Distribution

The Tawny-throated Dotterel has an irregular distribution throughout its range. It also covers an exceptional elevational range, from sea level to 4,600 m (6 Fjeldså, J., and N. Krabbe (1990). Birds of the High Andes: A Manual to the Birds of the Temperate Zone of the Andes and Patagonia, South America. Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, and Apollo Books, Copenhagen and Svendborg, Denmark. Close ). It is present between latitudes 5–54°S on the Pacific coast, while on the Atlantic coast it reaches up to 31°S.

Breeding Range

Argentina

Nominate ruficollis occurs from sea level to up 4,500 m. It occurs in the mountains and foothills from Jujuy and Sierras Grandes (Córdoba), and the plains from Chubut to Tierra del Fuego (nests and/or chicks have been recorded in Jujuy, Salta, Mendoza, Córdoba, Chubut, Neuquén, Río Negro, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego; 48 de la Peña, M. R. (2016). Aves argentinas: descripción, comportamiento, reproducción y distribución. Charadriidae a Trochilidae. Comunicaciones del Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales “Florentino Ameghino” 20:154–158. Close ).

Bolivia

Nominate ruficollis occurs between 2,700–4,500 m (62 Flores, E., and C. Capriles (2010). Aves de los Andes Bolivianos. Eliana Flores Bedregal y Carlos Capriles Farfán, La Paz, Bolivia. Close ,57 Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, D. F. Lane, J. P. O’Neill, and T. A. Parker (2010). Aves de Perú. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ). It is an uncommon year-round resident in the Titicaca Basin (63 Herzog, S. K., R. S. Terrill, A. E. Jahn, J. V. Remsen Jr., O. Maillard Z., V. H. García-Solíz, R. MacLeod, A. Maccormick, and J. Q. Vidoz (2016). Birds of Bolivia: Field Guide. Asociación Armonía, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Close ), but also occurs in Potosí, Oruro, La Paz, eastern Cochabamba, eastern Chuquisaca, and eastern Tarija (51 Asociación Armonía (1995). Lista de las Aves de Bolivia. 4th Edición. Asociación Armonía, Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Close , 62 Flores, E., and C. Capriles (2010). Aves de los Andes Bolivianos. Eliana Flores Bedregal y Carlos Capriles Farfán, La Paz, Bolivia. Close ). Rare in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve and the San Cristobal region (Potosí Department; 64 Rocha, O., and C. Quiroga (1996). Aves de la Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa. Guía de Campo Ilustrada. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, La Paz, Bolivia. Close , 65 Martínez, O., M. E. Pérez, E. Taucer, and J. Rechberger (2009). Vertebrate fauna of San Cristóbal in the Bolivian Southern Altiplano. Kempffiana 5:28-55. Close ).

Chile

Nominate ruficollis occurs from sea level to up to 4,600 m (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ). Its breeding areas are widely scattered, the largest of which is found in the Magallanes Region, in the steppes of the extreme south of Chilean Patagonia (9 Goodall, J. D., A. W. Johnson, and R. A. Phillipi (1951). Las Aves de Chile: su Conocimiento y sus Costumbres. Platt Establecimientos Gráficos, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Close , 18 Johnsgard, P. A. (1981). The Plovers, Sandpipers and Snipes of the World. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, USA, and London, UK. Close , 66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ). In northern Chile, it is restricted to the Andes, where there are records of hatchlings in the puna of the Antofagasta Region (67 Torres-Mura, J. C. (1993). Nidificación del chorlo de campo en los Andes del norte de Chile. Boletín Informativo. Unión de Ornitólogos de Chile 15:17–18. Close ), in the Surire Salt Lake (68 Vilina, Y. A., and J. L. Gonzalez (1998). The migration routes of the Tawny-throated Dotterel Oreopholus ruficollis in Chile: resolving a complex jigsaw puzzle. Wader Study Group Bulletin 87:59–65. Close ), and Coipasa Salt Lake (Vásquez, eBird). It also nests in the north-central lowlands (9 Goodall, J. D., A. W. Johnson, and R. A. Phillipi (1951). Las Aves de Chile: su Conocimiento y sus Costumbres. Platt Establecimientos Gráficos, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Close ), but the status there is not well understood. There are breeding records in Chañaral (69 Vilina, Y., and S. Teillier (1990). The Tawny-throated Dotterel Oreopholus ruficollis in northern Chile. Wader Study Group Bulletin 60:32–33. Close ), Vallenar (68 Vilina, Y. A., and J. L. Gonzalez (1998). The migration routes of the Tawny-throated Dotterel Oreopholus ruficollis in Chile: resolving a complex jigsaw puzzle. Wader Study Group Bulletin 87:59–65. Close , 70 Kusch, A., and M. Marín (2002). Distribución del chorlo de campo, Oreopholus ruficollis (Wagler) (Charadriidae) en Chile. Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia 30:133–142. Close ), Huasco (71 Millie, W. R. (1938). Las aves del valle del Huasco y sus alrededores (provincia de Atacama). Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 42:181–205. Close ), La Higuera (Cuevas, eBird), and Caseron (Cuevas, eBird).

Peru

Nominate ruficollis is an uncommon austral migrant, but also apparently has breeding records as far north as Lomas de Lachay in Lima (72 Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, D. F. Lane, J. P. O'Neill, and T. A. Parker (2007). Birds of Peru. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Close ).

Subspecies pallidus is an uncommon resident near the coast of Lambayeque and Piura (northwest Ecuador; 72 Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, D. F. Lane, J. P. O'Neill, and T. A. Parker (2007). Birds of Peru. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Close ), and breeds there. Nevertheless, it is considered a rare breeder (PERUAVES).

Nonbreeding Range

Argentina

In autumn it migrates as far as Tucumán and Santa Fe (48 de la Peña, M. R. (2016). Aves argentinas: descripción, comportamiento, reproducción y distribución. Charadriidae a Trochilidae. Comunicaciones del Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales “Florentino Ameghino” 20:154–158. Close ). It arrives to Medaland (a private cattle ranch, located near the Atlantic Coast, Buenos Aires Province) in late April–early May and stays until mid- to late August; the high numbers recorded (ca. 150 individuals; 73 Isacch, J. P., and M. M. Martínez (2003). Temporal variation in abundance and the population status of non-breeding Nearctic and Patagonian shorebirds in the flooding pampa grasslands of Argentina. Journal of Field Ornithology 74(3):233–242. Close ) there suggest it is an important nonbreeding site for this Patagonian migrant. Accidental in the Falkland Islands (48 de la Peña, M. R. (2016). Aves argentinas: descripción, comportamiento, reproducción y distribución. Charadriidae a Trochilidae. Comunicaciones del Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales “Florentino Ameghino” 20:154–158. Close , 66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ).

Brazil

A rare migrant, it occurs in extreme southern Brazil, mostly in Rio Grande do Sul (50 Sick, H. (1993). Birds in Brazil: A Natural History. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Close ). A few other records have been considered extralimital records in the present account.

Bolivia

Rare to uncommon year-round resident in Titicaca Basin (63 Herzog, S. K., R. S. Terrill, A. E. Jahn, J. V. Remsen Jr., O. Maillard Z., V. H. García-Solíz, R. MacLeod, A. Maccormick, and J. Q. Vidoz (2016). Birds of Bolivia: Field Guide. Asociación Armonía, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Close ).

Chile

Occurs in the lowlands east of Torres del Paine National Park, up to the Argentina border (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ). There are few records on the eastern slope of the Andes in the Aysén Region (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ). In addition to southern Chile, Isla Santa Maria could be part of the nonbreeding grounds, but further information is needed (74 González-Aguayo, F., and J. Machuca (2022). El Chorlo de campo en Isla Santa María: ¿Un invernante regular? La Chiricoca 29:47–52. Close ). There are also a couple of records east of the Araucania region, near Lonquimay (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ). It is an occasional visitor to the coasts of the Biobío Region (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ), a rare winter visitor in the valleys of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, and scarce on the coasts of the Valparaiso Region (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ). It is frequent on the coasts from Coquimbo to Atacama, and occasional on the coasts of Antofagasta (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close ). Some individuals remain all year round, dispersed in the Atacama Region, between Punta de Choros and Caldera.

Ecuador

Wandering, with a few records over the last 150 years (Española, Galapagos in 1991 by Harshaw and Leigh, eBird; mainland Ecuador in Santa Elena 1898 by 75 Salvadori, T., and E. Festa (1900). Viaggio del Dr. Enrico Festa nell’ Ecuador. Uccelli. Parte terza. Trochili-Tinami. Bollettino dei musei di zoologia ed anatomia comparata della R. Università di Torino 15(368):1–54. Close , and 2015 by Nilson, eBird), including both adults and immatures (76 Freile, J. F., A. Solano-Ugalde, P. J. Greenfield, M. Lysinger, J. Nilsson, L. Navarrete, and R. S. Ridgely (2017). Rare birds in Ecuador: third report of the Committee for Ecuadorian Records in Ornithology (CERO). Revista Ecuatoriana de Ornitología 1:8–27. Close ). The subspecific identity of all individuals recorded in this country is unclear (76 Freile, J. F., A. Solano-Ugalde, P. J. Greenfield, M. Lysinger, J. Nilsson, L. Navarrete, and R. S. Ridgely (2017). Rare birds in Ecuador: third report of the Committee for Ecuadorian Records in Ornithology (CERO). Revista Ecuatoriana de Ornitología 1:8–27. Close ), although Ridgely and Greenfield (56 Ridgely, R. S., and P. J. Greenfield (2001). The Birds of Ecuador. Volumes 1 and 2. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ) have suggested that it is pallidus (56 Ridgely, R. S., and P. J. Greenfield (2001). The Birds of Ecuador. Volumes 1 and 2. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ), the nearest population to Ecuador; the 2015 record was identified as pallidus based on plumage, but the individuals collected in 1898 have yet to be analyzed (76 Freile, J. F., A. Solano-Ugalde, P. J. Greenfield, M. Lysinger, J. Nilsson, L. Navarrete, and R. S. Ridgely (2017). Rare birds in Ecuador: third report of the Committee for Ecuadorian Records in Ornithology (CERO). Revista Ecuatoriana de Ornitología 1:8–27. Close ).

Peru

Subspecies pallidus inhabits coastal and lowland sectors in the country's northwestern part, near Lambayeque and Piura; it is considered sedentary (1 Hayman, P., J. H. Marchant, and A. J. Prater (1986). Shorebirds. An Identification Guide to the Waders of the World. Croom Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Uruguay

It is a winter visitor, present inland and on the coast (66 eBird (2024). eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. Close , 77 Aldabe, J., H. Caymaris, L. Castelli, R. Güller, and M. Masariche (2017). Aves del Este de Uruguay. Fundación Amigos de las Lagunas Costeras. Montevideo, Uruguay. Close ), but generally considered uncommon in the country (59 Rocca, P., and J. Aldabe (2012). Chorlos y playeros migratorios de la Laguna de Rocha: Manual para su identificacion y conservacion. Aves Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay Close ). There are relatively few records, mainly concentrated in the departments of Rocha, Salto, and Flores. The known localities where the species occurs in Uruguay include Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Rocha, Salto, San José, Soriano, and Tacuarembó (78 Alfaro, M., and A. B. Azpiroz (2017). Chorlo Cabezón (Oreophollus ruficollis ruficollis). In Libro Rojo de las Aves del Uruguay. Biología y conservación de las aves en peligro de extinción a nivel nacional (A. B. Azpiroz, S. Jiménez, and M. Alfaro, Editors), DINAMA y DINARA, Montevideo, Uruguay. Pp. 131–141. Close ).

Introduced Range

This species has not been introduced out of its range.

Extralimital Records

Along the Pacific coast, some birds have been recorded in Los Lagos Region (79 Cárdenas, J., and G. Vergara (2015). Registro de Chorlo de campo, Oreopholus ruficollis (Wagler, 1829), en Mar Brava, Región de Los Lagos. Boletín del Patrimonio Natural de Chiloé 1:16–18. Close ; Díaz et al., eBird; Parraguez, eBird) of Chile, but it is unknown if this is part of its regular migratory route or an extralimital record. It has been recorded in the Galapagos (80 Wiedenfeld, D. A. (2006). Aves, The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Check List 2(2):1–27. Close ), and on the coast of Ecuador in Santa Elena Province (Nilsson, eBird).

On the Atlantic coast, it has occurred as far as the Falklands/Malvinas (81 Daciuk, J. (1975). La fauna silvestre de las Islas Malvinas. Anales de la Sociedad Científica Argentina 199:154–176. Close , 82 Woods, R. W. (1988). The Birds of the Falkland Islands. Anthony Nelson, Oswestry, UK. Close , 83 Gregory, P. (1994). Notes on new and scarce birds in the Falkland Islands 1988–1990. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 114(1):12–20. Close ; Reeves, eBird; Reeves, eBird; Henry, eBird), while to the north, there are a few records in Barra Velha in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil (Cadorin, eBird). In northern Argentina, there is a record in the Province of Corrientes (Boloqui, eBird), near the border with Paraguay. In Bolivia, it has been recorded in Tumupasa, Province of La Paz (Palomeque, eBird). A record near the border between Argentina and Paraguay (Boloqui, eBird), in San Miguel, Province of Corrientes, is evidence that it may be a wanderer to the extreme south of Paraguay, in the Paraná River basin.

It is not well described, but there have been extreme changes in land use in the habitat of the Tawny-throated Dotterel, which has probably constrained its distribution. In Chile, the large winter concentrations described by Goodall et al. (9 Goodall, J. D., A. W. Johnson, and R. A. Phillipi (1951). Las Aves de Chile: su Conocimiento y sus Costumbres. Platt Establecimientos Gráficos, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Close ) from Santiago, Valparaiso, and Aconcagua have disappeared as a result of habitat loss due to agricultural development and hunting (68 Vilina, Y. A., and J. L. Gonzalez (1998). The migration routes of the Tawny-throated Dotterel Oreopholus ruficollis in Chile: resolving a complex jigsaw puzzle. Wader Study Group Bulletin 87:59–65. Close , 70 Kusch, A., and M. Marín (2002). Distribución del chorlo de campo, Oreopholus ruficollis (Wagler) (Charadriidae) en Chile. Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia 30:133–142. Close in 84 Barros, R. (2018). Chorlo de campo. In Atlas de las Aves Nidificantes de Chile (F. Medrano, R. Barros, H. Norambuena, R. Matus, and F. Schmitt, Editors), Red de Observadores de Aves de Chile, Santiago, Chile. pp. 184–185. Close ).

In Ecuador, Ridgely and Greenfield (56 Ridgely, R. S., and P. J. Greenfield (2001). The Birds of Ecuador. Volumes 1 and 2. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ) report that it is extirpated, however its presumed occurrence in Ecuador is based on a pair of specimens collected in 1898 from the Santa Elena Peninsula. Since that time, it has been recorded twice in Ecuador, including in 2015 also from the Santa Elena Peninsula (85 Freile, J., and R. Restall (2018). Birds of Ecuador. Bloomsbury, London, UK. Close ). Whether it was a regularly occurring part of the avifauna of Ecuador, or always a rare vagrant, remains to be determined.