Tawny-throated Dotterel

Overview

The tawny-throated dotterel, Oreopholus ruficollis, is a species of bird in the family Charadriidae, the plovers and their relatives. It is the only living member of its genus, though an extinct species is known from fossil remains.

Identification

• Adults of the nominate subspecies are mostly rich buff with heavy dark streaking on the back, a white chin, an orange-tawny throat, a grey neck and breast, and a small black patch on the belly.
• The species measures 25 to 29 cm in length and weighs between 120 and 154 g, with no seasonal plumage changes or differences between sexes.
• In flight, the bird displays white underwings and produces a vibrating drawn-out whistle 'prrrrruu' or a rhythmic 'chup!-prri-rri-rruu'.
• Subspecies O. r. pallidus is similar to the nominate but is smaller and overall paler.

Habitat

Found across Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, the bird inhabits grasslands, heath shrublands, and fields or meadows. The nominate subspecies occurs in the puna of the Andes as high as 4,600 m, while the O. r. pallidus subspecies is restricted to the coastal plain of northern Peru.

Diet

Almost nothing is known about the tawny-throated dotterel's feeding behavior or diet, although it is known to feed in flocks of as many as 100 birds during the non-breeding season.

Did you know?

Although it is the only living member of its genus, an extinct species, O. orcesi, is known from fossil remains.