Hooded Plover
Encyclopedia
The Hooded Dotterel or Hooded Plover (Thinornis rubricollis) is a species of bird
in the Charadriidae
family. It is endemic to southern Australia
and Tasmania
. There are two recognized subspecies, both of which are classifed as Endangered.
described the Hooded Dotterel in 1789. Its specific name is derived from the Latin
words ruber "red", and collis "neck".
The Hooded Dotterel was placed in genus
Charadrius but in the early 2000s it was reclassified into the genus Thinornis, along with Shore Plover
(Thinornis novaeseelandiae). In 2000 the number of mature individuals was estimated at a mere 7,000. Alternate common names include: Hooded Plover, Hoody, Pluvier à camail (in French), Kappenregenpfeifer (in German), and Chorlito Encapuchado (in Spanish).
The Hooded Dotterel is medium in size for a plover, stocky, and pale in color. Its length is 190 to 230 mm (7.5 to 9.1 in) and its wing-span 230 to 440 mm (9.1 to 17.3 in). It has a black hood and throat with a white collar. Its red bill has a black tip. It has a red eye ring and orange legs. Underparts are white. Males and females are similar. Adults and juveniles are similar except the juveniles do not have the black head and hindneck, which are instead a sandy brown.
s are freshwater lake
s, freshwater marsh
es, coastal saline lagoon
s, and sandy beaches. Heavy populations are found on beaches with seaweed and dunes. It is threatened by habitat loss because of its small population and native range. It lives in western Australia, southern Australia, New South Wales
, Tasmania and nearby islands. It is a vagrant in Queensland
. Fox
predation
is a major threat to the western subspecies. It is non-migratory.
A clutch
of 1-3 eggs is laid from August to March, which is also the peak of the summer tourist season in its range and it is thereby heavily impacted by human activities. The eggs are a matte beige or cream colour heavily sprinkled with dark brown and lavender markings, especially at the larger end of the egg. Pyriform in shape, they measure 37 x 27 mm. Eggs hatch in about 30 days. The Silver Gull
(Larus novaehollandiae) and Raven
(Corvus spp). The eastern population eats a variety of invertebrate
s but little is known of the diet of the western population. Specifically it eats insects, bivalves, and sandhoppers. It is usually seen in pairs or small groups near the water. For breeding it will dig a shallow scrape in sand or gravel above high water mark and line it with pebbles, seaweed, and other debris.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Charadriidae
Charadriidae
The bird family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 66 species in all.- Morphology :They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings, but most species of lapwing may have more rounded wings...
family. It is endemic to southern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. There are two recognized subspecies, both of which are classifed as Endangered.
Taxonomy
The German naturalist Johann Friedrich GmelinJohann Friedrich Gmelin
Johann Friedrich Gmelin was a German naturalist, botanist, entomologist, herpetologist and malacologist.- Education :Johann Friedrich Gmelin was born as the eldest son of Philipp Friedrich Gmelin in 1748 in Tübingen...
described the Hooded Dotterel in 1789. Its specific name is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words ruber "red", and collis "neck".
The Hooded Dotterel was placed in genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Charadrius but in the early 2000s it was reclassified into the genus Thinornis, along with Shore Plover
Shore Plover
The Shore Dotterel or Shore Plover is a small species of Plover endemic to New Zealand. Its Māori name is Tuturuatu....
(Thinornis novaeseelandiae). In 2000 the number of mature individuals was estimated at a mere 7,000. Alternate common names include: Hooded Plover, Hoody, Pluvier à camail (in French), Kappenregenpfeifer (in German), and Chorlito Encapuchado (in Spanish).
Subspecies
Two subspecies of the Hooded Dotterel are now recognized.- T. r. rubricollis (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) southern Australia, QueenslandQueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and nearby islands. The population stands at 3000 and is declining. - T. r. tregellasi (MathewsGregory MathewsGregory Macalister Mathews CBE was an Australian amateur ornithologist.Mathews made his fortune in mining shares, and moved to England around 1900....
, 1912) Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, coasts and inland lakes, CranbrookCranbrook, Western AustraliaCranbrook is a small town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia between Katanning, Kojonup and Mount Barker, situated 320km south of Perth. It is billed as "The Gateway to the Stirlings", referring to the nearby Stirling Range National Park...
, Yalgorup National ParkYalgorup National ParkYalgorup National Park is a national park in Western Australia , 105 km south of Perth, and directly south of MandurahThe park is located on the western edge of the Swan Coastal Plain and contains a chain of about ten lakes, the name rises from the two Noongar words Yalgor meaning lake and up...
and points south. The population stands at 4000 and appears to be stable.
Description
Distribution and habitat
Its natural habitatHabitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are freshwater lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, freshwater marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, coastal saline lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s, and sandy beaches. Heavy populations are found on beaches with seaweed and dunes. It is threatened by habitat loss because of its small population and native range. It lives in western Australia, southern Australia, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Tasmania and nearby islands. It is a vagrant in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
predation
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
is a major threat to the western subspecies. It is non-migratory.
Behaviour
Clutch (eggs)
A clutch of eggs refers to all the eggs produced by birds or reptiles, often at a single time, particularly those laid in a nest.In birds, destruction of a clutch by predators, , results in double-clutching...
of 1-3 eggs is laid from August to March, which is also the peak of the summer tourist season in its range and it is thereby heavily impacted by human activities. The eggs are a matte beige or cream colour heavily sprinkled with dark brown and lavender markings, especially at the larger end of the egg. Pyriform in shape, they measure 37 x 27 mm. Eggs hatch in about 30 days. The Silver Gull
Silver Gull
The Silver Gull also known simply as "seagull" in Australia, is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly coastal areas. The South African Hartlaub's Gull and the New Zealand Red-billed Gull The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus...
(Larus novaehollandiae) and Raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
(Corvus spp). The eastern population eats a variety of invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s but little is known of the diet of the western population. Specifically it eats insects, bivalves, and sandhoppers. It is usually seen in pairs or small groups near the water. For breeding it will dig a shallow scrape in sand or gravel above high water mark and line it with pebbles, seaweed, and other debris.