The black-fronted dotterel (Thinornis melanops) is a small plover in the family Charadriidae that is found throughout much of Australia and New Zealand.
As an adult, this small shorebird has an overall length of 16–18 cm (6.3–7.1 in), a wingspan of 33–35 cm (13–14 in) and a weight of 30–35 g (1.1–1.2 oz). The sexes are similar in appearance. It has a distinct black face mask, forehead and v-shaped band across the chest. Dorsally it is a mottled brown colour with the wings and crown of the head the same colour. This colouration is particularly useful for camouflage against aerial predators. Orbital eye rings and the first section of the bill are red, with the latter being black at the tip. The legs are pale orange. Unlike many other wading birds, black-fronted dotterels retain the same plumage all year round.
Juveniles are duller in colour with a greyish beak and lacking the black breast band and forehead.
The black-fronted dotterel is native to mainland Australia and Tasmania. They inhabit most of the continent, save for parts of the Great Victoria Desert. It is rare to spot them along the coasts, but they're known to inhabit the nearby wetlands and basins. The species self-introduced itself to parts of New Zealand in the 1950s, with the bird first being spotted in Hawke's Bay in 1954.
Black-fronted dotterels are commonly spotted in south-western Queensland and northern New South Wales in Australia, and Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand. Black-fronted dotterels live along the edges of freshwater sources. They include wetlands, lakes, dams and billabongs, as well as shallow, temporary claypan pools. Although not as common, they have also been noted to inhabit mudflats and estuaries. Black-fronted dotterels are typically sedentary birds that occupy a set territory on a semi-regular basis, with some birds sometimes traveling considerable distances to reach food-rich areas. Dotterels have also been recorded to move around due to rainfall, leaving the area with higher waters and returning once the area dries up to its normal levels.
