Siberian Sand-Plover

1. Small head and short, slightly bulging black bill

2. Brownish-grey above, white below with a faint breast band in non-breeding plumage

3. Long, dark legs and a slender build

Siberian Sand Plovers feed on small invertebrates such as crabs, worms, amphipods, and molluscs, using a run-stop-peck technique to locate prey visually. They are social, often feeding and roosting in groups. Most migrate north to breed exclusively in the arid tundra and high-altitude valleys of Russia, where they lay eggs in simple ground scrapes lined with vegetation. In Australia they are found in non-breeding season usually between September-April. Some young birds remain in Australia for their first year rather than migrating. The population has declined sharply in recent years, mainly due to habitat loss in key migration stopover areas like the Yellow Sea.

Siberian Sand Plovers are found almost exclusively along Australia’s coasts, especially on tidal mudflats, sandy beaches, and estuaries. They are most common from September to April, rarely venturing inland. These birds often forage in mixed flocks with other waders, particularly Greater Sand Plovers, and gather to roost on sandbars, beaches, and among mangroves at high tide.