Data Zone
Taxonomic note
Charadrius alexandrinus, C. dealbatus and C. nivosus (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as C. alexandrinus following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Kennerley, P. R.; Bakewell, D. N.; Round, P. D. 2008. Rediscovery of a long-lost Charadrius plover from South-East Asia. Forktail 24: 63-79.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Least Concern | |
| 2016 | Data Deficient | |
| 2014 | Data Deficient | |
| 2012 | Not Recognised | |
| 2008 | Not Recognised | |
| 2004 | Not Recognised | |
| 2000 | Not Recognised | |
| 1994 | Not Recognised | |
| 1988 | Not Recognised |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | 42 g |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 1,110,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 4,730,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 25000-250000 mature individuals | poor | suspected | 2022 |
| Population trend | unknown | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 4.25 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 1 | - | - | - |
| Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation | 100% | - | - | - |
Population justification: Estimating this species' population size was, and continues to be, hampered by difficulties in identification and its former conspecificity with C. alexandrinus. For example, the population size and trend estimates elucidated in Wetlands International (2017) do not separate the two taxa. Bamford et al. (2008) estimated the combined global population of C. alexandrinus alexandrinus and C. dealbatus to number 100,000 birds (then corrected to approximately 30,000 individuals of the present species) but admitted this to be little more than a 'best guess'. Using molecular techniques, Wang et al. (2019) measured the effective population size (Ne) to be much greater (150,000-520,000 individuals). However, through much of its range, and despite some pre-breeding congregations of more than 50 birds in some areas (eBird 2022), this species does appear relatively scarcer than other shorebird species. Overall, the population is therefore estimated at 25,000-250,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification: There are very few data regarding this species' trend. Precautionarily, the present assessment follows Bamford et al. (2008) in regarding it as unknown. eBird (2022) data from Kinmen County (a stronghold for the species between April and August) and Hainan show no trend in frequency, abundance or average count, although it is unclear how representative these areas are. However, other Charadrius in South-East Asia are declining due to disturbance, as well as the conversion and reclamation of habitat and it is plausible that, at least locally, these threats are causing losses in this species too.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambodia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| China (mainland) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Hong Kong (China) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Indonesia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Japan | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Malaysia | extant | native | yes | |||
| Myanmar | extant | native | yes | |||
| Singapore | extant | native | yes | |||
| Thailand | extant | native | yes | |||
| Vietnam | extant | native | yes | yes |
| Country/Territory | IBA Name |
|---|
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Artificial/Aquatic - Excavations (open) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Artificial/Aquatic - Ponds (below 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Artificial/Aquatic - Ponds (below 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Artificial/Aquatic - Salt Exploitation Sites | suitable | non-breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Artificial/Aquatic - Salt Exploitation Sites | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats | suitable | non-breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 50 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of surface water (unknown use) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use - Dams (size unknown) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
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| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Food - human | subsistence, national |
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
| Sport hunting/specimen collecting | subsistence, national |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: White-faced Plover Charadrius dealbatus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-faced-plover-charadrius-dealbatus on 27/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 27/12/2024.