BLACK-footed Plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus)

A wader bird (coming from the mud) found on beaches, coastal sandbanks, salt marshes and lagoons.

They are small in size and have a short pointed bill.

Females can be distinguished from males because they have brown ear plumage and no red feathers on the nape of the neck.

It is a partial migratory bird that is found all year round in Spain, since part of the population remains in the breeding areas. There are an estimated 5,000 breeding pairs in Spain.

It usually nests on sandy beaches and salt lakes.

They feed on insects in inland areas and crustaceans, worms and mollusks in saltwater areas.

The breeding season is centered in June. Eggs are incubated by the female for 24 to 27 days.

Its current conservation status is vulnerable and its main threat is the loss of habitat due to coastal occupation by humans, including "beach cleaning" that eliminates their nests.