The greater sand plover is a medium sized wader in the plover family. They breed in the semi-deserts of Turkey and central Asia and winter in Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Currently they are not a species of concern from a conservation standpoint, with over 100,000 individuals estimated alive in the wild. However, the population is decreasing overall.

These birds eat primarily crustaceans, mollusks, and worms, feeding in open backwaters, sandy shores, and mudflats.

Like the lesser sand plover, the greater sand plover will gain a black eye mask, as well as a rust-colored neckband during the breeding season. However, as they are a passage migrant in Hong Kong, they aren’t often in full breeding plumage, maintaining instead an overall grey and white color.

In my experience, they are rather fearless birds that aren’t nearly as skittish as other waders are when trying to photograph them.