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, Inland aka Australian Dotterel  Charadrius australis  Found: Australia
Photographed by Arthur Chapman


Dotterel, New Zealand aka Red-breasted Plover  Charadrius obscurus  Endemic to New Zealand
Photographed by: 1) Piotr Zurek  2, 3) Chris Gin on Waiheke Island New Zealand


Dotterel, Red-capped  aka Red-capped Plover  Charadrius ruficapillus  Found: Australasia
Photographed by: 1, 4) Oystercatcher  2, 3) JJ Harrison - Tasmania, Australia
1) Male  4) Female


Plover, Double-banded  Charadrius bicinctus  Found: Australasia
Photographed by: JJ Harrison - Tasmania


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  3) JJ Harrison



Genus Elseyornis - 1 species

Dotterel, Black-fronted  Elseyornis melanops  Found: Found: Australia
Photographed by:  1) Jason Girvan  2 Oystercatcher  3) David Cook



Genus Erythrogonys - 1 species

Dotterel, Red-kneed  Erythrogonys cinctus Found: Found: Australasia
Photographed by Aviceda



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, 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 Thinornis

Plover, Hooded aka Fantail Plover  aka Hooded Dottterel  Thinornis rubricollis  Endemic to Australia
Photographed by:1) JJ Harrison - Tasmania, Australia  2) Benjamint444 - southeastern Australia 
    3) David Cook - Maria Island National Park, Maria Island, Tasmania, Australia



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, Banded  Vanellus tricolor  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) D. Gordon Robertson  2) djpmapleferryman  3) Helenabella on Rottnest Island, AU


Lapwing, Masked aka Crowned Plover Vanellus miles   Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights  2, 3) Dick Daniels- Sylvan Heights   4) Sandy Cole - Sylvan Heights
   5 - 8) Dick Daniels - Australia
1 - 3) Race miles  5 - 8) Race novaehollendae 








Genus Burhinus

Stone-curlew, Bush Burhinus grallarius   Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 3) Dick Daniels  2) Mangatome