Kentish Plover

The Kentish Plover is a small banded shorebird species found across parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The species is very closely related to the Snowy Plover of the Americas. In fact, in many taxonomic standards the two species have not been split and are both still considered to be Charadrius alexandrinus.

Kentish Plovers are found along shorelines, either at sea coasts or inland along lagoons, brackish bodies of water, and the like. Portions of the global population are migratory, but birds in certain (mostly central) areas may remain residents year-round.

The global population trend for the Kentish Plover is decreasing, but the overall conservation status remains Least Concern as of July 2014. Habitat disturbance and destruction are among the threats the species faces.