1. Kentish plover – Charadrius alexandrines
Kentish plover is a small coastal bird with a body length of 17-20 cm, a wingspan of 38-45 cm, and a weight of 35-50 g. In an adult, the plumage of the upper body is dark gray, the bottom of the body is white, black stripes on the forehead and sides of the head. The kentish plover has a short beak which it uses to find food in the sand.
Kentish plover is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Ukraine, it nests on the coast of the Black and Azov Seas, as well as on Syvash.
A sandman is a migratory bird. It winters in Africa and South Asia.
Kentish plover nests on sandy beaches sheltered from the wind. The nest is built in a shallow hole in the sand. In the laying of sea sandstone there are 3-5 eggs. There are 3-5 eggs in a kentish plover's clutch. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 22-24 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
The kentish plover feeds on insects, worms, and other invertebrates it finds in the sand.
Kentish plover is a fairly common species, but in some regions its number is decreasing. The reasons for this are pollution of water bodies, destruction of coastal plants and poaching.
In Ukraine, the sea sandstone is listed in the Red Book in the status of "Disappearing".
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko