INLAND DOTTEREL

The Inland Dotterel, also known as the Australian Dotterel or Australian Plover, is a fascinating bird. It is native to Australia and is specifically found in the arid and semi-arid interior regions of the country.

These birds have excellent camouflage that helps them blend into their surroundings. Their plumage matches the colors of the arid landscape, making them difficult to spot, even when they are sitting on their nests.

Inland Dotterels are known for their nomadic behavior, moving across vast distances in search of suitable feeding and breeding grounds. They can cover significant distances during their seasonal movements.

    The Inland Dotterel has a distinctive, bright orange eye ring around its eyes, which adds to its unique appearance.

 The Inland Dotterel  can breed at any time of year in response to heavy rainfall. They nests on the ground, making shallow scrapes in the soil to lay their eggs. This nesting behavior exposes them to various threats, including predation and disturbance from human activities. They employ a fascinating predator avoidance strategy known as the “rodent run.” When they detect a potential predator approaching their nest, they will pretend to have a broken wing and run away from the nest in a zigzag manner, trying to lure the predator away from their vulnerable eggs or chicks. These birds are generally quiet and unobtrusive, making their presence harder to detect in the vast and remote regions they inhabit. 

Inland Dotterels are classified as vulnerable due to habitat degradation and disturbance, particularly from mining, agriculture, and off-road vehicles. Conservation efforts are important to protect their fragile populations.