|
Case Summary for:
Submission No 205: Ringed Plover Charadrius Hiaticula, Fisherman Island, QLD, 23 September 1995. Verdict: Not Accepted This record relates to a sighting of a plover observed for about 20 minutes at distance estimated to be 30-40 metres by several observers at Fisherman Island, Near Brisbane, QLD, 23 September 1995. Field notes were taken at the time of the sighting and were included with the submission along with an account detailing the circumstances of the sighting. The description describes a small plover, between the size of a Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus and a Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus, both of which were available for direct comparison. Some of the key features noted include: Narrow black ring immediately below a white collar extending onto the breast, white forehead edged black, short black tipped orange-red bill, plain grey-brown upperparts, bright orange legs and a primary extension approximately equal to the length of the tail. The observers recognise that separation from Semi-palmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus was not made at the time of the sighting and commented further that the extent of the broad breast band, greater amount of black behind the eye and perhaps a slightly longer bill all suggest Ringed Plover rather than Semi-palmated. The extent of the wing bar in flight, the call and the semi-palmations between the toes were understandably not noted in the field. Committee members agreed with the observers that this bird was close to summer plumage particularly given the colour of the bill. Recent literature dealing with the separation of Semi-palmated Plover states that semi-palmated tends to show browner ear coverts, a less pronounced white patch above/behind the eye, and a narrower breast band than in Ringed Plover. However, there is much overlap, and females of both species generally show browner ear coverts and a narrower breast band than their respective males (Lewington et al 1982). Although members were divided in their opinion general agreement was that this record relates to honest account of a rare bird, but exclusion of Semi-palmated Plover beyond all reasonable doubt is not possible without detail of the semi-palmations or the call (Dunn 1993). Nevertheless, the limited amount of yellow on the orbital ring, the quite broad sides to the breast band and the extent of white above the eye does suggest that this bird was probably a Ringed Plover. Although not accepted specifically as C. hiaticula the committee has no hesitation in accepting that this record relates to either a Ringed Plover or Semi-palmated Plover and congratulates the observers for the amount of detail noted at the time of the sighting. Exceptional caution is required when identifying this extremely similar pair in Australia, highlighted by the fact that there is now a record of Semi-palmated Plover from the Cook Islands in the South Pacific (pers. com Richard Thomas).
References and Bibliography
Tony Palliser |