Shore Plover (Thinornis novaeseelandiae)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Shore Plover

Thinornis novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

20 cmLength61 gWeight

Busiest months: December–January and March · Most records: New Zealand

Endangered

Where and when it's recorded

Shore Plover has been recorded at 8 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Manukau Harbour – Kidd's ShellbanksNew Zealand20 records
  2. Miranda Shorebird CentreNew Zealand17 records
  3. Miranda – main hide/LimeworksNew Zealand17 records
More places
  1. Waikanae EstuaryNew Zealand11 records
  2. Miranda – Ray's Rest/Taramaire Creek mouthNew Zealand2 records
  3. Miranda – 'Stilt Hide' & poolsNew Zealand2 records
  4. Foxton Beach – Manawatu estuaryNew Zealand2 records
  5. Manawatu Estuary – spit/Dawick St platformNew Zealand1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

New Zealand

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the Shore Plover?

The Shore Plover is about 20 cm long and weighs around 61 g.

Where does the Shore Plover live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: South East Island (=Rangatira, Chatham Islands, east of South Island); reintroduced to New Zealand satellites. It is most often recorded in New Zealand.

When is the best time to see the Shore Plover?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, March and December (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Shore Plover endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Shore Plover as Endangered.

What does the Shore Plover eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Shore Plover in?

It belongs to the family Plovers (Charadriidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Length
20 cm
Weight
61 g
Habitat
Coast & tidal flats
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Endangered
More measurements
Wing
117 mm
Tail
60 mm
Bill
27 mm
Tarsus
22 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia: South East Island (=Rangatira, Chatham Islands, east of South Island); reintroduced to New Zealand satellites

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Plovers Charadriidae
Genus
Thinornis

Other birds in the genus Thinornis

Hooded PloverHooded PloverThinornis cucullatusForbes's PloverForbes's PloverThinornis forbesiThree-banded PloverThree-banded PloverThinornis tricollarisBlack-fronted DotterelBlack-fronted DotterelThinornis melanopsLittle Ringed PloverLittle Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusLong-billed PloverLong-billed PloverThinornis placidusGrey PloverGrey PloverPluvialis squatarolaEuropean Golden PloverEuropean Golden PloverPluvialis apricariaPacific Golden PloverPacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulvaAmerican Golden PloverAmerican Golden PloverPluvialis dominica
Shore Plover

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Oscar Thomas. ↗

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