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Greater Sand-Plover

 

Anarhynchus leschenaultii

IUCN status: Least Concern

Flyway population 140-300 000 (2022 estimate)

Australian population 75 000

Identification

Non-breeding: The upperparts are grey-brown, with a white forehead and supercilium.  The underparts are white with light grey-brown sides.  The bill is black and slightly longer than the distance between the bill base and the rear of the eye.  Legs greyish-green.
Breeding: The chestnut, black and white head markings make is a striking plumage.  The chestnut extends from the top of the head, over the nape, sides of the head and onto the breast.  The forehead, neck and cheeks are white.  There is a black band from the lores, thickening around the eye and ear coverts.  There is a thin band over the white of the forehead.  The back is grey-brown and the underparts are white.
Juvenile:  Similar to adult non-breeding but upperparts feathers are fringed with white.

 

Confusing Species

Lesser Sand Plover:  Slightly smaller but this is difficult to determine if bird is on its own.  It has a shorter, more slender bill.  The legs appear shorter, particularly the upper part of the leg; this can depend on the stance of the bird.  In breeding plumage it has a broader chestnut breast band.
Double-banded Plover: Slightly smaller than Greater Sand Plover and browner.  Paler brown band on breast might be observed in non-breeding plumage.  Double band in breeding plumage diagnostic for this bird.

Distribution

 

Subspecies leschenaultii breeds in Western China, Mongolia, South Siberia. Non-breeding grounds in South Asia, Australia and East Africa. Departs Australia in March/April migrating in short hops to breeding grounds in mixed flocks with Siberian Sand-Plovers.

Monthly reports of Greater Sand-Plover in Queensland

Monthly sightings

Best sites in Queensland to see Greater Sand-Plover

Population trends:

Number of shorebird areas used in the trend analysis: 14

Generation time: 5.8 years (Bird et al. 2020)

Percent change in abundance over three generations: -14.09 (95%CI: -75.15, 226.00)

Percent change in abundance between 1993 and 2021: -25.46 (95%CI: -81.54, 197.70)

Percent annual change in abundance between 1993 and 2021: -1.04 (95%CI: -5.86, 3.97)

Percent annual change in abundance between 1993 and 2012: -0.68 (95%CI: -8.70, 7.45)

Percent annual change in abundance between 2012 and 2021: -4.63 (95%CI: -20.21, 16.05)

Change in annual growth rate between 1993-2012 and 2012-2021: -0.041 (95%CI: -0.25, 0.18)

(Data from Rogers,Fuller and Amano 2023 – see ref 4)

Yearly trends in Queensland

International and Nationally Important sites in Queensland

Significant Bird Area Year Peak Count International National
SE Gulf of Carpentaria 2013 5281 Yes Yes
Burdekin River Delta 2016 3236 Yes Yes
Mackay 2013 1241 No Yes
Great Sandy Strrait 2012 914 No Yes
Bowling Green bay 2013 900 No Yes
Mapoon 2022 607 No Yes
Cleveland Bay 2012 600 No Yes
Lucinda 2010 600 No Yes

Conservation 

EPBC listing:  Vulnerable, Marine, Migratory

Approved conservation advice:

https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/consultation-document-charadrius-leschenaultii.pdf

 

References

  1. BirdLife Australia (2023). Greater Sand Plover. [Text before updates sourced from: Marchant, S. et al (eds) 1990-2006 Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds.Volume 1 to 7.] Birdlife Australia. Birdlife Australia. Source: https://hanzab.birdlife.org.au/species/greater-sand-plover/ Accessed: April 30, 2026 Time Zone: +10:00
  2. Wiersma, P., G. M. Kirwan, and P. F. D. Boesman (2023). Greater Sand-Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.grsplo.01.1
  3. eBird. 2021. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available:  http://www.ebird.org (Accessed: Date 12/4/2026)
  4. Rogers A, Fuller RA & Amano T (2023) Australia’s migratory shorebirds: Trends and prospects. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. University of Queensland, Brisbane.
  5. Driessen, J., Kidd, L. R., Weller, D. R., Purnell, C., Maguire, G., Jaensch, R., and LeClair, S. M. (2025). Australian National Directory of Important Migratory Shorebird Habitat. Report for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. BirdLife Australia, Melbourne.
  6. https://sproggies63.github.io/birding_apps/