Tibetan Sand Plover – Jubail

I photographed a nice adult Lesser Sand Plover of the subspecies pamirensis in mid-August and as this species has recently been split by the IOC it is now named Tibetan Sand Plover. This is because a recent paper using genetic analysis of the sand plover complex has concluded that Lesser Sand Plover should be treated as two species, not one. Siberian Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus, with subspecies mongolus and stegmanni and Tibetan Sand Plover Charadrius atrifrons, with subspecies atrifrons, pamirensis and schaeferi. The researchers also proposed changing in English name of Greater Sand Plover to Desert Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii, with subspecies columbinus, scythicus and leschenaultii.