Inland dotterel

The Inland dotterel Peltohyas australis is an endemic shorebird of the arid Australian interior. It forms loose flocks in sparsely vegetated gibber plain and claypans in the day where it loafs in the shade and eats shoots of shrubs. It is most often encountered at night when it forages on roads for insects. The relative remoteness of its habitat means that it is not well studied. The most detailed observations of the species were made by the South African arid-zone ornithology specialist Prof. Gordon Maclean in the 1970s. Alternate English names include Australian Plover, Inland Plover, Desert Plover and Prairie Plover.

Description

The Inland dotterel is a medium-sized plover with a distinctive cryptic plumage. Males and females are similarly sized: 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in) in length, a wingspan of 43–47 cm (17–19 in) a weight of 80-90 g (2.8-3.2 oz), and a short bill 1.7 cm (0.7 in).