UK Wildlife

Little Ringed Plover Inland Colonist

The little ringed plover colonised England in 1938 and has expanded to breed widely on inland gravel pits, construction sites and riverbeds, a remarkable success story.

Key Facts

Little ringed plover first bred in England in 1938 at Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire
UK breeding population now around 1,500 pairs, expanding to Scotland
Breeds on bare gravel and shingle at inland sites rather than coastal beaches
Lacks the yellow eye-ring of ringed plover, with white supercilium and pink legs
Summer visitor that winters in West Africa

Welfare Considerations

Little ringed plover have benefited from the expansion of gravel extraction which creates temporary breeding habitat. As restoration fills in gravel pits, habitat is lost. Maintaining bare gravel areas during restoration and at other construction sites is beneficial.

What You Can Do

Support habitat management at gravel pits that maintains bare areas for nesting plovers
Record little ringed plover through BTO breeding bird survey
Encourage sensitive management of construction and industrial sites to allow ground-nesting birds