Greater sand plover
Common summer visitor. Medium (22-25 cm), grey-brown above and white below. Large eyes. Very similar to Lesser Sand Plover but larger and paler, with larger head, longer and thicker bill and longer legs (often paler). In breeding plumage has black and chestnut markings on head and breast. Mudflats and sandy beaches.
These statements perhaps overemphasise the actual size difference between the two species. The average size of Lesser falls within the range for species considered to be "small", whereas the average size of Greater falls within the range for species considered to be "medium". Although Greater Sand Plovers are generally larger, the difference is often so subtle that it's only of practical help when you have the two species next to each other for direct comparison.
Generally, one of the more reliable ways of distinguishing between Sand Plovers is the length of the bill. If the length of the bill is the same or less than the distance from the base of the bill to the rear of the eye, it is likely to be a Lesser Sand Plover. If the length of the bill is greater than the distance from the base of the bill to the rear of the eye, it is likely to be a Greater Sand Plover.
Greater Sand Plovers have more tapering and pointed bills than Lesser Sand Plovers, whose shorter, blunter bills often look quite stubby.
As a useful rule of thumb is Lesser Sand Plovers usually have dark grey legs and Greater Sand Plovers usually have yellowish legs. The legs of Greater Sand Plovers are appreciably longer than those of Lesser Sand Plovers, especially above the "knees" (tibias/thighs).
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