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, Tibetan 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: Uncommon migrant

Conservation Status: Data Deficient (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured reports: Mar 2022, Sep 2022, Oct 2022, Nov 2022, Dec 2022, Jan 2023, Feb 2023, Mar 2023, May 2023

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

White-faced Plover Charadrius dealbatus
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2013 to Jun 2023 (all records)
Peak weeks Jan 01-Jan 07, Jan 08-Jan 14, Jan 15-Jan 21 (4 more)
Early date 16 Sep 2017
Late date 10 Apr 1994
While the earliest records are are in Sep, this species is only really regular from end Oct to Feb, when recently many birds have been observed wintering at Marina East.
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 at Changi Cove. Photo credit: Francis Yap

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.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). White-faced Plover. Retrieved on September 26, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/white-faced-plover.

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