The Magellanic Plover, Pluvianellus socialis, is a rare and unique wader found only in southernmost South America. Its relationships with the plovers and other wader groups are uncertain, and it is often placed in its own family, Pluvianellidae. This species is not migratory, although some birds move further north in southern Argentina in winter.
This species is in its structure and habits much like a turnstone, but it cannot be confused with any other wader species. Its upperparts and breast are pale grey, and the rest of the underparts are white. It has short red legs, a black bill and a red eye. In young birds, the eyes and legs are yellowish in colour. The call is a dovelikecoo.
This species breeds near water, laying two large eggs on the ground, although usually only one chick survives.
Magellanic Plovers feed on small invertebrates, picked from the ground, or from under pebbles, again like a turnstone.
Strauch (1978) and Chu (1995) placed Chionidae closer to Pluvianellidae than to its typical position in the larid radiation of the Charadriiformes, based on analysis of morphological characters; genetic data (Paton et al.
Family name given as Chionididae in many references; see Burger (1996).
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