynchus marginatus)

White-fronted Plover

Anarhynchus marginatus

Small48 gCoastal

The average white-fronted plover weighs approximately 45-50 g, and the two sexes differ slightly in plumage coloration. Adult male plovers show a white forecrown and supercilium, with a dark band crossing the mid crown, with the rest of the crown a sandy grey colour. The face is mainly white, with a blackish brown stripe running from behind the eye to the ear coverts. The mantle, back, and rump is light greyish brown, with pale brown to grey fringing feathers. The upper covert and central feathers of the tail are black, and the lateral feathers are white. Voice: The voice of a white-fronted plover is often a gentle piping wit, woo-et, twirit, and tirit-tirit, as well as pi-peep. When a plover is defending a territory, a harsh chiza-chiza can be heard, followed by a purrr or squeak. When the incomplete egg set is visited, a croo sound is called, and during incubation a short clirrup sound or clup is made when alarmed.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Di Turner · CC0

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Kittlitz's Plover and White-fronted Plover.