FOUR species of Plovers live on King Island; the one we notice most is the Masked Lapwing, previously known as the Spur-winged Plover. This bird is commonly seen in paddocks, or occasionally near the coast and built-up areas.
Similar and slightly smaller is the Banded Plover, also a bird of the paddocks but not as common. The other two Plovers living on sandy beaches are the Hooded Plover and the small Red-capped Plover.
A migratory bird less commonly seen on King Island, is the Double-banded Plover, known in New Zealand as the Banded Dotteral or Pohowera.
While most migratory birds come to Australia for the southern summer, these New Zealand birds arrive here for the winter. This bird breeds in New Zealand’s South Island and each autumn some of the population migrate to southeast Australia. They remain here over winter before returning to New Zealand to breed in the spring. Interestingly, many of these Double-banded Plovers are locally nomadic and never leave New Zealand – for reasons still unknown to scientists.
They usually nest among the shingle on braided river beds, while some birds will nest in fallow paddocks. In all cases, the nests are out in the open and very difficult to find. The three eggs are incubated for four weeks, and the chicks fledge at five weeks of age.
The Double-banded Plover generally arrive on King Island towards the end of February and departs by the end of August. By this time, they have begun to moult into their breeding plumage. As their name suggests, the males have a double band across their breasts of which the lower one is a chestnut colour with a narrower black band above.
Females have less distinguishable bands and are paler brown in colour. Their non-breeding plumage is brown above with white below. Both males and females have a white band across the top of their beaks which extends just above the eye towards the back of their heads.
Compared to the similar but smaller Red-capped Plover, the NZ birds stand more upright and have longer tail feathers, a rather larger head with a very short bill, and weigh about 60 grams. The long wings are up to 130 mm which is typical of all migratory birds.
They live in various-sized flocks on King Island, and I have observed them from a few up to more than 50 birds.
They often mix with other shorebirds including Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Stint, Red-capped Plover, Hooded Plover and Silver Gulls, especially when they first arrive on King Island in the autumn. After heavy rain, Double-banded Plovers will often feed in freshwater wetlands and where spring water flows to the coastline in areas of pebbles and short grass. Here they eat grubs, insects and caterpillars, but they usually prefer sandy beaches strewn with decomposing kelp where they eat flies and hoppers. Like all shorebirds, they will be found where their preferred food is in plentiful supply, so even after they arrive on King Island, they can be locally nomadic.