Charadrius modestus
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The rufous-chested dotterel (Zonibyx modestus) or rufous-chested plover, is a species of bird in subfamily Charadriinae of family Charadriidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and the Falkland Islands. The rufous-chested dotterel is placed by itself in genus Zonibyx by several authors and International Ornithologists' Union, but that treatment had not been widely accepted before 2023. There is some 21st century evidence that it does not belong in Charadrius. The rufous-chested dotterel is monotypic.
The rufous-chested dotterel is 19 to 22 cm (7.5 to 8.7 in) long and weighs 71 to 94 g (2.5 to 3.3 oz). Adult males in breeding plumage have a gray face with a bright white supercilium, a gray throat, and a brown crown. Their breast is bright rufous with a black band below it; the rest of the underparts are white and the upperparts brown. Adult females are similar but duller. Non-breeding adults replace the rufous and gray with pale brown; their upperparts feathers have bright fringes and their supercilium is creamy. Juveniles resemble the non-breeding adult but have darker brown upperparts and breast.
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falkland Islands | 🇫🇰 Falkland Islands | |
| 2 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-Chested Dotterel sighting in Falkland Islands on a given day, based on 374 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 35th most-seen of the 79 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September–October and December
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-Chested Dotterel in Falkland Islands on a given day, against about 10% in April–May, July–August and November, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rufous-Chested Dotterel sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Rufous-Chested Dotterel sightings, Falkland Islands has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Tierra del Fuego National Park (Argentina, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rufous-Chested Dotterel is recorded against all the birds logged in Falkland Islands (374 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
