Black-Bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) lives in arctic tundra across North America, Europe, Asia. It feeds on insects & crustaceans. Its conservation status is Vulnerable.
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Grey plovers undertake a staggering 13,000-kilometer (about 8,100-mile) trek between African wintering sites and Arctic breeding grounds. Researchers have attached satellite transmitters to track these routes, revealing stop-over hotspots across the continent. Mapping such a massive journey highlights the critical need for protected wetlands along the flyway.
When grey plovers winter in the Southern Hemisphere, most of the birds that reach Australia are females. Their non-breeding distribution stretches from Ireland and Norway down the African coast to South Africa, and from Japan across southern Asia to Australia and New Zealand.
Grey plovers span the size of a school ruler, measuring 27-30 cm long with a wingspan of 71-83 cm and weighing 190-280 g, yet they can bulk up to 345 g before migration. Their bills are unusually large for plovers, ranging 24-34 mm.
In the brief Arctic summer, grey plovers lay a clutch of four eggs, sometimes only three, in early June, then sit on them for 26-27 days before the chicks hatch. The hatchlings grow quickly, leaving the nest after 35-45 days.
The IUCN lists the grey plover as "Vulnerable," signalling a high risk of decline across its worldwide range. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
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As the tide recedes, the black-bellied plover emerges, a sleek and agile hunter, its dark belly a stark contrast to the pale shores it inhabits, as it moves with swift, deliberate strides, scanning the mudflats for the hidden treasures of crustaceans and mollusks. With each step, it seems to embody the very essence of the shoreline, its grey-brown plumage blending seamlessly into the muted hues of the coastal landscape, allowing it to stalk its prey with stealth and precision. In its annual migrations, this remarkable bird traverses vast expanses of ocean and continent, a testament to its enduring spirit and adaptability in a world where its very survival is increasingly precarious.
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