This plover occurs mainly along African coasts from Somalia to South Africa, also using sandy shores of inland rivers and lakes.
Adult females resemble males, but their black crown band is thinner and less distinct and may be absent. Juveniles lack the band and have brown lores.
It uses beaches, dunes, mudflats, estuaries, saltpans and sandy river or lake shores. It feeds by day and night on grasshoppers, termites, small crustaceans, snails, bivalves and other prey.
In southern Africa both parents make a shallow nest in sand or gravel, usually laying two eggs. The pale cream eggs have fine dark marks and are incubated by both parents for about 26–33 days.
In southern Africa chicks feed themselves soon after hatching. Parents lead them to feeding areas and may feign injury to distract danger. The chicks can fly at about 35–38 days old.
The mainly white face has a dark brown stripe behind the eye. The bill is black, and the legs may be pale gray or greenish.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.