Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

UK Amber ListEasy to see📍 Formby Beach

Season

Year-round. Breeds on beaches. Winter visitors join local birds.

Best time of day

Any time; most active in morning and late afternoon

Sefton Coast

Breeding birds on Formby Beach; wintering birds from Greenland and Iceland

UK population

Around 5,500 breeding pairs in the UK

Tap image to enlarge · Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Ringed Plovers breed on Formby and Ainsdale beaches in small numbers — look for the nest scrapes on the upper beach in spring. They run and stop, run and stop, picking at invertebrates between. The bold black and white head pattern and orange bill are distinctive. Breeding birds are very vulnerable to disturbance — a Ringed Plover doing a distraction display (dragging a wing) means a nest nearby — back away.

At a Glance

Order	Charadriiformes
Family	Charadriidae
Habitat	Sandy beach · Shingle · Mudflat · Coastal lagoon
Diet	Small invertebrates, insects picked from surface
UK population	Around 5,500 breeding pairs in the UK
Sefton Coast	Breeding birds on Formby Beach; wintering birds from Greenland and Iceland
Conservation	UK Amber List

Where to See It

Formby Beach and Ainsdale Beach. Ribble Estuary. Marshside lagoons on passage.

→ Formby & Sefton Coast guide

Identification

Small brown plover. Black breast band, white collar, black and white head pattern. Orange bill with black tip, orange legs. White wing bar in flight.

Viewing & Photography Tips

Run-and-stop feeding behaviour is characteristic. If a bird is doing an injury display (dragging wing), retreat — nest very close.

Conservation Status

UK Amber List

This species is on the UK Amber List for Birds (BoCC5), indicating moderate concern. Population monitoring and habitat management remain important for its continued recovery.

BTO species page →RSPB species guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Ringed Plover injury display look like?

If a Ringed Plover drags one wing along the ground and runs away from you, it is performing a distraction display to draw predators away from a nearby nest or chicks. If you see this, stop moving, back away slowly and leave the area — the nest is very close. This behaviour is most common May–July.

Related Species

Dunlin

Calidris alpina

Year-round, mainly August–April as wintering and passage birds

Plan your visit to the Sefton Coast

Marshside RSPB, Formby pinewoods, Ainsdale NNR — practical guides to getting there, what to bring, and the best spots for each season.

Birdwatching guide →Marshside RSPB All Birds →