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Charadriidae

(Family)

Overview

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The bird family Charadriidae includes the , dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 66 species in all. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They range in size from the Collared Plover, at 26 grams and 14 cm (5.5 inches), to the Masked Lapwing, at 368 grams (13 oz) and 35 cm (14 inches).

They are distributed through open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions: the Inland Dotterel, for example, prefers stony ground in the deserts of central and western Australia1].

They hunt by sight, rather than by feel as longer-billed waders like snipe do. Foods eaten include insects, worms or other invertebrates depending on habitat, and are usually obtained by a run-and-pause technique, rather than the steady probing of some other wader groups. While breeding, they defend their territories with highly visible aerial displays[1].

Most members of the family are known as plovers, lapwings or dotterels. These were rather vague terms which were not applied with any great consistency in the past. In general, larger species have often been called lapwings, smaller species plovers or dotterels and there are in fact two clear taxonomic sub-groups: most lapwings belong to the subfamily Vanellinae, most plovers and dotterels to Charadriinae.

The trend in recent years has been to rationalise the common names of the Charadriidae. For example, the large and very common Australian bird traditionally known as the ‘Spur-winged Plover’, is now the Masked Lapwing; the former ‘Sociable Plover’ is now the Sociable Lapwing.

Photos

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Taxonomy

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The Family Charadriidae is a member of the Superfamily Charadrioidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Charadriidae:

The Family Charadriidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

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Afroxyechus

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Anitibyx

Belonopterus

[more]

Charadrius

Charadrius is a genus of , a group of wading birds. They are found throughout the world. [more]

Chettusia

[more]

Cladorhynchus

The Banded Stilt, Cladorhynchus leucocephalus, is a nomadic from Australia. It gets its name from the red-brown breast band found on breeding adults, but this is mottled or entirely absent in non-breeding adults and juveniles. Its remaining plumage is pied and the eyes are dark brown. They breed whenever the water conditions are suitable and lay 3-4 white, brown or black eggs on a scrape. [more]

Eudromias

[more]

Eupoda

Fulva

Haematopus

The oystercatchers are a group of ; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. The exception to this is the Eurasian Oystercatcher and the South Island Oystercatcher, both of which breed inland, far inland in some cases. In the past there has been a great deal of confusion as to the species limits, with discrete populations of all black oystercatchers being afforded specific status but pied oystercatchers being considered one single species. [more]

Himantopus

Stilt is a common name for several species of in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates. [more]

Hoplopterus

Hoploxypterus

[more]

Jiliniornis

[more]

Lobibyx

Lobipluvia

[more]

Lobivanellus

[more]

Phegornis

The Diademed Sandpiper-plover (Phegornis mitchellii) is a species of in the Charadriidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Phegornis. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps. [more]

Pluvialis

Pluvialis is a genus of , a group of wading birds. There are four species which breed in the temperate or Arctic Northern Hemisphere. [more]

Pluviorhynchus

Podasocys

Recurvirostra

The four species of Avocets are in the same avian family as the stilts. They are typically found in warm climates. [more]

Sarcogrammus

[more]

Squatarola

Stephanibyx

[more]

Thinornis

Thinornis is a genus of which consists of two extant species, both of which are threatened. They are variously placed in the genus Charadrius. [more]

Vanellus

Vanellus is the genus of which provisionally contains all lapwings except Red-kneed Dotterel, Erythrogonys cinctus. The name "vanellus" is Latin for "little fan", vanellus being the diminutive of vannus ("fan"). The name is in reference to the sound lapwings' wings make in flight. [more]

Venellus

Zonibyx

[more]

More info about the Genus Zonibyx may be found here.

References

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  1. ^ a b Harrison, Colin J.O. (1991). Forshaw, Joseph. ed. Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press. pp. 105. ISBN 1-85391-186-0. 

Sources

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Last Revised: April 26, 2010
2010/04/26 14:13:42