St. Helena Plover

The bird was first mentioned in 1638, and is the national bird of Saint Helena, featured on the island's coat of arms.

The St. Helena Plover is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

St. Helena Plover numbers have been fluctuating, but in general the trend was downward since at least the 1970s. Feral cats and accidentally introduced rats, as well as the introduced Common Mynas which eat the eggs, are believed to be play a significant role in the decline of this species' population. A census in 1988/89 recorded 450 adult birds, although it subsequently sharply declined from causes not fully understood and marked short-term fluctuations. More

The St. Helena plover is the only surviving bird species endemic to the South Atlantic island of St. Helena. The upperparts are dark brown, with pale buff fringes, while the underparts are white with variable amounts of buff on the flanks. The head ... More

The St. Helena plover is the only surviving bird species endemic to the South Atlantic island of St. Helena (3). The upperparts are dark brown, with pale buff fringes, while the underparts are white with variable amounts of buff on the flanks (2) (4). The head is distinctively marked with a black band running across the forecrown and around the eyes, with a white stripe immediately above that encircles the head (4). More