The family Charadriidae contain the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. The term plover is often used to encompass all family members. The small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They hunt by sight, rather than by feel as longer-billed waders do. The largest plovers are the members of genus Vanellus and they are called lapwings.


Genus Charadrius
 
Dotterel, Eurasian aka Dotterel  Charadrius morinellus  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Helwig Brunner


Plover, Ringed Charadrius hiaticula   Found: North America (northeast Canada), Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: Andreas Trepte 2) Dick Daniels - Scotland   3, 4) Dick - Scotland


Plover, Little Ringed  Charadrius dubius  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: Andreas Trepte


Plover, Lesser Sand  aka Mongolian Plover  Charadrius mongolus   Found: North America (Alaska), Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by:  1, 2) Lip Kee Yap- Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve


Plover, Snowy aka Kentish Plover   Charadrius alexandrinus Found: The Americas, Europe, Japan
Photographed by: 1) Mke Baird at Morro Bay, California 2) Len Blumin  3) Bogbumper - Bonanza saltpans, Cadiz, Spain
    4,  6) Dick Daniels - Half Moon Bay, California  5) Dick - Half Moon Bay





Genus Pluvialis

Plover, Black-bellied aka Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: Dick Daniels- North Carolina   2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) Dick - North Carolina  5) Peter Wallack
1 - 4) Non-breeding plumage   5 - 8) Breeding plumage



Plover, Eurasian Golden  Pluvialis apricaria  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Bjørn Christian Tørrissen - Norway  2) Goldregenpfeifer


Plover, Pacific Golden Pluvialis fulva   Found: North America, Europe, Asia, Australasia
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3)  Chris Queen - Kauai, Hawaii  4) OW Johnson, USFWS 
     5, 6) Dick Daniels - Kauai, Hawaii  7) Dick - Australia  8) Dick - Homer, Alaska 




Genus Vanellus
The lapwings are a diverse group with no clear unifying characteristics. Most have wattles (red, yellow, or orange) about the face aand most have distinctive markings about the face and breast. vanellus.

Lapwing, Yellow-wattled  Vanellus malabaricus  Found: India
Photographed by S. M. Jayanth


Lapwing, Northern Vanellus vanellus   Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Eddie Van 3000  2) Gidzy  3) Dick Daniels - Scotland   4) Bob Hall


Lapwing, Red-wattled   Vanellus indicus  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) Ainus  2) JM Garg