Little Ringed Plover

Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Uncommon bird: +3 points when you log it.

Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Gravel pits, river shingle.
Diet: Insects, small invertebrates.
Best time to spot: Yellow eye-ring; summer migrant.

When to look

A summer visitor, typically in the UK from March to September. Numbers peak in April. See the April birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.

Taller bars mean more birds about. Grey means it is usually absent.

How rare is it?

The Little Ringed Plover sits in our Uncommon tier for the UK: regular, but you usually need the right place or the right season. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.

Where to see it

Reserves where the Little Ringed Plover is on the list:

• Rutland Water

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Ringed PloverUncommon · Beaches
• Eurasian DotterelRare · Mountain plateaux (summer)
• KilldeerLegendary · Short grass (rare vagrant)
• Semipalmated PloverLegendary · Beaches
• Common TernUncommon · Coast and inland gravel pits
• White WagtailUncommon · Coast

Kit that helps

Bird ID starter kit. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.