Kentish (Snowy) Plover

Charadrius alexandrinus

The Kentish Plover is a small (16 cm) wader with a short, thin bill.  It is brown on the back and wings, and white below with an incomplete black (brown in female) breast band.  The forehead is white, bordered in black at the forecrown, and a dark line runs back from the eye.  The crown ranges from rufous to brown, the legs and bill are black and the iris is brown.  In flight, it shows a conspicuous white wingbar.

The Kentish Plover is usually seen in small flocks in sandy, silty and dry muddy areas of coasts, marshes and lagoons.  It feeds on insects, crustaceans, molluscs, spiders and worms. Like other plovers, it hunts by standing and watching for movement on the surface, then quickly running to catch its prey.

In Taiwan the Kentish Plover is a common winter visitor.

References:  A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Mackinnon and Phillipps); 100 Common Birds of Taiwan (Wild Bird Society of Taipei); Handbook of Birds of the World Vol. 3