White-faced Plover

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

Scientific Name: Charadrius dealbatus
Malay Name: Rapang Pantai Cina
Chinese Name: 白脸鸻

Range:
Found from south and southeast China with some population wintering south to the coasts of mainland Southeast Asia and Sumatra

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 16 cm

Identification:
Formerly considered a subspecies of Kentish Plover. Non-breeding adult resembles Kentish Plover but is bigger and has more white on forehead, shorter/narrower lateral breast-band and distinctively pinkish-toned legs. Breeding male is distinguished from breeding male Kentish Plover by the lack of black eye-stripe while breeding female resembles non-breeding adult but crown, lores, ear-coverts strongly rufous- to orange-toned.

Similar looking species: Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Malaysian Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Javan Plover

Habitat: Sandy beaches and suitable coastal habitats.

Behaviour/Ecology: Have been observed wintering in Singapore and form flocks with Kentish Plovers and Lesser Sand Plovers.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Data Deficient (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Featured reports: Mar 2022, Sep 2022, Oct 2022, Nov 2022, Dec 2022

Past accepted records in our database:

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

White-faced Plover at Changi Cove. Photo credit: Francis Yap
White-faced Plover at Marina East Drive. Photo credit: Francis Yap
White-faced Plover at Changi Cove. Photo credit: Francis Yap
White-faced Plover at Marina East Drive. Photo credit: Francis Yap
White-faced Plover, male, at Marina Barrage. Photo Credit: See Toh Yew Wai
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (White-faced Plover)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Charadrius dealbatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22735615A95115530.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.