Familiar, Attractive, Widespread… Black-fronted Dotterels

By Marcus Braid on March 12, 2015 in

Black-fronted Dotterels are familiar, attractive birds usually associated with margins of inland freshwater wetlands. They are among the most successful native waders in Australasia and the most widely distributed, but are often difficult to detect. In suitable wetland habitats they associate in pairs or small family parties most of the year, but may aggregate into loose flocks in winter. Sedentary or locally dispersive where conditions are favourable, they are nomadic in drought situations.

Black-fronted Dotterels are small plovers with short, strong bills that are bright red with black tips. They are not much bigger than sparrows. Adults have grey-brown upper parts with a black facemask and forehead, and chestnut shoulder patches on folded wings; underparts are white with a broad black ‘V’ on the chest. They have striking bright-red eye rings and their legs are pale flesh-pink to yellowish.

When disturbed they fly low for a short distance then run quickly, or stand still with their backs to the observer relying on camouflage for protection. Flight is slow and easy with jerky wing beats, and exposes prominent white wing bars, a dark back, and a black tail edged and tipped white. Sexes are alike and there are no seasonal variations. Juveniles resemble adults but without breast bands and shoulder patches. The most frequently heard call is a metallic ‘tip’ often heard before well-camouflaged birds are seen.

Black-fronted Dotterels are found throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania, and since the early 1950s have become naturally established in both of the main islands in New Zealand. They frequent primarily fresh water at the edges of lakes, rivers, farm dams and sewage farms, and are less common in saline areas such as inland salt lakes, brackish swamps and tidal estuarine mudflats and beaches at the coast; they are absent from most arid areas. In the Sydney region they are fairly common from the Hawkesbury Swamps south and can be seen locally in Centennial Parklands around the drying edges of Kensington and Randwick Ponds.

Black-fronted Dotterels eat aquatic and terrestrial insects and their larvae, small molluscs, crustaceans, worms, and some seeds. They forage actively on saturated mud or wet sand during the day. Typically when feeding they walk or run, stop and then peck at their intended prey, or tap the surface then peck or probe. They move back and forth over the feeding area and sometimes stop and tremble one foot on the wet substrate to disturb food before catching it. Bigger prey items are beaten before being swallowed whole.

In Australia, Black-fronted Dotterels are breeding residents that are sedentary, dispersive or nomadic depending on rainfall. They are common and widespread in suitable habitat throughout the country generally. The national population has not changed in recent times despite some regional variations, and the conservation status for Black-fronted Dotterels in all states and territories of Australia is considered to be secure.