Home | Wild Files | N.H. Animals | Animals A-Z | Watch Online

Charadriidae - plovers, lapwings, dotterals, killdeers

The birds in this family are found around the world, usually near water. They are small to medium-sized and have long, pointed wings; plump bodies; round heads; and short necks

They eat insects and other invertebrates. They locate their food by sight and chase after it, running and stopping to eat, then running again.

In most species the male and the female take care of the nest and the chicks. The chick are precocial. That means they can feed themselves right after they hatch. The parents are very protective and will chase off predators and engage in display behvior to distract a predator. They may even drag one wing along the ground and pretend to be injured in order to draw a predator away from their nest.

There are 66 species in this family.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in the Wild Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Breeds in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

New Hampshire Species		North/Central American Species
American golden plover - Pluvialis dominica Black-bellied Plover-Pluvialis squatarola Killdeer- Charadrius vociferus Piping Plover - Charadrius melodus Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus		Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis Collared Plover - Charadrius collaris Common Ringed Plover-Charadrius hiaticula Lesser Sand Plover - Charadrius mongolus Mountain Plover - Charadrius montanus Wilson's Plover - Charadrius wilsonia
North/Central American Species
Kentish Plover - Charadrius alexandrinus Eurasian Dotterel - Eudromias morinellus Pacific Golden Plover - Pluvialis fulva

Species Around the World
Africa Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North/Central America South America NH Species
Wrybill - Anarhynchus frontalis Kentish Plover - Charadrius alexandrinus Puna Plover - Charadrius alticola Caspian Plover - Charadrius asiaticus Inland Dotterel - Charadrius australis Double-banded Plover - Charadrius bicinctus Collared Plover - Charadrius collaris Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius Two-banded Plover - Charadrius falklandicus Forbes's Plover - Charadrius forbesi Common Ringed Plover-Charadrius hiaticula Javan Plover - Charadrius javanicus Greater Sand Plover - Charadrius leschenaultii White-fronted Plover - Charadrius marginatus Rufous-chested Plover - Charadrius modestus Lesser Sand Plover - Charadrius mongolus Mountain Plover - Charadrius montanus New Zealand Dotterel - Charadrius obscurus Chestnut-banded Plover - Charadrius pallidus Kittlitz's Plover - Charadrius pecuarius Malaysian Plover - Charadrius peronii Long-billed Plover - Charadrius placidus Red-capped Plover - Charadrius ruficapillus St Helena Plover - Charadrius sanctaehelenae Madagascar Plover - Charadrius thoracicus Three-banded Plover - Charadrius tricollaris Oriental Plover - Charadrius veredus Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus Black-fronted Dotterel - Elseyornis melanops Red-kneed Dotterel - Erythrogonys cinctus		Eurasian Dotterel - Eudromias morinellus Tawny-throated Dotterel - Oreopholus ruficollis Diademed Plover - Phegornis mitchellii Eurasian Golden Plover - Pluvialis apricaria American Golden Plover - Pluvialis dominica Pacific Golden Plover - Pluvialis fulva Shore Plover - Thinornis novaeseelandiae Hooded Plover - Thinornis rubricollis White-headed Lapwing - Vanellus albiceps Blacksmith Lapwing - Vanellus armatus Pied Lapwing - Vanellus cayanus Southern Lapwing - Vanellus chilensis Gray-headed Lapwing - Vanellus cinereus Crowned Lapwing - Vanellus coronatus Long-toed Lapwing - Vanellus crassirostris River Lapwing - Vanellus duvaucelii Sociable Lapwing - Vanellus gregarius Red-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus indicus White-tailed Lapwing - Vanellus leucurus Senegal Lapwing - Vanellus lugubris Javan Lapwing - Vanellus macropterus Yellow-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus malarbaricus Spot-breasted Lapwing - Vanellus melanocephalus Black-winged Lapwing - Vanellus melanopterus Masked Lapwing - Vanellus miles Andean Lapwing - Vanellus resplendens Wattled Lapwing - Vanellus senegallus Spur-winged Lapwing - Vanellus spinosus Brown-chested Lapwing - Vanellus superciliosus Black-headed Lapwing - Vanellus tectus Banded Lapwing - Vanellus tricolor Northern Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus

Additional Information

Key: Profile Photos Video Audio

Common Ringed Plover-Charadrius hiaticula
The common ringed plover is found in wetland habitats.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Mountain Plover - Charadrius montanus
Despite its name, the mountain plover is not found in the mountains.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Mountain Plover - Charadrius montanus
The mountain plover breeds on open plains.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Charadriidae - plovers, lapwings, dotterals, killdeers

New Hampshire Species

North/Central American Species

North/Central American Species

Species Around the World

Additional Information

Explore the Natural World - Local & National PBS Video