A very special couple - Magellanic Plover
The Magellanic Plover is no plover; in fact it is the sole member of the family Pluvianellidae. It is a small shorebird with a short and peg-like bill, dove-gray plumage, and curious behavior. It often stomps on wet mud to liquefy it, and then moves in quick circles and pecks at food that is brought to the surface from this behavior. When the young are fed, they secrete a crop milk not unlike that of doves. The odd look of this bird, the bill shape and the behavior have caused it to be classified as part of various groups through time. It was at one point thought to be a sandpiper due to the turnstone-like bill and patterns of the downy young. At other periods it was suggested to be an odd dove due to the crop milk, and soft “dove like” look. Molecular data clarifies that it is indeed a shorebird, but that it does belong in its own family and that its closest relative may be the Sheathbills (Chionidae). The Magellanic Plover breeds only in southernmost Patagonia, in both Chile and Argentina. Vulnerable. doi.org/10.2173/bow.magplo1.01
One of the amazing lifers I was able to photograph in my last trip to Chile. Wishing a Peaceful Travel Tuesday!
Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!
© All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated by any means without my written explicit permission, including the use on websites and similar medias. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.
My instagram if you like: @thelmag, @thelma_and_cats and @teg_photo_arts
Member of Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature
A very special couple - Magellanic Plover
The Magellanic Plover is no plover; in fact it is the sole member of the family Pluvianellidae. It is a small shorebird with a short and peg-like bill, dove-gray plumage, and curious behavior. It often stomps on wet mud to liquefy it, and then moves in quick circles and pecks at food that is brought to the surface from this behavior. When the young are fed, they secrete a crop milk not unlike that of doves. The odd look of this bird, the bill shape and the behavior have caused it to be classified as part of various groups through time. It was at one point thought to be a sandpiper due to the turnstone-like bill and patterns of the downy young. At other periods it was suggested to be an odd dove due to the crop milk, and soft “dove like” look. Molecular data clarifies that it is indeed a shorebird, but that it does belong in its own family and that its closest relative may be the Sheathbills (Chionidae). The Magellanic Plover breeds only in southernmost Patagonia, in both Chile and Argentina. Vulnerable. doi.org/10.2173/bow.magplo1.01
One of the amazing lifers I was able to photograph in my last trip to Chile. Wishing a Peaceful Travel Tuesday!
Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!
© All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated by any means without my written explicit permission, including the use on websites and similar medias. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.
My instagram if you like: @thelmag, @thelma_and_cats and @teg_photo_arts
Member of Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature