- Inland Dotterel
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Inland Dotterel 
Charadrius australis Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae Genus: Charadrius Species: C. australis Binomial name Charadrius australis
Gould, 1841The Inland Dotterel , Charadrius australis , also known as the Australian Dotterel and sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Peltohyas, is a medium-sized Charadriine plover.
Contents
Description
Unmistakable. Upperparts generally buff mottled with dark brown. Face pale but marked by vertical black band crossing eye and fore-crown. Underparts generally buff and white, marked with distinctice black Y on breast, forming collar on hind-neck, and joined to black band on belly separating white lower belly from rich buff lower breast and flanks. Measurements: length 19-23 cm; wingspan 43-47 cm; weight 80 g.
Distribution
Endemic to southern and central arid zone of mainland Australia.
Habitat
Open, arid country; distribution bounded by 100 mm summer isohyet.
Food
Seeds and invertebrates.
Breeding
Nests on bare ground in shallow depression; clutch of 3 brown eggs, marked with irregular black spots; incubation period c.28 days; young precocial and nidifugous.
Conservation
With a large range and no evidence of significant population decline, this species’ conservation status is of Least Concern.
References
- BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: Charadrius australis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 13 February 2007
- Marchant, S.; Higgins, P.J.; & Davies, J.N. (eds). (1994). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553069-1
- National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. (1987). The Shorebirds of Australia. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. ISBN 0-207-15348-5
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