The Diademed Sandpiper-Plover is a fascinating shorebird, one of a small number of high alpine specialist shorebirds. It inhabits glacier-fed wetlands high in the Andes. I photographed this one at 3000 ft, but they’re found as high as 4500 ft. Despite their name, they’re a true plover. Very little is known about them. For example, just in 2024 a study revealed that at least some populations overwinter in their alpine breeding grounds, taking advantage of hot springs that remain snow-free year round.
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