General
Kentish Plover: Small shorebird with dark gray legs, short black bill, and white underparts. Brown upperparts, pale-brown and black wings with white stripe. White and black striped collar, pale-red-brown crown and nape. White forehead and throat with black eyeline. Brown eyes. Tail black in center and white on sides. Adult female like male but lacks red-brown and black on neck, face, and crown, and has less white on face. Winter adult like adult female but with gray legs. Juvenile like winter adult but has pale edging to feathers on back and wings.
Breeding and Nesting
Kentish Plover: Breeding is in loose colonies, with both sexes actively defending territories. Nest is a scrape on bare, open ground and is lined with pebbles, grass, and debris. Both parents incubate eggs, normally three per clutch. May have as many as three clutches per breeding season.
Foraging and Feeding
Kentish Plover: Feeds mostly on terrestrial and aquatic insects; worms, spiders, crustaceans, mollusks. Also eats seaweed. Forages in both marine and freshwater habitats, often running after prey. Snaps bill to kill flies before swallowing.
Vocalization
Kentish Plover: Mostly silent. Sometimes produces short trills or a plaintive "toeeet." On breeding grounds produces chatter, such as "pyur-ree-et, pyur-ree-et."
Similar Species
Kentish Plover: Little Ringed Plover has a full breast band, paler legs, and is slightly smaller.