ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
THE PLOVERS, SNIPES, AND IMMEDIATE ALLIES
Crook-billed Plover
We may here mention the remarkable Crook-bill Plover (Anarhynchus frontalis) of New Zealand, in which the long, slender bill is curved strongly to the right at about two thirds its length from the base.
This curious little bird is about eight and a half inches long, cinereous gray above and white below, with a broad white band on the breast and a white forehead.
Buller has called attention to the fact that the black pectoral band is far more conspicuous on the right-hand side, since from its peculiar feeding habits there is less necessity for protective coloration on this side. The curved bill, instead of being a deformity or hindrance, as was at first supposed, is found to be of particular assistance in securing its food of insects and worms under stones and pebbles.
previous bird species next bird species
Footer
Footer