Eudromias morinellus
The Eurasian Dotterel, Eudromias morinellus, is a captivating medium-sized plover known for its striking breeding plumage and unique reproductive strategy. Measuring approximately 20-22 cm (8-9 inches) in length with a wingspan of 57-64 cm (22-25 inches) and weighing 85-140 g (3-5 oz), it boasts a distinctive white supercilium that forms a prominent V-shape on its head. Its breeding attire features a dark olive-brown back, a rich orange-chestnut belly, and a stark black band across its breast...
Found in open, treeless habitats, primarily breeding on Arctic tundra, high-altitude fell-fields, and stony plateaus across Eurasia. Winters in semi-arid plains and desert margins.
Their diet consists mainly of invertebrates, including beetles, flies, grasshoppers, spiders, caterpillars, and snails, supplemented with occasional berries or seeds. They forage visually, picking prey from the surface or probing shallowly in soft ground.
Eurasian Dotterels are predominantly diurnal, foraging actively during daylight hours. Their primary foraging strategy involves a characteristic 'run-and-stop' technique, visually scanning for prey before making a quick dash to snatch it. During the breeding season, females establish and defend t...
The Eurasian Dotterel has a widespread but disjunct breeding range across the Palearctic. It breeds in the Arctic tundra of Fennoscandia and northern Russia, extending east through Siberia to the Bering Sea. Isolated breeding populations also occur in the high mountains of Europe, including the S...
Least Concern
- The name 'Dotterel' comes from the Middle English 'dotard,' referring to its tameness and apparent lack of fear, which historically made it easy for hunters to catch. - It exhibits reversed sexual roles: the brighter-plumaged female lays clutches for multiple males, each of whom then incubates ...