Charadrius ruficapillus
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The red-capped plover (Anarhynchus ruficapillus), also known as the red-capped dotterel, is a small species of plover. It breeds in Australia. This species is closely related to (and sometimes considered conspecific with) the Kentish plover, Javan plover, and white-fronted plover.
Red-capped plovers have a white forehead and underparts. Their upperparts are mainly grey-brown. Adult males have a rufous or reddish-brown crown and hindneck. Adult females have a paler rufous and grey-brown crown and hindneck, with a pale loreal stripe. The upperwing of Anarhynchus ruficapillus shows dark brown remiges (flight feathers) and primary covert feathers with a white wingbar in flight. Its length is 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) and its wingspan is 27–34 cm (10.6–13.4 in); it weighs 35–40 g (1.2–1.4 oz).
Breeding plumage shows a red-brown crown and nape with black margins. Non-breeding plumage is duller and lacks the black margins. The red-capped plover is widespread in Australia; it is a vagrant to New Zealand, although it bred there for some time in small numbers from 1950–1980. The species occupies a range of coastal and inland habitats, including estuaries...
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rottnest Island | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Phillip Island Nature Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Red-Capped Plover sighting in Rottnest Island on a given day, based on 408 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 82 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Red-Capped Plover in Rottnest Island on a given day, against about 40% in January, June and August, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red-Capped Plover sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Red-Capped Plover sightings, Rottnest Island has the highest daily chance: about 60%. Next come Cape Range (Australia, about 40%) and Daintree National Park (Australia, about 30%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red-Capped Plover is recorded against all the birds logged in Rottnest Island (408 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.
