Appearance:

Clearly smaller than Golden plover. Easily identified by broad white supercilium, white breast band and rusty brown underparts. Female more richly coloured than male. Winter plumage and juveniles pale, with scaled back and light underparts. Short, broad, rounded tail and slightly rounded wings visible in flight. Reversed sexual roles.

Sound:

Calls soft and mellow, but far carrying "pit" or "pju". Also "krrrrritpitpit - pit - pit pit pit", starting as a trill and then ending in a long ritardando of "pit"'s.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Rob van Bemmelen, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Very large, mostly unmistakable bird. Grey upperparts, white underparts and yellow/yellowish bill. Keeps neck retracted when flying (as opposed to crane). May be mistaken for Purple Heron, but back of neck grey, not brown. Bill heavy and dagger-shaped. Neck thicker and less angular than in Purple Heron. Unmarked cheeks.

Sound:

Quite vocal. Most common call a short, far reaching and extremely harsh, rasping sound. At breeding ground a varied repertoire of harsh and clattering sounds.

Flight call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC