The ringed plover is a small wading bird with a wingspan of 52cm. It has a bright orange bill with a black tip, orange legs and black markings on the neck and head. The Ringed plover can be spotted nesting in sand dunes during spring and summer months. The plant life and marram grass in the dunes provide shelter for their chicks and hide the nest from approaching predators.

The Ringed plover mainly feeds on worms, crustaceans, and small insects. You may see the ringed plover ‘dancing’ at the coastline as it taps its feet to mimic rain to tempt its underground prey to the surface!

Ringed plovers that nest as far away as Greenland and Canada fly through Ireland on migration.