Birds
Magellanic Plover
Pluvianellus socialis
Feeding its chicks by regurgitating food directly into the nest, a habit shared with no other shorebird, a Magellanic plover is so taxonomically distinct that scientists place it in a family entirely its own.
Overview
The Magellanic plover, Pluvianellus socialis, is a Least Concern wading bird native to wetland and coastal habitat across southern Argentina and Chile. Its status as the sole member of its own bird family, its unusual direct-regurgitation chick-feeding method, and its distinctive stone-turning foraging style make it one of the most taxonomically unusual shorebirds found anywhere in the world.
A shorebird in a family of one
While every other wading bird fits into one of several well-populated shorebird families, the Magellanic plover stands entirely alone, distinct enough from its relatives that taxonomists have never been able to comfortably group it with any other living bird.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across suitable wetland habitat in Patagonia.
Magellanic Plover: common questions
Why is the Magellanic plover taxonomically unusual?
This species is so distinct from other shorebirds that it is classified as the sole member of its own family, a rare level of evolutionary isolation found in very few bird species anywhere.
How does the Magellanic plover feed its chicks?
This species feeds its chicks by regurgitating food directly into the nest, an unusual parental feeding method not shared by most other wading birds, which typically lead chicks to forage independently.
How does the Magellanic plover find its food?
This species forages by turning over small stones and debris along the water's edge, uncovering hidden invertebrates in a manner distinct from the typical probing behaviour of most shorebirds.
Where does the Magellanic plover live?
This species breeds in scattered wetland habitats across Patagonia, nesting near shallow lakes, lagoons, and streams in southern Argentina and Chile.