Puna Plover (Charadrius alticola)

Identification & Behavior: ~17.2 cm (6.7 in). The Puna Plover has grayish-brown upperparts.. It has a black forecrown stripe that in many individuals extends behind the eye and sides of the neck; in others the stripe extension is broken. The crown is  rufous-brown and often extends toward the nape. It has a broken collar that ranges in color from black, in adult birds, to gray in juvenile ones. The forehead, throat,  and rest of the underparts are white. The Puna Plover has a broad lower-breast band that varier from brown to gray, perhaps related to the sex and age of the bird, some birds do not have this lower-breast band.  The legs are black. It is similar to Collared Plover, but it is distinguished by a broken breast band, a broad lower breast band, and black legs. These two plovers occupy non-overlapping ranges. Also, see Semipalmated Plover.

Status: The Puna Plover is uncommon to rare along the shores of bodies of water at elevations ranging between 3500 4500 m. It is a rare visitor to the coastal western lowlands. It also occurs in Bo and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Chorlo de la Puna.

Sub-species: Puna Plover (Charadrius alticola), Berlepsch and Stolzmann 1902.

Meaning of Name: Charadrius= A yellowish bird mentioned in the Vulgate Bible. alticola: altus= high, and cola= dweller.

See more of the Family Charadriidae