Eurasian Dotterel

Eurasian Dotterel (Eudromias morinellus) is a compact plover with a bold white eyebrow and, in breeding plumage, a chestnut breast bordered by white; females are more brightly coloured than males. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds on open upland and tundra ground, where the male performs most incubation and chick care, and migrates to drier open country outside the breeding season. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).