Photo: diego Hernan Perez / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tawny-throated Dotterel
Oreopholus ruficollis
Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 131 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Charadriidae Plovers
- Genus Oreopholus
- Species ruficollis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 131 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) belongs to the Charadriidae family of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA coastal and inland n Peru to Tierra del Fuego.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 131 g, with a wing length of about 16.3 cm and a tail of around 7.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tawny-throated Dotterel?
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 131 g.
Where does the Tawny-throated Dotterel live?
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is found across South America with a range covering SA coastal and inland n Peru to Tierra del Fuego, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Tawny-throated Dotterel belong to?
The Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Tawny-throated Dotterel eat?
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Tawny-throated Dotterel migrate?
The Tawny-throated Dotterel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Tawny-throated Dotterel endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Tawny-throated Dotterel make?
1 real field recording of the Tawny-throated Dotterel — 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 Tawny-throated Dotterel's range?
The Tawny-throated Dotterel has a mapped global range of about 1.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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