▁fe athers ▁around ▁the ▁eyes ▁of ▁an ▁adult ▁bre eding ▁male ▁are ▁much ▁dark er ▁than ▁those ▁of ▁a ▁female . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁male ' s ▁white ▁e y est ri pe ▁extends ▁more ▁distinct ly ▁behind ▁the ▁eye ▁compared ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁female . ▁Ju ven iles ▁look ▁quite ▁similar ▁to ▁adult ▁individuals , ▁however ▁they ▁lack ▁the ▁dark ▁fore head ▁band ▁of ▁adult ▁birds . ▁The ▁breast ▁band ▁of ▁ju ven iles ▁is ▁nar ro wer ▁and ▁less ▁distinct ▁than ▁that ▁of ▁adult ▁males . ▁ ▁Conf usion ▁with ▁other ▁similar ▁species ▁▁ ▁The ▁long - bil led ▁p lo ver ▁is ▁often ▁confused ▁with ▁other ▁species ▁of ▁p lo ver ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁little - ring ed ▁p lo ver , ▁because ▁of ▁range ▁overlap ▁and ▁similarity ▁in ▁appearance . ▁However , ▁the ▁two ▁species ▁can ▁still ▁be ▁distinguished ▁from ▁each ▁other . ▁The ▁long - bil led ▁p lo ver ▁is ▁larger ▁than ▁the ▁little - ring ed ▁p lo ver . ▁As ▁the ▁name ▁suggests , ▁the ▁long - bil led ▁p lo ver ▁has ▁a ▁longer ▁and ▁th icker ▁bill ▁than ▁the ▁little - ring ed ▁p lo ver . ▁Ad ult ▁bre eding ▁male ▁individuals ▁of ▁little - ring ed ▁p lo ver ▁have ▁a ▁solid ▁black ▁bar ▁above ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁bill , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁black ▁fore head ▁band . ▁The ▁fe athers ▁around ▁the ▁eyes ▁of ▁little - ring ed ▁p lo ver ▁are ▁black ▁unlike ▁the ▁brown ▁che