The Habitat of the Nile Crocodile & Egyptian Plover Bird

The Nile crocodile and Egyptian plover bird have a relationship in Egyptian history that dates back to the fifth century B.C. In stories dating back to this time, the plover bird would pick the rotten food out of the mouths of Nile crocodiles, who would open up and let the birds get rid of the waste. Although no confirmed accounts of these stories exist, the two species do share the same habitats in Africa.

  1. Geography

    • The Nile crocodile lives in much of Africa, from the northeastern corner of the continent including Egypt to all of the area south to South Africa and even as far west as Mauritania. The only countries in Africa without Nile crocodiles are Chad, Algeria and Morocco. The Egyptian plover birds live in far fewer places. Plover birds live in sub-Saharan Africa, basically north of the equator from Senegal to Ethiopia. They do reach as far south of the equator as Angola. Egyptian plover birds are considered nonexistent in Egypt.

    Nile Crocodile Habitat

    • Nile crocodiles live in various habitats, which can be seen by how successfully they redistributed throughout Africa. They can be found in freshwater lakes, freshwater swamps, rivers and even brackish waters. Such crocodiles were hunted close to extinction in the 1940s through 1960s, but have rebounded significantly in numbers in some areas. In other areas, where Nile crocodiles were once abundant, pollution, hunting for food or leather and habitat loss have greatly reduced their numbers.

    Egyptian Plover Bird Habitat

    • Egyptian plover birds are considered shorebirds, meaning they reside in sandy areas near river beds. Egyptian plover birds are found on the shores of Egypt's biggest rivers, including the Nile, Congo and Niger. Sandbars and slow-moving waters that run through lowland scrub or lightly wooded savannas are the main places to see these birds. After breeding season takes place, and many of the sandbars disappear under water, they can be found in more wetland areas, but almost never densely forested shorelines or saltwater tributaries.

    Food and Breeding Habitat Needs

    • Both species need habitats that can provide them with food and breeding areas. Nile crocodiles feed mostly on fish, but are big and strong enough to attack almost anything that enters their territories. This could include baby zebras, small hippos, birds, smaller crocodiles and even an occasional human. Egyptian plover birds need habitats that provide them access to insects, and the ability to unearth worms, mollusks, larvae and any insects that live underground. As regards breeding, Egyptian plover birds mate during dry season, so they need water access where sandbars become exposed in the middle of the river, and they can dig and bury their eggs there. Nile crocodiles need breeding areas that include sandy banks on rivers where they can also dig a nest and deposit eggs.