Glareola orientalis Leach, Trans. Linn. Soc. (1820), 132, pl. 13;
Oates, Birds Brit. Burmah (1883), 2, 361; Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902),
2, 78; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 24, 58; Hand-List
(1899), 1, 171; Blanford, Fauna Brit. Ind. Bds. (1898), 4, 214
fig. 48 (head); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 30.
Calayan (McGregor); Luzon (Steere Exp., McGregor); Negros
(Layard); Palawan (Whitehead, White). China, eastern Siberia,
Indian Peninsula, Indo-Chinese countries; in winter Malay Peninsula
and Archipelago to Australia.
Adult male and female.--Above nearly uniform earthy brown; tail-coverts
white; a narrow line below eye white; lores black, this color continued
in a line below eyes to ear-coverts and across breast and bordered in
front with white; sides of neck earthy brown, usually extending across
fore breast; chin, throat, and breast light rufous or ocherous-brown;
abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts white; primaries, secondaries,
and alula blackish; axillars and under wing-coverts bright chestnut;
white at base of tail gradually increasing in extent from the central
pair of rectrices outward; tips brown. Bill black, scarlet posteriorly
of nostrils; inside of mouth dull salmon-pink; iris brown; legs and
nails dark seal-brown. Length of male, 230; wing, 182; tail, 78;
exposed culmen, 14; tarsus, 34; middle toe with claw, 29. Female,
wing, 185; tail, 72; exposed culmen, 15; tarsus, 34.
A young female from Calayan, November 11, 1903, resembles the adult
but the black and white lines across breast are wanting, being replaced
by numerous blackish brown dashes a few of which are scattered forward
onto throat.
"Young.--Differs from the adult in having the entire upper surface
blackish, mottled with broad edgings of sandy buff to all the feathers,
especially the quills and tail-feathers; head mottled like the back;
cheeks and under surface of body isabelline-buff; fore neck and
chest mottled with black, the feathers with a broad subterminal bar
or heart-shaped spot of black.
"The sandy-buff margins to the feathers become bleached to white, and
in many respects abraded, so that the subterminal black markings of
the young plumage remain as margins to the dorsal feathers. The adult
plumage is apparently gained by a molt, and the new feathers have a
slight indication of a sandy-buff fringe on the upper parts, while the
chest is mottled with ashy, the feathers having sandy-colored margins;
the throat is at first irregularly spotted or streaked with blackish,
and has scarcely any signs of a black crescent.
"There is considerable variation with regard to the rufous color of
the throat and breast, this being sometimes very rich in tint. I
imagine that this is a sign of nesting plumage to a great extent;
but it may also indicate the age of the bird, the plumage becoming
more richly colored as the bird gets older." (Sharpe.)
"Numerous flocks seen by me on the plains of Isabela in April,
1906." (Worcester.)
During the winter months this anomalous plover visits the Philippines
in small numbers. Its deeply cleft bill and forked tail distinguish
it from all other plovers; and even while on the wing it may be
recognized by its circling, swallow-like flight.
Suborder OEDICNEMI.
Family OEDICNEMIDÆ.
Bill large and strong, nostrils pervious, their opening a long slit;
wings when folded falling short of the tip of tail; secondaries longer
than primaries; tarsus covered with hexagonal scales; tarsus longer
than culmen or than middle toe with claw.
Genus ORTHORHAMPHUS Salvadori, 1874.
Characters same as those given for the Family.