Common name: Tibetan Sandplover
Scientific name: Charadrius atrifrons
Family: Charadriidae

Size:
Body length: 18–21 cm
Wingspan: approximately 45–58 cm

Identification:
A small, compact sandplover with relatively short legs, a rounded head, and a short, stout dark bill. In non-breeding plumage it is mainly sandy-brown above and white below, with a pale eyebrow and brownish breast-side patches. Breeding males develop a striking black facial mask and forehead markings, with a rich rufous-orange breast band. It can be difficult to separate from closely related sandplovers, particularly outside breeding plumage.

Habitat:
In the UAE it is primarily associated with coastal mudflats, tidal creeks, lagoons, sandy shores, saltmarsh edges, and shallow coastal wetlands, where it feeds on exposed intertidal areas.

Status in the UAE:
A common passage migrant and winter visitor to the UAE, particularly along the coast. Birds occur mainly during migration and throughout the cooler months, often gathering with other small waders on productive tidal mudflats.

Diet:
Feeds mainly on small invertebrates, including molluscs, crustaceans, marine worms, and insects, collected from mud, sand, and shallow water.

Behavior:
An active ground-feeding wader that typically uses the characteristic plover run-stop-peck feeding technique, making short rapid runs before stopping to locate and capture prey. It may feed individually or in loose groups and commonly joins mixed flocks of shorebirds, forming larger groups at high-tide roosts.

Conservation Status:
Global: Least Concern (LC)
UAE National Red List: Least Concern (LC) — the National Red List records the taxon under its former treatment, Charadrius mongolus.