Family Plovers (Charadriidae)
Least Concern
Caspian Plover (Charadrius asiaticus)
Taxonomy
French: Pluvier asiatique German: Wermutregenpfeifer Spanish: Chorlitejo asiático chico
Taxonomy:
Charadrius asiaticus
Pallas
, 1773,saltlakes of the South Tatar Steppes, west Russia
.Distribution:
W, N & E Caspian Sea E to L Alakol and L Zaysan, in E Kazakhstan, and extreme NW Xinjiang, in NW China. Winters in E & S Africa.
Descriptive notes
18–20 cm; 60–91 g; wingspan 55–61 cm. Slim, upright plover, with clear white supercilium, forehead and throat; brown crown and upperparts; breastband rusty... read more
Voice
Most-frequently heard call a short, slightly nasal “chup”, sometimes repeated in rapid sequences or... read more
Habitat
Breeds in lowland desert and desert steppe, preferably in saltpans or on saline soil, often subject... read more
Food and feeding
Few data available. Primarily insects and their larvae. In breeding season mainly takes beetles, also ants, grasshoppers, bugs,... read more
Breeding
Lays Apr to late Jun. Mating system uncertain, monogamous pair-bond reported. Song-flight may be heard until midnight on moonlit nights.... read more
Movements
Migratory. Usually moves in small flocks of 5–12 birds, sometimes up to 30. Flocks form after... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Total population probably numbers 40,000–55,000 birds, of which an estimated 200–500 pairs in European Russia, where... read more
This species, along with closely related C. veredus and C. montanus, sometimes placed in genus Eupoda. Formerly treated as conspecific with C. veredus. Monotypic.