Scientific Name: Anarhynchus atrifrons
Malay Name: Rapang-Sisir Kecil
Chinese Name: 青藏沙鸻
Range: Found from Central Asia to eastern Russia and northern China, wintering to Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, southern China, Japan, Southeast Asia and Australia
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: pamirensis, atrifrons, schaeferi.
Local Subspecies: atrifrons, schaeferi
Size: 19-21 cm
Identification: Non-breeding adult can be distinguished from Kentish Plover by broad lateral breast-patches and lack of white nuchal collar. Best separated from very similar looking Greater Sand Plover by smaller size, shorter and blunter bill, tibia obviously shorter than tarsus and dark grey to greenish-grey legs and feet. Male in breeding plumage has black forehead, lores and ear-coverts, white throat and deep orange-rufous neck-sides and breast-band. Female in breeding plumage has less obvious black and orange-rufous plumage of the male.
Similar looking species: Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Oriental Plover, White-faced Plover, Javan Plover
Habitat: Mudflats, sandy shores and coastal breakwaters.
Behaviour/Ecology: Usually congregates in flocks of several hundred at low tide feeding grounds or at high tide roosts.
Local Status: Common migrant
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2023)
Location: Seletar Dam, Sungei Buloh, Mandai Mudflat, Pulau Ubin, Marina East Drive and Punggol Barat.
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Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Tibetan Sand-Plover)
References:
BirdLife International. (2023). Charadrius atrifrons. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T230026276A154673176.en. Accessed on 25 December 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.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Tibetan Sand Plover. Retrieved on October 30, 2024 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/tibetan-sand-plover.