Uncommon, petite plover of beaches, coastal lagoons, lakeshores, gravel bars, and sandbars along rivers. Note slender black bill, brightly patterned head, narrow black breast band, and long pinkish legs. Despite the name, does not have white collar around back of neck like most small plovers. Typically found in pairs or as single birds; not in flocks like many other small plovers. At high tide they often roost with other plovers such as Wilson’s and Semipalmated plovers.