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Species Description
The Crab Plover, Dromas ardeola, is the only member of the genus Dromas and is unique among waders, as it makes use of the warmth from the ground to incubate eggs. It is typically 16 inches in length, has very long grey legs, and a strong heavy black bill. The Crab Plover lives on rocky or sandy seashore. This species feeds by running and making sudden jabs to catch prey on the ground. The Crab Plover eats crabs, and cracks the shell of the crab with its forceful bill. Nests are tightly clustered in colonies on dunes or sandy islands. This species distributes over a wide range from the Coastline of Indian Ocean, to the Red Sea, to the Persian Gulf. This is the only shorebird that nests in a burrow.
