Three banded plover

Introduction: Three-banded plovers (Charadrius tricollaris) can be observed in many habitats ranging from any freshwater location including pools and streams to farm dams and sewage works. They are active day and night, singly in pairs or small groups of up to 10.
Distribution: Northern Namib Desert, Epupa Falls, Caprivi Strip, Etosha National Park, Skeleton Coast, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, Luderitz, Orange River, Fish River Canyon and Kalahari Desert.

Diet: Aquatic invertebrates including insects, small molluscs and worms.

Description: Tricollaris is Latin for three-collared, a reference to a white head band and lower throat and upper breast bands.

Breeding: Just 1 or 2 eggs are laid in either December to March or July to September in a simple scrape in the sand or dry mud close to water.

Size: 18cm.

Weight: 35g.