Inland Dotterel

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Inland Dotterel

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Charadriidae
Genus:	Charadrius
Species:	C. australis

Binomial name

Charadrius australis
Gould, 1841

The Inland Dotterel , Charadrius australis , also known as the Australian Dotterel and sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Peltohyas, is a medium-sized Charadriine plover.

1 Description
2 Distribution
3 Habitat
4 Food
5 Breeding
6 Conservation
7 References

[edit] Description

Unmistakable. Upperparts generally buff mottled with dark brown. Face pale but marked by vertical black band crossing eye and fore-crown. Underparts generally buff and white, marked with distinctice black Y on breast, forming collar on hind-neck, and joined to black band on belly separating white lower belly from rich buff lower breast and flanks. Measurements: length 19-23 cm; wingspan 43-47 cm; weight 80 g.

[edit] Distribution

Endemic to southern and central arid zone of mainland Australia.

[edit] Habitat

Open, arid country; distribution bounded by 100 mm summer isohyet.

[edit] Food

Seeds and invertebrates.

[edit] Breeding

Nests on bare ground in shallow depression; clutch of 3 brown eggs, marked with irregular black spots; incubation period c.28 days; young precocial and nidifugous.

[edit] Conservation

With a large range and no evidence of significant population decline, this species’ conservation status is of Least Concern.

[edit] References

BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: Charadrius australis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 13 February 2007
Marchant, S.; Higgins, P.J.; & Davies, J.N. (eds). (1994). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553069-1
National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. (1987). The Shorebirds of Australia. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. ISBN 0-207-15348-5