The crab plover (Dromas ardeola) is a medium sized wader in the family Dromadidae. It is a bird that is neither here nor there in terns of its physical attributes and although thought to be a relative of the seagull it is unique to the seagull and thus the only one in its genus. The crab plovers are relatively light and will rival the coursers in size and height.

Unlike the seagull and the auks the Dromas ardeola is a very long legged bird with black and white feathers, the majority of them being white in color. It is taller than the seagull and has a long neck and an upright posture. It is a wader although its feet are not webbed fully. It has a long wing span and strong wings which enable it to migrate, albeit over shot distance at a time to breed. The crab plover specializes in eating fish and crabs in the water thus the name crab plover.

The longer and wider the bill of the Dromas ardeola, the more likely it is male. The males and females of the Dromas ardeola look alike with no distinguishing physical attributes except the bill. They live in large colonies with both the male and female of the species participating in the hunting. Although the diet of the crab plover is sometimes fish, the plover feeds on the crabs almost exclusively and hunt them down in shallow water. The beak of the plover is big enough to get hold of a crab and swallow it whole but if big the crab will be torn into pieces first before being devoured by the plover

The crab plover lives in coastal areas in paces where the crab population is significant to support its populations. It does well in the tropics where the temperature is not extreme and which will also allow the crabs to breed. The large colonies they live in allow them to hunt successfully and be wary of predators more so during the breeding season when they migrate to the Persian gulf and the red sea and its surroundings. They are found in humid areas like the east African coast and Madagascar.

It is a unique bird, in that despite it being a wader, it lives in burrows along the shore line of a water body that is teeming with crabs. During the breeding season the female will lay an egg or two and the parents will leave the egg in the burrow since the heat inside the burrow is enough. Before they hatch the parent will have sat on the eggs severally to keep it warm since the heat in the burrow is not enough for the whole period. The new born chicks are taken care of by the parents for several days before they are able to walk on their own and leave the nest. They bring food to the young chick and protect them from the predators. They have a longer period of parental care than any other birds.