Charadrius alexandrinus Linnæus, Syst. Nat. ed. 10, (1758), 1, 150.
Ægialitis alexandrina Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 24,
275; Hand-List (1899), 1, 154; Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902),
2, 26; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 24.
Bohol (Everett, Steere Exp.); Calayan (McGregor); Cebu (McGregor);
Cuyo (McGregor); Mindanao (Everett); Palawan (Whitehead, Platen,
Everett, Steere Exp.); Panay (Steere Exp.); Siquijor (Steere Exp.);
Ticao (McGregor). Europe and central Asia to China and Japan,
in winter to Africa, Indian Peninsula, and Australia.
"Adult male in breeding plumage.--Above pale earthy brown, with faint
remains of paler margins to the feathers; wing-coverts like back,
marginal ones blackish brown, greater series darker brown with a narrow
white edging to the tip; alula and primary-coverts dark sepia-brown,
the latter fringed with white at the tip; quills sepia-brown, with
white shafts to the primaries, which are pale brown on inner web;
inner primaries for the most part white toward the base of outer web;
secondaries dusky brown with white tips, inner ones also white along
the margins of both webs, innermost long secondaries brown like back;
lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts dark sepia-brown, lateral ones
white, forming a patch on each side; the four center tail-feathers
dark sepia-brown, paler toward the base, and having white shafts to
the center ones, three outer feathers white, next ones smoky brown,
with white shafts; crown ashy brown, washed with light tawny-rufous,
especially distinct toward nape; hind neck and sides of neck white,
forming a collar; forehead and a distinct eyebrow white, with a
broad black band separating white of forehead from brown of crown;
eyelid and loral streak black; feathers below the eye and sides of
face white, with a black patch on hinder ear-coverts; cheeks and under
surface pure white, with a patch of black on each side of chest; under
wing-coverts and axillars white; quills below light ashy like the
lower primary-coverts. 'Bill black, with the base of lower mandible
of a dusky flesh-color; tarsi dusky, toes darker, claws black; iris
brown.' (Macgillivray.) Length, 165; culmen, 18; wing, 105; tail,
43; middle toe with claw, 18.
"Adult female.--Similar to the male, but with less rufous on the head,
this being represented by a tinge over the eye and round the nape;
black band on the fore part of crown absent; black patch on each side
of the chest represented by a brown patch with a rufous tinge. Length,
165; culmen, 18; wing, 109; tail, 48; tarsus, 28.
"The Kentish plovers which attain their breeding plumage in the plains
of India are certainly much brighter in color than any which are
seen in Europe. The black forehead and patch at the side of the chest
are also strongly developed. Occasionally a rufous tinge overshades
the back.
"The adult bird in winter plumage differs from the summer plumage in
the entire absence of bright rufous on the head, and the black markings
on the face and sides of the breast are also not developed. The head
is like the back, the forehead and eyebrow are white, the lores dusky,
and there is always a more or less distinct white collar united to
the two sides of the neck.
"Young birds in first winter plumage only differ from the adults in
having the whole upper surface distinctly marked with pale edges to
the feathers." (Sharpe.)
This plover appears to be a winter visitant to the Philippines and
may be found in small flocks along the seashore wherever there are
tide-flats. It differs from both Æ. dubia and peroni in being slightly
larger and in having an incomplete band on the fore breast.
Subfamily HIMANTOPODINÆ.
Genus HIMANTOPUS Brisson, 1760.
Bill long, slender, straight, and pointed; wing long and slender,
reaching well beyond tip of tail, first primary much the longest; tail
short and square; legs extremely long and slender; bare portion of
tibia equal to three-fourths of tarsus, the latter two and one-half
times as long as middle toe with claw; toes webbed at base; hind
toe wanting.