English: Lesser Sand Plover, Mongolian Plover
Russian: Монгольский зуёк
Mongolian: Монгол хиазат
German: Mongolenregenpfeifer
French: Gravelot mongol
Japanese: メダイチドリ (Medai-chidori)

Body length: 17-19cm

Vagrant to Europe from Central or E Asia; scarce migrant in Middle East. Often seen on shorelines, mudflats and fields. Winters E Africa and S Asia.

Identification: Only slightly larger than Ringed plover but somewhat longer-legged and longer-billed. All plumages very similar to greater sand Plover, esp. non-breeding, so size and structure important: is slightly smaller; structure recalls Kentish owing to proportionately rather large head, similar leg length without noticeably long tibiae, and small bill, length of which is equal to or less than distance from bill-base to rear of eye, and bill-tip is blunter (greater often has noticeably long tibiae, and usually heaver bill, length of which is usually greater than bill-base to rear of eye, and bill-tip is more pointed); legs dark grey-green (often slightly paler on Greater); and even-width, full-length wing-bar (on Greater, inner wing-bar faint, outer wing-bar broad) Tends to take fewer steps (1-4) between shorter pauses when feeding (Greater often takes 3-10 steps and pauses longer, but much overlap).

• Adult: Summer ♂ has on average broader rufous breast-band and more black on head than often somewhat duller ♀, but sometimes sexes are more similar. 1st summer: Only partly acquires adult plumage. Winter adult and immature plumage recall Kentish, from which told by larger size, absence of white collar and lack of all-white tail-sides.
• Variation: In Central Asia (ssp. pamirensis of atrifrons group), legs and bill slightly longer, wings shorter, forehead on summer ♂ black with only tiny white loral spots, and rufous breast-band lacks upper border; in E Asia (mongolus group), legs and bill shorter, wings longer, forehead om summer ♂ with large white patch, and rufous breast-band has thin black upper border.