Plover Egyptian (Pluvianus aegyptius) – Gambia

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Historiclly known as the Crocodile-bird, this wader was mentioned in The Histories of Herodotus who wrote that: “with the trochilus it lives at peace, since it owes much to that bird: for the trochilus goes into his mouth and devours the leeches. This benefits the crocodile, who is pleased, and takes care not to hurt the trochilus.”   We know that this myth is not true as the Egyptian Plovers does not clean the teeth of Nile Crocodiles but it is a good story that has endured the centuries.