Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Shorebirds

Hooded Plover

Thinornis cucullatus

Hooded Plover (Thinornis cucullatus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of New South Wales Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

By family

Plovers of Australia Plovers of New South Wales Plovers of Queensland Plovers of South Australia Plovers of Tasmania Plovers of Victoria Plovers of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Hooded Plover (Thinornis cucullatus) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 100 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae Plovers
Genus Thinornis
Species cucullatus

Where it lives

Coastal and inland southwestern WA and coastal south-central SA to southeastern NSW (south-central, southeastern Australia) and Tasmania

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 100 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Shore Plover

Thinornis novaeseelandiae

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Hooded Plover hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Hooded Plover is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Hooded Plover (Thinornis cucullatus) belongs to the Charadriidae family of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU coastal and inland sw WA and coastal sc SA to se NSW (sc, se Australia) and Tasmania.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 100 g, with a wing length of about 13.8 cm and a tail of around 6 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 608,000 km².

Songs & calls

Hooded Plover — Call

Recorded by Andrew Spencer Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Hooded Plover?

The Hooded Plover is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 100 g.

Where does the Hooded Plover live?

The Hooded Plover is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU coastal and inland sw WA and coastal sc SA to se NSW (sc, se Australia) and Tasmania, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Hooded Plover belong to?

The Hooded Plover (Thinornis cucullatus) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Hooded Plover eat?

The Hooded Plover hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Hooded Plover migrate?

The Hooded Plover is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Hooded Plover endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Hooded Plover make?

1 real field recording of the Hooded Plover — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Hooded Plover's range?

The Hooded Plover has a mapped global range of about 608,000 km².