Crab Plover

What is Crab plover?

The crab plover (Dromas ardeola) is a long-legged, black-and-white bird belonging to the family Dromadidae within the order Charadriiformes. It is widely distributed along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, including the eastern coast of Africa and the southern shores of Asia.¹²

These birds are known for being relatively tame and noisy, typically measuring about 40 cm (16 inches) in length. They are often observed in a hunched posture while on land and frequently flock on beaches and reefs. Unlike many other plovers that feed during the day, the crab plover is primarily active at twilight. They hunt for crabs and mollusks, using their heavy bills to break open their prey.¹³

A unique nesting behavior of the species is that it digs deep burrows, reaching approximately 1.5 meters (5 feet) into sandbanks, where it lays a single large white egg.¹²

Why does the crab plover hunt primarily at twilight?

How do other shorebirds differ in their nesting habits compared to the crab plover?

While the crab plover (Dromas ardeola) is unique for its colonial nesting in deep, narrow burrows, most other shorebirds exhibit different reproductive strategies:

• Ground Nesting: The vast majority of shorebirds, including most plovers, pratincoles, and sandpipers, construct simple nests on the ground. These are typically unlined scrapes or shallow hollows that rely on the birds’ cryptic coloration for protection from predators.⁴
• Varied Nest Structures: Some species utilize more specialized sites. For example, jacanas build floating nests of vegetation, ibisbills nest among rocks in glacial streams, and sheathbills construct bulky nests in rock crevices or holes.⁴
• Parental Roles: While crab plovers share incubation and chick-rearing duties, other shorebirds show diverse social structures. In species like phalaropes and some sandpipers, the male often takes the primary or sole responsibility for incubation and care of the young, while females may be more aggressive or move on to other mates.⁴

What specific adaptations allow the crab plover to crush hard-shelled prey?

The crab plover (Dromas ardeola) is specifically adapted to consume hard-shelled prey, such as crabs and mollusks, through the use of its heavy, robust bill. When hunting along beaches and reefs, the bird uses this powerful tool to break open the shells of its prey by repeatedly pounding them.¹