Oreopholus ruficollis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The tawny-throated dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) is a species of bird in the family Charadriidae, the plovers and their relatives. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. The tawny-throated dotterel is the only living member of its genus, though an extinct species O. orcesi is known from fossil remains. Some authors have suggested that the two deserve further investigation because they have different plumage.
The tawny-throated dotterel is 25 to 29 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long and weighs 120 to 154 g (4.2 to 5.4 oz). The sexes are alike and have no seasonal changes in plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies are mostly rich buff, with heavy dark streaking on the back. They have a white chin, an orange-tawny throat, gray neck and breast, and a small black patch on the belly. Their white underwing shows in flight. Juveniles have a buff throat, less dense streaking on the back, and paler underparts with a brown belly patch. Subspecies O. r. pallidus is very similar to the nominate but smaller and overall paler. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tawny-throated Dotterel sighting in Península Valdés on a given day, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 60th most-seen of the 96 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–March, September and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tawny-throated Dotterel in Península Valdés on a given day, against under 5% in April–May, August, October and December, the lowest months. June and July have too few records to rate.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tawny-throated 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 Tawny-throated Dotterel sightings, Península Valdés has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Galápagos Islands (Ecuador, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tawny-throated Dotterel is recorded against all the birds logged in Península Valdés (39 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.
