Thinornis rubricollis
Appearance:
Sandy-brown above
White nape
White underparts
Dark brown iris
with red eye ring
Red bill with black tip
Pinkish-orange legs
Adult:
Black
head
Black hindneck
Juvenile:
Sandy-brown head and hindneck
On Maria Island in Tasmania, we saw a small groups of these birds while walking on the beach. They were bobbing and pecking along the shore, keeping just in front of us. Then, as a group, they all flew out to sea and circled around to land on the beach behind us. They must have felt threatened by us, after all they are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Learn more about the Hooded Plover.