Common name: Common Ringed Plover
Scientific name: Charadrius hiaticula
Family: Charadriidae

Size:
Body length: 17–19 cm
Wingspan: 35–41 cm
Weight: 40–65 g

Identification:
A small, compact wader with a bold black-and-white head pattern. It has a distinct black breast band, white forehead, and a black mask across the eyes. The bill is orange with a black tip, and the legs are bright orange. In flight, it shows a clear white wingbar. Its upright stance and stop-start feeding behavior are characteristic.

Habitat:
Coastal habitats such as sandy beaches, mudflats, estuaries, and lagoons. Also found along riverbanks and inland water bodies during migration.

Status in the UAE:
Common winter visitor and passage migrant. Regularly observed along coastlines and wetlands.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on insects, crustaceans, worms, and other small invertebrates, using visual hunting and quick movements.

Behavior:
Often seen singly or in small groups. Feeds by running short distances and stopping abruptly to pick prey. Alert and active, frequently giving soft calls. Flight is fast and direct with rapid wingbeats.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)