Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index Magellanic Plover Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family: Pluvianellidae Genus: Pluvianellus Species: socialis Binomial name Pluvianellus socialis The Magellanic Plover, Pluvianellus socialis,is a rare and unique wader found only in southernmost South America. Its relationships with the plovers and other wader groups are uncertain, and it is often placed in its own family, Pluvianellidae. This species is not migratory, although some birds move further north in southern Argentina in winter. This species is in its structure and habits much like a turnstone, but it cannot be confused with any other wader species. Its upperparts and breast are pale grey, and the rest of the underparts are white. It has short red legs, a black bill and a red eye. In young birds, the eyes and legs are yellowish in colour. The call is a dovelike "coo". This species breeds near water, laying two large eggs on the ground, although usually only one chick survives. Magellanic Plovers feed on small invertebrates, picked from the ground, or from under pebbles, again like a turnstone. ORDER CHARADRIIFORMES Suborder Charadrii: waders Family Thinocoridae: seedsnipe Family Pedionomidae: Plains Wanderer Family Scolopacidae: snipe, sandpipers, phalaropes, and allies Family Rostratulidae: painted snipe Family Jacanidae: jacanas Family Chionididae: sheathbills Family Burhinidae: thick-knees Family Haematopodidae: oystercatchers Family Recurvirostridae: avocets Family Ibidorhynchidae: Ibisbill Family Charadriidae plovers and lapwings Family Pluvianellidae Magellanic Plover, Pluvianellus socialis Family Dromadidae: Crab Plover Family Glareolidae: pratincoles and coursers Suborder Lari: gulls and allies; 4 families Suborder Alcae: auks; 1 family Reference Shorebirds by Hayman, Marchant and Prater, ISBN 0-7099-2034-2 This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.