Identification: Little Ringed Plovers look superficially similar to Ringed Plovers but they are smaller and have a distinctively furtive jizz with crouching horizontal stance and longer rear-end. For confirmation, the adults have all-dark bills, duller, yellower legs and a diagnostic yellow eye ring. Juveniles also have a yellow eye ring but the lack of a pale eyebrow is a more obvious feature. In flight the Little Ringed Plover is the only small plover which doesn't have an obvious wing bar.

Habitat: Breeds on river shingle areas in rivers, gravel pits, industrial sites and reservoir margins.

Distribution: Most birds breed on gravel pits or other man-made sites in central and southern England, but do not nest in Scotland or south-west England. Passage birds can also be seen inland and around the coast.

A widespread breeding bird found in small numbers at sites where lots of gravel or shingle is exposed, such as riversides and gravel pits.

Population: Since the first confirmed nesting in 1938, the British population has increased dramatically and is now estimated at betweeen 825-1 070 pairs.

At least 66,000 pairs in Europe.