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.






Genus Charadrius

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus   Found: The Americas
Photographed by:  1, 7) Dick Daniels - North Carolina   2, 5, 6) Dick - North Carolina
    3) Dick - Cape May, New Jersey  4) Dick - Puerto Rico
6) Male in breeding display.



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


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


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


Dotterel, Rufous-chested also Rufous-chested Plover Charadrius modestus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
   2) Joshua Stone near the Chucao strait in between Chiloe Island and mainland Chile
Nonbreeding


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


Plover, Chestnut-banded  Charadrius pallidus  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1)  Trevor Hardaker - Namibia  2) Jerry Oldenetttel - Esplanade Park, Walvis Bay, Namibia


Plover, Collared   Charadrius collaris  Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil


Plover, Kittlitz's  Charadrius pecuarius Found: Africa
Photographed by:   1) Trevor Hardaker - West Coast National Park, South Africa
   2) Charlie Westerinen - Hwange Park in Zimbabwe   3) D. Gordon Robertson - Tanzania


Plover, Mountain      Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) US Fish and Wildlife Service  2) Seabamirim



Plover, Piping Charadrius melodus   Found: North America
Photographed by:  1, 3 , 5) Dick Daniels - North Carolina   2) Len Blumin  - Connecticut   4) Mdf- Ontario
   6) Dick - North Carolina
1, 2) Juvenile  3) Female  4, 5, 6) Breeding Male



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  also 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


Plover, Semipalmated Charadrius semipalmatus   Found: The Americas Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - North Carolina   2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) Dick - North Carolina



Plover, Snowy also 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



Plover, Three-banded Charadrius tricollaris   Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Alastair Rae - the Masai Mara   2) Arno Meintjes   3) Dick Daniels - Tanzania


Plover, Two-banded  Charadrius falklandicus  Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  2) Chris Pearson


Plover, Wilson's Charadrius wilsonia   Found: The Americas Photographed by:  1) Len Blumin  - Fort De Soto Park, Florida   2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 
Very similar to semipalmated plover, except Wilson's has longer beak.
3, 4) Breeding male  5, 6) Breeding female




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, American Golden  Pluvialis dominica  Found: The Americas, Europe
Photographed by:  1) OW Johnson of the US Fish and Wildlife Service  2, 3) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
1) Breeding


Plover, Black-bellied also 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 Thinornis

Plover, Hooded also Fantail Plover  also 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