Abstract

A breeding female Two-banded Plover Charadrius falklandicus was observed incubating the eggs of a Magellanic Oystercatcher Haematopus leucopodus while the nest was unattended by the oystercatcher. The behaviour was likely triggered by the plover's nest becoming momentarily inaccessible, and so, being in incubation mode, the bird responded by incubating the nearest nest available. This is the first report of such behaviour while the oystercatcher was nearby, and the plover nest was still active and in sight.