Identification of Plovers in Singapore

A guide to telling apart the eleven plover species recorded in Singapore, highlighting the key plumage and structural characteristics of each species.

I find plovers to be some of the cutest and most endearing birds in Singapore — little blobs scurrying around along the shore. However, the differences between species are subtle at times, which may make some of them a challenge to identify. I hope that this article will be useful in breaking down the criteria you may use to separate them in the field.The 11 plovers of SingaporeThe eleven species of plovers found locally are:Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulvaGrey Plover P. squatarolaOriental Plover Anarhyncus veredusTibetan Sand Plover A. atrifronsGreater Sand Plover A. leschenaultiiMalaysian Plover A. peroniiKentish Plover A. alexandrinusWhite-faced Plover A. dealbatusJavan Plover A. javanicusLittle Ringed Plover Thinornis dubiusCommon Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticulaOur only two resident species are the Malaysian Plover and Javan Plover, while the other nine species are migratory. It is worth noting that while Javan Plover has been classified as a resident species, there has only been one breeding record on Pulau Tekong in 2021, and birds sighted may very well be dispersing individuals from neighbouring Indonesia instead of birds originating from a local breeding population.Pacific Golden Plover and Grey PloverThe Pacific Golden Plover and Grey Plover can immediately be told apart from most other plovers in Singapore by their larger size, checkered plumage and upright appearance with a prominent neck. The only species which comes close in terms of size and posture would be Oriental Plover. They are usually seen in their non-breeding plumage, however birds seen around August to September sometimes retain traces of breeding plumage and those seen in March to April may start to develop breeding plumage before their flight home.Comparison of Grey Plover and Pacific Golden PloverPacific Golden PloverSize: 23–26 cmPacific Golden Plovers have a golden-coloured checkered plumage with grey legs. In breeding plumage, the face and underparts are black with a white band running from the forehead down to the flanks. Compared to Grey Plovers, besides differences in plumage colour, Pacific Golden Plovers also have a smaller-looking head and a thinner bill. In flight, they also lack the black auxiliaries (“armpits”) seen in Grey Plover.Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is probably the best place to look for this species in Singapore. Occasionally, they may also turn up at other locations such as Marina East, canals or reservoirs.Pacific Golden Plover in non-breeding plumage at Marina EastPacific Golden Plover in breeding plumage at BedokGrey PloverSize: 27–30 cmGrey Plovers, also known as Black-bellied Plovers, are the largest species of plover found in Singapore. They are regularly found at Chek Jawa Wetlands during the migration season from September to April, and also more recently also at Tanah Merah Coast. In non-breeding plumage they have an overall greyish brown colour, with the upperparts more uniform-looking than that of Pacific Golden Plover. In addition, they have a thicker bill and a larger-headed appearance. In flight, black auxiliaries (“armpits”) can be observed which are absent in Pacific Golden Plover. In breeding plumage, the face and underparts are black with a white band running from the forehead down to the flanks.Grey Plover in non-breeding plumage at ChangiGrey Plovers in flight at Chek JawaGrey Plover at Tanah MerahOriental PloverSize: 22–25 cmOriental Plovers are easily separated from other plover species with their large size, buffish plumage, more upright appearance and yellowish-orange legs. Together with the Greater Sand Plover, they are the largest of plovers in Singapore after Pacific Golden Plover and Grey Plover.In non-breeding plumage, they have an overall buffish plumage to the head and body, a pronounced supercilium, and distinctly yellowish-orange legs. Males in breeding plumage show a whitish head and neck with a distinctive rufous-chestnut breast band with a black lower border, while females in breeding plumage resemble the non-breeding plumage but with a rufous wash to the upper breast. They have a more upright appearance with a more prominent neck compared to the other smaller plovers, reminiscent of the structure of Pacific Golden Plover and Grey Plover.Oriental Plover in non-breeding plumage at Marina EastMale Oriental Plover in breeding plumage at Govi-Altay, MongoliaTibetan Sand Plover and Greater Sand PloverBoth species of sand plovers are easily separated from other similar-looking white/brown plovers by their larger size and lack of a white nuchal collar.Tibetan Sand PloverSize: 19–21 cmTibetan Sand Plover is probably the most numerous of all the plover species to be found in Singapore. Regular spots include Yishun Dam, Chek Jawa and more recently, Tanah Merah Coast, where many of them may be found feeding on the mudflats. Occasionally a few individuals may also be found among the other shorebirds at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. They are one of the earliest migrants to...