# Red-capped plover > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Red-capped_plover > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Red-capped_plover.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-capped_plover > Source revision: 1314842834 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Species of bird}} {{speciesbox | image = Charadrius ruficapillus Breeding Plumage.jpg | image_caption = Male in breeding plumage | image2 = Charadrius ruficapillus.jpg | image2_caption = Female in breeding plumage | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Charadrius ruficapillus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T22693832A93425838 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22693832A93425838.en |access-date=12 November 2021}} | genus = Anarhynchus | species = ruficapillus | authority = ([Temminck](/source/Coenraad_Jacob_Temminck), 1821) }} The '''red-capped plover''' ('''''Anarhynchus ruficapillus'''''), also known as the '''red-capped dotterel''', is a small species of [plover](/source/plover). It breeds in Australia. This species is closely related to (and sometimes considered conspecific with) the [Kentish plover](/source/Kentish_plover), [Javan plover](/source/Javan_plover), and [white-fronted plover](/source/white-fronted_plover). ==Description== Red-capped plovers have a white forehead and underparts. Their upperparts are mainly grey-brown. Adult males have a [rufous](/source/rufous) or reddish-brown crown and hindneck. Adult females have a paler rufous and grey-brown crown and hindneck, with a pale loreal stripe. The upperwing of ''Charadrius ruficapillus'' shows dark brown [remiges](/source/Flight_feather) (flight feathers) and primary [covert feather](/source/covert_feather)s with a white wingbar in flight. Its length is 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) and its wingspan is 27–34 cm (10.6–13.4 in); it weighs 35–40 g (1.2–1.4 oz). Breeding plumage shows a red-brown crown and nape with black margins. Non-breeding plumage is duller and lacks the black margins.{{cite web|url=http://www.arthurgrosset.com/ozbirds/red-cappedplover.html|title=Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus|last=Grosset|first=Arthur|access-date=9 January 2011}} ==Distribution and habitat== thumb|left|Manly Marina, SE Queensland, Australia The red-capped plover is widespread in [Australia](/source/Australia); it is a [vagrant](/source/Vagrancy_(biology)) to [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand), although it bred there for some time in small numbers from 1950–1980.{{Citation | first1 = Theunis | last1 = Piersma | first2 = Popko | last2 = Weirsma | editor-first = Josep | editor-last = del Hoyo | editor2-first = Andrew | editor2-last = Elliott | editor3-last = Sargatal | editor3-first = Jordi | contribution = Family Charadriidae (Plovers) | title = [Handbook of the Birds of the World](/source/Handbook_of_the_Birds_of_the_World). Volume 3, Hoatzin to Auks | year = 1996 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/432 432–433] | place = Barcelona | publisher = Lynx Edicions | isbn = 84-87334-20-2 }} The species occupies a range of coastal and inland habitats, including [estuaries](/source/estuary), bays, beaches, sandflats, and [mudflats](/source/mudflats); inland [saline](/source/saline_water) [wetland](/source/wetland)s. It is also found in inland wetland areas with bare ground. ==Food== thumb|"Nest" with eggs The red-capped plover feeds mostly on small invertebrates, especially [mollusc](/source/mollusc)s, [crustacean](/source/crustacean)s, and [worm](/source/worm)s. ==Breeding== thumb|Female [[File:Red-capped plover chick444.jpg|thumb|A chick, adopting a [camouflage](/source/camouflage)d position that helps it avoid detection by predators such as gulls and crows.]] The red-capped plover is a seasonal breeder on the coasts of Australia, but breeds in response to unpredictable rains inland. The plover nests on the ground close to wetlands; the nest is a small depression in the ground, with minimal or no lining. The [clutch](/source/Clutch_(eggs)) of two pale yellowish-brown eggs are speckled with black spots. The [Incubation](/source/Avian_incubation) period is 30 days; incubating is mainly done by the female. Upon hatching, the young are open-eyed, mobile, and relatively mature ([precocial](/source/precocial)); they flee the nest shortly after birth ([nidifugous](/source/nidifugous)). ==Conservation== With a large range and no evidence of significant population decline, this species' conservation status is of [Least Concern](/source/Least_Concern). ==References== {{Reflist}} *BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: ''Charadrius ruficapillus''. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 12 February 2007 *Marchant, S.; Higgins, P.J.; & Davies, J.N. (eds). (1994). ''Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings''. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. {{ISBN|0-19-553069-1}} ==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Charadrius ruficapillus}} *{{Wikispecies-inline|Charadrius ruficapillus}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q256011}} red-capped-plover Category:Birds of Australia Category:Birds of Timor red-capped plover Category:Articles containing video clips Category:Taxa named by Coenraad Jacob Temminck Category:Fauna of Timor-Leste --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Red-capped plover](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-capped_plover) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-capped_plover?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.