little ringed plover
A small plover species (Charadrius dubius) found in Japan, often near rivers and wetlands.
I spotted a little ringed plover walking on the riverbed.
ringed plover; Charadrius hiaticula
Standard katakana spelling for this bird species.
Kanji spelling is rare; the bird name is usually written in kana.
The name 小千鳥 literally means 'small plover', from 小 (small) and 千鳥 (plover). The exact historical derivation is uncertain.