page_title: List of birds of the Gambia
section_title: Lapwings, plovers and dotterel
hierarchical_section_title: List of birds of the Gambia / Lapwings, plovers and dotterel
caption_attribution_description: English: Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus), Gambia
context_page_description: This is a list of the bird species recorded in the Gambia. The avifauna of the Gambia include a total of 576 species, one of which has been introduced by humans and two of which are globally threatened. The country, which is very small and almost completely surrounded by Senegal, has no endemic species.
  The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. Not all species will fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.
  Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Gambia
  (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the Gambia as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
context_section_description: Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae
  Lapwings, plovers and dotterels are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, generally in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species worldwide; of these, 33 species have been recorded in Africa and 15 in the Gambia.
  Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus       (A)
  Senegal lapwing, Vanellus lugubris       (A)
  Spur-winged plover, Vanellus spinosus
  Black-headed plover, Vanellus tectus
  White-headed plover, Vanellus albiceps
  Wattled lapwing, Vanellus senegallus
  American golden plover, Pluvialis dominica       (A)
  European golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria
  Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola
  Ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
  Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
  Kittlitz's plover, Charadrius pecuarius
  Forbes's plover, Charadrius forbesi       (A)
  White-fronted plover, Charadrius marginatus
  Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
  Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus       (A)
caption: Spur-winged plovers are ubiquitous throughout the country, though seldom far from water.[2]
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