Common name: Greater Sand Plover
Scientific name: Charadrius leschenaultii
Family: Charadriidae

Size:
Body length: 22–25 cm
Wingspan: 57–64 cm
Weight: 60–90 g

Identification:
A medium-sized plover with long legs and a relatively thick, blunt-tipped bill. In breeding plumage, it shows a sandy-brown upperpart, white underparts, and a distinctive chestnut band across the breast, along with a black mask through the face. In non-breeding plumage, it appears much plainer, with grey-brown tones and reduced facial markings. Larger and longer-legged than the Lesser Sand Plover, with a heavier bill.

Habitat:
Coastal mudflats, sandy shores, lagoons, and estuaries. Occasionally found on inland saline flats.

Status in the UAE:
Common winter visitor and passage migrant. Frequently observed along coastlines and tidal flats.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on small invertebrates such as worms, crustaceans, and insects, picking prey from the surface or probing shallowly.

Behavior:
Often seen singly or in small groups. Forages actively, running short distances before stopping to pick prey. Flight is fast and direct, often in tight flocks. Well camouflaged against sandy backgrounds.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)