colour was grey (214), followed by pale grey and dark-grey (16), olive- 
grey (four) and black (one). Foot colouration was less variable with black 
(217 individuals) and dark-grey (34) being the only colours recorded. 
We were somewhat surprised to find so few birds with black legs, 
especially since the literature and our own experience from Europe show 
that black legs are diagnostic for this species. 
The strong sunlight and high water salinity in the Persian Gulf perhaps 
bleach the bare parts of these birds, making them look different from 
European populations. Hayman et al. (1986) mention that pale legs seem 
more prevalent in less migratory populations (presumably from southern, 
sunnier areas?). The Kentish Plover breeds commonly in Bahrain but 
there are some movements of (probably migrant) birds throughout the 
year (Hirschfield in prep.) but we have no idea whether the birds we 
caught were local birds or migrants. We found neither any differences 
in leg colouration between adults and juveniles, nor any consistent 
tendencies in leg colour other than that most birds with dark tibia had 
darker tarsi as well. 
The Bahrain Wader Study Project 1992 was sponsored by Lufthansa German 
Airlines, DHL Worldwide Express, Bahrain Petroleum Company Bsc, Caltex, 
Standard Chartered Bank, Budget Rent-a-car, The British Bank of the Middle East 
and Bahrain Center for Studies and Research. 
References 
CRAMP, S. AND SIMMONS, K. E. L. (eds) (1983) The Birds of the Western 
Palearctic. Vol. EI. Oxford University Press. 
HAYMAN, P., MARCHANT, J., AND PRATER, T. (1986) Shorebirds. an 
Identification Guide to the Waders of the World. Croom Helm, London. 
HIRSCHFELD, E. (in prep.) Birding in Bahrain: a study of migration patterns 
1990-1992. 
Erik Hirschfeld, P O Box 2411, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Tadeiisz 
Stawarczyk, Museum of Natural History, Wroclaw University, Sienkiewicza 
21, PL 50-m Wroclaw, Poland. 
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