Oreopholus ruficollis
The Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) is an elegant and distinctive member of the plover family, Charadriidae, and the sole species within its monotypic genus, Oreopholus. Measuring approximately 28-31 cm in length, it presents a striking appearance with its prominent rufous-tawny throat, which gives the species its common name. Key identification marks include a broad black band across its breast, a grey head adorned with a crisp white supercilium, and a cryptic mottled brown b...
This species primarily inhabits arid to semi-arid open environments, including high-altitude puna, dry grasslands, steppes, scrublands, and sandy plains, typically found from sea level up to elevations of over 4,500 meters in the Andes.
Its diet consists mainly of insects, particularly beetles and their larvae, ants, and other small invertebrates gleaned from the ground. It occasionally consumes some plant material like seeds or shoots.
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is largely diurnal, though it may forage into crepuscular hours, often standing motionless or moving with a characteristic run-and-peck foraging strategy. It is a visual hunter, scanning the ground for prey before darting forward. During the non-breeding season, these ...
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is endemic to South America, boasting a wide distribution across the continent's southern and western regions. Its breeding range primarily extends through the Andean highlands of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, descending into the Patagonian steppes. Two subspeci...
Least Concern
- The Tawny-throated Dotterel is the sole species in its genus, *Oreopholus*, highlighting its unique evolutionary path among plovers. - Despite its relatively large size for a plover, its cryptic plumage makes it remarkably difficult to spot against its arid, stony background. - It is sometimes ...