Plovers (Charadriidae)

Kittlitz's Plover (Charadrius pecuarius) - HBW 3, p. 428

French: Pluvier pâtre German: Hirtenregenpfeifer Spanish: Chorlitejo Pecuario
Other common names: Kittlitz's Sandplover

Taxonomy: Charadrius pecuarius Temminck, 1823, Cape of Good Hope.
Probably best considered to form superspecies with C. thoracicus and C. sanctaehelenae; often considered conspecific with latter (see page 406). Various races have been proposed: allenbyi (Egypt), isabellinus (Egypt to Zaire, Kenya), tephricolor (SW Africa and N Botswana); but variation is slight, overlapping and mainly clinal, and reported sample sizes are too small. Monotypic.

Distribution: NE Egypt; Africa S of Sahara; Madagascar.