The Hooded Dotterel is a plover of southern Australia. In the east it searches for small invertebrates on sandy beaches; some southwestern birds use inland salt lakes in winter.
Adults are pale brownish-grey, with a black head and hindneck collar, white nape and white underparts. The sexes are similar. Juveniles have sandy-brown rather than black areas on the head and neck.
On broad, flat beaches in eastern Australia it picks insects, sandhoppers, small bivalves and soldier crabs from sand near the water’s edge. In the southwest, birds also use inland salt lakes in winter.
It makes a shallow nest in sand or fine gravel above the high-tide mark on beaches or among dunes. Pebbles, seaweed or other beach debris may line the nest. It typically lays three eggs.
Hatching occurs about 28 days after the last egg is laid. The downy young leave the nest one or two days after hatching.
The iris is dark brown and the eye ring is red. Adults have pink legs; juveniles have pale orange legs.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.