Egyptian plover

Description

The Egyptian plover (Pluvianus aegyptius),also known as the crocodile bird,is a wader,the only member of the genus Pluvianus.Formerly placed in the pratincole and courser family,Glareolidae,it is now regarded as the sole member of its own monotypic family Pluvianidae.The species is one of several plovers doubtfully associated with the "trochilus" bird mentioned in a supposed cleaning symbiosis with the Nile.The Egyptian plover is a striking and unmistakable species.The 19–21 cm long adult has a black crown,back,eye-mask and breast band.The rest of the head is white.The remaining upperpart plumage is blue-grey,and the underparts are orange.The longish legs are blue-grey.In flight,it is even more spectacular,with the black crown and back contrasting with the grey of the upperparts and wings.The flight feathers are brilliant white crossed by a black bar.From below,the flying bird is entirely white,apart from the orange belly and black wing bar.After landing,members of a pair greet each other by raising their wings in an elaborate ceremony that shows off the black and white markings.The sexes are similar,but juveniles are duller and the black marking are intermixed with brown.