Collared Plover

Charadrius collaris

eBird describes the Collared Plover like this:  Uncommon, petite plover of beaches, coastal lagoons, lakeshores, gravel bars, and sandbars along rivers. Note slender black bill, brightly patterned head, narrow black breast band, and long pinkish legs. Despite the name, does not have white collar around back of neck like most small plovers. Typically found in pairs or as single birds; not in flocks like many other small plovers. At high tide they often roost with other plovers such as Wilson’s and Semipalmated plovers.

The Birds of the World website introduces the Collared Plover with this descriptive information:  Collared Plover is a common tropical and subtropical shorebird distributed broadly from Mexico south into the northern half of South America. Though it is found along the coasts and estuaries, Collared Plover is abundant on the sandy shores of large rivers inland.  This is a small plover, pale brown above and white below, with a black and white preocular area, chestnut crown and nape, black breastband, and yellow legs.  The similar Snowy Plover is paler, lacks a complete breastband, and has dark legs.  Collared Plovers give a quiet “prrp” call when alarmed and in flight.

I watched and photographed my first Collared Plover on the late afternoon of February 10, 2023, during a boat tour on the Tárcoles River in Costa Rica.  This bird was on a shallow beach and offered us good looks.