Key information
The little ringed plover is a small plover with a distinctive black and white head pattern, similar to the ringed plover. It has a black beak and pale (not orange) legs. Close views reveal a distinctive yellow eye-ring. In flight, it shows a plain brown wing without the white wingbar that ringed plover has.
It first bred in the UK in 1938 and has since successfully colonised a large part of England and Wales thanks to man-made habitats such as gravel pits. It is listed as a Schedule 1 species under The Wildlife and Countryside Act.
What they eat:
Insects and aquatic invertebrates.
Measurements:
- Length:
- 14-15cm
- Wingspan:
- 42-48cm
- Weight:
- 32-48g
Population:
- UK breeding:
- 1,200-1,300 pairs
Identifying features:
This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.
Little ringed plover (adult summer plumage)
Little ringed plover (juvenile)
