Greater Sand Plover

This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Charadrius leschenaultii

Malay Name: Rapang-Sisir Besar

Chinese Name: 铁嘴沙鸻

Range: Found from Turkey to Jordon, Central Asia, Siberia, Mongolia and northern China, wintering along the coasts of Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, southern China, Japan, Southeast Asia and Australasia

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: columbinus, scythicus, leschenaultii.

Local Subspecies: leschenaultii

Size: 22-25 cm

Identification: Resembles Lesser Sand Plover in both breeding and non-breeding plumages but larger with broader head, thicker bill and proportionately longer and yellowish legs. Usually observed to be in full non-breeding plumage in Singapore at the start of autumn migration when the Lesser Sand Plovers still have traces of breeding plumage on them.

Similar looking species: Kentish Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Oriental Plover, White-faced Plover, Javan Plover

Habitat: Mudflats and sandy shores.

Behaviour/Ecology: Associates with other feeding shorebirds, especially Lesser Sand Plover.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Records currently under review are also not displayed. For a full list, click here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

References:

BirdLife International. (2019). Charadrius leschenaultii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22693862A153879900.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.