1. Greater sand plover – Charadrius leschenaultii
The greater sand plover is a small bird with a body length of 17-20 cm, a wingspan of 40-45 cm, and a weight of 40-50 g. In an adult, the plumage of the upper body is gray, the bottom of the body is white, there is a characteristic reddish or pink hue on the chest. Its beak is long, thick, and curved down. Greater sand plover is common in Eurasia, Africa and Australia. In Ukraine, it breeds in the north and east, as well as in the south of Crimea.
The greater sand plover is a migratory bird. It winters in Africa, South Asia and Australia.
Geater sand plover nests on the sandy banks of rivers, lakes and other reservoirs. It builds a nest in a small pit covered with pebbles or little stones . There are 3-5 eggs in a greater sand 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 greater sand plover feeds on small invertebrates, which it finds on sandy soil.
Greater sand plover is a fairly common species, but in some regions its number is decreasing. The reasons for this are pollution of reservoirs, destruction of sandy shores and poaching.
In Ukraine, the sea sandstone is listed in the Red Book in the status of "Disappearing".
Photo: Yuriy Kodrulya