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Meet our Wildlife
Meet our Wildlife

Ringed Plover

Wading Birds
Gulls
Coastal Birds

Ringed Plover

Scientific Name: ( Charadrius hiaticula )
A small, dumpy wader that is a resident species in the UK. They are well camouflaged against the rocky shore but look out for their black “scarf” markings and orange legs.
Ringed plovers are small waders that can be seen in the UK all year round. They typically breed on shingle shores but have also more recently been found nesting inland at gravel pits and reservoirs. They make a small scape amongst the sand and shingle in which they lay their eggs. Their nests can therefore be incredibly difficult to spot and often wildlife wardens will erect signs and fencing where nests have been found to avoid disturbance and damage- watch out for this as you walk along the South Tyneside-Sunderland coastline.

Ringed plovers are easily identifiable by their distinctive head markings which include a black ring or “scarf” around neck and black ‘bridle’ markings across and above the eyes. They have short, pointed, orange and black bills and orange legs. Their bodies are sandy-brown above and white below. You may see them foraging for invertebrates and crustaceans in a stealthy manner as they stand very still before darting towards their prey target.

Ringed plovers also exhibit an interesting predator defence behaviour when they feel threatened and will pretend to have a broken wing to divert predators away from their nesting site. If you see this behaviour, then it is likely a ringed plover nest is nearby so please take care to move away from the area and watch your step!

Ringed plovers are red-listed in the UK and populations are in decline. Although they are not listed in the Special Protection Areas covering the Sunderland coast, the UK is home to large numbers of birds and therefore protection of our coastal habitats is crucial for their survival.
Good locations to spot them in Sunderland are highlighted on the map below. Always remember to follow our guidance when it comes to reducing bird disturbance.
KEY FACTS
CONSERVATION STATUS | Red
LENGTH | 18-20cm
WINGSPAN | 52cm
WHEN TO SEE THEM | All year round

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