{{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 = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{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}}</ref> | genus = Anarhynchus | species = ruficapillus | authority = (Temminck, 1821) }}

The '''red-capped plover''' ('''''Anarhynchus ruficapillus'''''), also known as the '''red-capped dotterel''', is a small species of plover.

It breeds in Australia. This species is closely related to (and sometimes considered conspecific with) the Kentish plover, Javan plover, and white-fronted plover.

==Description== Red-capped plovers have a white forehead and underparts. Their upperparts are mainly grey-brown. Adult males have a 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 (flight feathers) and primary covert feathers with a white wingbar in flight. Its length is 14–16&nbsp;cm (5.5–6.3 in) and its wingspan is 27–34&nbsp;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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== thumb|left|Manly Marina, SE Queensland, Australia The red-capped plover is widespread in Australia; it is a vagrant to New Zealand, although it bred there for some time in small numbers from 1950–1980.<ref name = "HBW">{{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. 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 }}</ref> The species occupies a range of coastal and inland habitats, including estuaries, bays, beaches, sandflats, and mudflats; inland saline wetlands. 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 molluscs, crustaceans, and worms.

==Breeding== thumb|Female [[File:Red-capped plover chick444.jpg|thumb|A chick, adopting a camouflaged 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.<ref name = "HBW"/> 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 of two pale yellowish-brown eggs are speckled with black spots. The Incubation period is 30 days; incubating is mainly done by the female. Upon hatching, the young are open-eyed, mobile, and relatively mature (precocial); they flee the nest shortly after birth (nidifugous).

==Conservation== With a large range and no evidence of significant population decline, this species' conservation status is of 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