Order Charadriiformes family Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. The term “plover” is commonly used to refer to all family members. These birds are small to medium-sized, characterized by their compact bodies, short, thick necks, and long, usually pointed wings. Unlike longer-billed waders, which hunt by feel, plovers hunt by sight. The largest plovers belong to the genus Vanellus and are known as lapwings.
1. Genus Vanellus
The name “vanellus” comes from Latin and means “little fan,” which refers to the sound made by the wings of lapwings during flight. Lapwings are known for their long legs and typical upright stance when walking.
Most species feature colorful wattles—red, yellow, or orange—around their faces and distinctive markings on their faces and breasts. They are notable for their unique and erratic flight pattern, which combines slow wingbeats with frequent flapping and gliding.
1.1. African Wattled Lapwing also Senegal Wattled Plover(Vanellus senegallus)
Description: African Wattled Lapwings have brown upperparts, wings, white crowns, and foreheads. They are easily recognizable by their large yellow wattles, which protrude from red bases. The rest of their heads and upper necks are a pale gray-brown with black streaks. Their chins and throats are black, while their breasts are gray. Their eyes are a pale gray, and their bills are yellow.
In flight, African Wattled Lapwings’ upper wings feature black flight feathers with brown coverts, divided by a white bar. The underwings are white, and they also have black flight feathers. Their tails are white with broad black tips and long yellow legs. Females are similar in appearance but have less black on their throats.
- Length – Average 13.4 in (34 cm)
- Weight – 5.6-10.1 oz (160-287 g)
Similar to Yellow-Wattled Lapwings. Ranges do not overlap. Yellow-wattled Lapwings have white bellies; African-wattled Lapwings have black lower bellies.
Habitat: African Wattled Lapwings are found in wet lowlands, especially near water sources like damp grasslands. They often feed in drier areas, such as savannas, fields with short grass, and golf courses.
Conservation: IUCN has listed African Wattled Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: African Wattled Lapwings are resident breeders across much of sub-Saharan Africa.
1.2. Andean Lapwing (Vanellus resplendens)
Description: Andean Lapwings have dove-gray heads, breasts, necks, and dark brownish-gray patches around their reddish eyes. Their bills are pinkish-orange with black tips. Their backs are brown, while their wings are dark brown with a greenish sheen on the wing coverts. In flight, they show bold black-and-white patterns on their wings and tails.
Andean Lapwings’ lower breasts, bellies, and vents are white, with a narrow black line separating their upper and lower chest borders. Their feet are pinkish orange. Females are similar to the males.
- Length – Average 13 in (33 cm)
- Weight – 6.8 to 8.1 oz (193 to 230 g)
Similar to Black-winged Lapwings. Their ranges do not overlap. Black-winged Lapwings have black lower breasts; Andean Lapwings have pale gray breasts.
Habitat: Andean Lapwings are adaptable birds that thrive in various environments. They are commonly found in open landscapes like páramo and puna and inshore meadows, wetlands, and lakes. These birds also prefer short grass in dry fields and on hillsides. Notably, they tend to steer clear of saline waters, showcasing their preference for less saline habitats.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Andean Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Andean Lapwings are found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
1.3. Banded Lapwing (Vanellus tricolor)
Description: Banded Lapwings are striking birds characterized by their gray-brown upperparts and wings. They have black crowns featuring broad white stripes running through their eyes and prominent black breast bands extending to the wattles on their heads. Their throats and bibs are white, and they possess yellow eye-rings and red wattles at the bases of their yellow bills. The rest of their underparts are white, and their legs are pinkish-gray.
- Length – 9.8-11.4 in (25-29 cm)
- Weight – Average 6.7 oz (190 g)
Similar to Masked Lapwings. Masked Lapwings have yellow wattles on their heads; Banded Lapwings do not.
Habitat: Banded Lapwings prefer open, short grasslands like heavily grazed paddocks, agricultural lands, and saline herb lands in dry and semi-arid regions. They tend to avoid areas with Acacia scrub.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Banded Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Banded Lapwings are endemic to Australia and found throughout the mainland and Tasmania.
1.4. Black-headed Lapwing (Vanellus tectus)
Description: Black-headed Lapwings have brown upperparts, wings, and black and white heads. Their crowns are black with wispy crests, while their chins are white. They feature red wattles, black-tipped red bills, and yellow eyes.
Black-headed Lapwings have a vertical black streak that runs down the center of their upper breasts, while the rest of their underparts are white. Their legs are red. In flight, they display large white areas on their forewings that extend diagonally across the inner wings. Their tails are white with black tips.
- Length – Average 9.8 in (25 cm)
- Weight – 3.5-4.2 oz (99-120 g)
Habitat: Black-headed Lapwings are commonly found in plains, deserts, grassy scrub, short grasslands, fixed dunes, and dry woodlands. They are also seen in farmlands and near human settlements, including golf courses, racetracks, and airfields.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Black-headed Lapwing as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Black-headed Lapwings are resident breeders across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia.
1.5. Blacksmith Lapwing also Blacksmith Plover (Vanellus armatus)
Description: Blacksmith Plovers have distinctive black, white, and gray plumage, with white foreheads and hind necks with the remainder of their heads black. Their faces, forenecks, backs, chests, and tails are black. The rest of their underparts are white. They have gray upper wing coverts.
Blacksmith Plover carpals are sharp black, adorning their wrist joints, and are used to defend their young. They have black bills and legs, along with red eyes. Their upper wings are black and gray in flight, featuring a wide white diagonal stripe that separates them. Females resemble males but are slightly larger.
- Length – 11-12.2 in (28-31 cm)
- Weight – 4.0-7.5 oz (114-213 g)
Habitat: Blacksmith Plovers are found in moist habitats with short grasslands and mudflats near dams, waterholes, lakes, rivers, and sewage farms. They are also observed in farmlands and areas near human developments, such as golf courses, racetracks, and airfields.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Blacksmith Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Blacksmith Plovers occur from Kenya through central Tanzania to southern and southwestern Africa.
1.6. Black-winged Lapwing also Greater Black-winged Plover (Vanellus melanopterus)
Description: Black-winged Lapwings have brown upperparts and gray heads, necks, and upper breasts, contrasting with their distinct white underparts that feature noticeable black breast bands. They have white foreheads and yellow eyes, surrounded by red eye rings. They show prominent white wing bars bordered by black flight feathers in flight. Their feet are pinkish. Males and females have a similar appearance.
- Length – 11.0-12.2 in (26-27 cm)
- Weight – 5.8-7.5 oz (163-214 g)
Similar to:
- Andean Lapwings. Their ranges do not overlap. Black-winged Lapwings have black lower breasts; Andean Lapwings have pale gray breasts.
- Senegal Lapwings. Senegal Lapwings have distinct white foreheads and blackish legs; Black-winged Lapwings have diffuse white foreheads and reddish legs.
Habitat: Black-winged Lapwings live in highland plains, grasslands, and cultivated areas on high plateaus, mountain slopes, open plains, and dry savannas. In winter, these birds move to lower altitudes but can also be found in wastelands, farmland, and coastal areas.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Black-winged Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Black-winged Lapwings are found in disjunct populations across northeastern and southern Africa, including the Ethiopian highlands, Eritrea, southwest Kenya to central Tanzania, and eastern South Africa and Swaziland.
1.7. Brown-chested Lapwing (Vanellus superciliosus)
Description: Brown-chested Lapwings have brownish-green backs and wings. They feature black hoods and napes, along with chestnut-brown foreheads and breasts. Their eyelines are narrow and pale brown. Their chins are whitish, while the rest of their faces, necks, and upper chests are ashy grey, sometimes with a brownish tinge.
The rest of the Brown-chested Lapwings’ underparts, including the underwing coverts, are white. Their lower rumps and tails are also white, with the tails displaying a black terminal band that narrows at the sides.
- Length – Average 9.1 in (23 cm)
- Weight – Average 5.3 oz (150 g)
Habitat: Brown-chested Lapwings inhabit open savannas, short grasslands, and lakeshores. They also frequent areas near human habitats, such as football fields and lawns.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Brown-chested Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Brown-chested Lapwings occur in southwestern Nigeria to the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo; their wintering range extends toward Lake Chad, Lake Victoria, and northern Zambia.
1.8. Crowned Lapwing or Crowned Plover (Vanellus coronatus)
Description: Crowned Lapwings have mouse-brown upperparts, bright red legs, and red bills. Their primary feathers are predominantly black. They are distinguished by their unique head patterns, which include black crowns, lores, and napes. A white crown ring forms a “V” shape at their napes, and their eyes are yellow.
The Crowned Lapwings’ chins, throats, and chests are mouse-brown, with the lower breasts being a darker brown that ends with a black line. The rest of their underparts are white. Their tails have broad, subterminal black bands. Females are similar, but they are slightly smaller than males.
- Length – 7.9-13.4 in (20-34 cm)
- Weight – 4.4-7.1 oz (126-200 g)
Similar to Pied Lapwings. Ranges do not overlap.
Habitat: Crowned Lapwings inhabit short, dry grasslands and open habitats in thornbush or bushveld, but they avoid mountainous areas. They also frequent locations near human settlements and are attracted to recently burnt grasslands.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Crowned Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution. Crowned Lapwings are found in Ethiopia and Somalia, extending through East Africa to South Angola and South Africa.
1.9. Gray-headed Lapwing (Vanellus cinereus)
Description: Gray-headed Lapwings have gray heads, necks, and upper breasts with black breastbands, white bellies, and whitetails with black tips. Their primaries are black. They have black-tipped yellow bills and red eyes. Their legs are yellow. Both sexes are similarly plumaged, but males are slightly larger than females.
- Length – 13.4-14.6 in (34-37 cm)
- Weight – 8.3-10.4 oz (236-296 g)
Habitat: Gray-headed Lapwings live in quiet places like swamps, rivers, and rice fields. In winter, they also move to other wet areas such as marshes, riverbanks, wet grasslands, and plowed fields.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Gray-headed Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Gray-headed Lapwings breed in northeastern China and Japan. The mainland population migrates to northern Southeast Asia, including northeastern India and Cambodia, during winter. The Japanese population spends at least part of the winter in southern Honshū.
1.10. Long-toed Lapwing also Long-toed Plover (Vanellus crassirostris)
Description: Long-toed Lapwings have distinctive white faces and forenecks, complemented by black hind necks, napes, and chests. Their bellies and vents are white, with white tails featuring broad black terminal bands. In flight, their wings are strikingly white with three black outer primaries. Additionally, their wing spurs are relatively short.
Long-toed Lapwings are known for their unusually long toes, pinkish-red legs, and bills with black tips. They possess red eyes with narrow pinkish-red eye rings. Both sexes appear similar.
- Length – Average 12.2 in (31 cm)
- Weight – 5.7-7.9 oz (162-225 g)
Similar to Spur-winged Lapwings. Spur-winged Lapwings have black bellies; Long-toed Lapwings have white bellies.
Habitat: Long-toed Lapwings are largely confined to wetlands with floating vegetation in stagnant water. In the dry seasons, they can be found in mudflats.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Long-toed Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Long-toed Lapwings are found throughout central and eastern Africa, from Chad and South Sudan in the north to Mozambique and northeastern South Africa in the southeast. They have also been observed in Zambia.
1.11. Masked Lapwing also Crowned Plover (Vanellus miles)
Description: Masked Lapwings have black crowns and necks that create collars down the sides of their breasts. They have bright yellow bills, wattles, and eyes with yellow rings. Their heads and underparts are white, while their upper parts are light gray-brown. The tails are black with white tips, and their legs are reddish-brown. They also have long yellow spurs sticking from their wings’ carpal areas. Males and females look alike, but males usually have larger spurs.
- Length – 11.8-14.6 in (30-37 cm)
- Weight – 6.7-10.6 oz (191-300 g)
Similar to:
- Banded Lapwings. Masked Lapwings have yellow wattles on their heads; Banded Lapwings do not.
- White-headed Lapwings. Ranges do not overlap. Masked Lapwings have black crowns; White-headed Lapwings have white crowns.
Habitat: Masked Lapwings are found in marshes, mudflats, beaches, riverbeds, and grasslands. They frequently inhabit agricultural pastures and urban parks.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Masked Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Masked Lapwings are found throughout northeastern and southern New Guinea, the Aru Islands, and northern Australia. They are also located in eastern and southeastern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, which includes Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands.
1.12. Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Description: Northern Lapwings are strikingly patterned birds characterized by their black and white heads, featuring long, erect black crests at the back of their crowns. The rest of their heads are white and gray, with a distinct black stripe beneath each eye. They have black bills and pinkish feet.
Northern Lapwings’ upper parts are metallic and glossy green, while their breasts and necks are black, extending to their crowns. Their bellies are white, and their vents and undertails have a rust-brown hue. Female plumages are quite similar, but their crests are shorter, and their heads are not as strongly marked.
- Length – 11-13 in (28-33 cm)
- Weight – 4.5-11.6 oz (128-330 g)
Similar to Southern Lapwings. Ranges do not overlap. Southern Lapwings have plainer faces.
Habitat: Northern Lapwings inhabit open habitats with short vegetation, such as marshes, moorlands, heaths, and wet pastures. They have also adapted to human-altered environments like arable fields, meadows, and cereal fields.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Northern Lapwings as Near Threatened (NT) due to land-use intensification, wetland drainage, and egg collecting.
Distribution. Northern Lapwings breed in Europe, Turkey, and northwestern Iran. Their range goes through western Russia and Kazakhstan to Siberia, Mongolia, and northern China. In winter, they migrate to western Europe, the eastern Atlantic islands, and North Africa. They also travel across the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Iran, reaching northern India, southeast China, Korea, and southern Japan.
1.13. Pied Lapwing (Vanellus cayanus/ Hoploxypterus cayanus)
Description: Pied Lapwings are small lapwings that resemble traditional plovers more closely. They have striking black and white plumage. A narrow white line encircles their sandy-white crowns, while they boast black foreheads that extend to their napes. Their chins and collars are white, complemented by a wide black necklace that crosses their chests. The rest of their underparts are white.
Pied Lapwings’ upper parts are sandy brown, with black scapulars edged with white, forming a V-shaped pattern on the middle of their backs. The tips of their flight feathers and tail are also black. They possess black bills and dark eyes framed by red eye rings. Additionally, they have long red legs. Both sexes have a similar appearance.
- Length – 8.3-9.4 in (21-24 cm)
- Weight – 1.9-3.0 oz (54-84 g)
Habitat: Pied Plovers inhabit the shores of lakes and rivers, where there is sand and mud in forested zones and along seacoasts.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Pied Plovers as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Pied Plovers inhabit northern South America, including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.
1.14. Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
Description: Red-wattled Lapwings have black heads, necks, chins, throats, breasts, and upper bellies. They display prominent white patches that extend from the sides of their crowns to their flanks along the sides of their necks. Their reddish-brown eyes are framed by reddish eye rings that connect to small, red, fleshy wattles. Additionally, they have black-tipped red bills.
The underparts of Red-wattled Lapwings are primarily white, and their small tails have black tips. Their upperparts are sandy-brown, exhibiting iridescent sheens that vary from purple to green, while their rumps are white. In flight, prominent white wing bars are visible, created by the white secondary coverts. These birds have long yellow legs, and both sexes have similar appearances.
- Length – 13-13.8 in (32-35 cm)
- Weight – 3.9-8.1 oz (110-230 g)
Similar to Spur-winged Lapwings. Their ranges do not overlap. Spur-winged Lapwings have black bellies; Red-wattled Lapwings have white bellies.
Habitat: Red-wattled Lapwings are found in open areas near water, mudbanks, and wet grasslands. They are also found in cultivated lands, such as cornfields, grasslands, plowed fields, and gardens, and are occasionally seen along highways.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Red-wattled Lapwings as Least Concern (LC). However, the European populations are on the edge of the species’ global range and thus are particularly vulnerable to threats.
Distribution: Red-wattled Lapwings are mainly found in Asia and extend into Europe, with a very small population in Turkey.
1.15. River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii)
Description: River Lapwings have distinct black faces, crowns, and nape feathers that can be raised to form a crest. Their upperparts are brown, complemented by white rumps and black tails. Their wings feature both black and white patterns. The birds have striking dark red eyes and black bills. They also possess black chins and throats, bordered in white, along with a grey-brown breast band. Below, they are white with black patches on their bellies and have black spurs at the bend of their wings.
- Length – 11.4-12.6 in (29-32 cm)
- Weight – 5.0-6.5 oz (143-185 g)
Habitat: River Lapwings are usually found near wide, slow-moving rivers with sandbanks, gravel bars, or islands. They can also inhabit cultivated land.
Conservation: IUCN has listed River Lapwings as Near Threatened (NT) due to human pressures on riverine ecosystems and the construction of dams. These birds face additional threats from the casual collection of their eggs and chicks, and they may also be at risk from potential agricultural intensification in some areas.
Distribution: River Lapwings are found in the northern Indian Subcontinent and much of Southeast Asia, including India.
1.16. Senegal Lapwing (Vanellus lugubris)
Description: Senegal Lapwings are small, gray-headed birds characterized by their distinctive white forehead patches. They have striking orange-yellow eyes with darker yellow eye rings, and their black bills feature dull red bases. There is also a small dark line behind each eye. Their upperparts are darker gray-brown, while their rumps and tails are white, with the tails having broad black terminal bands.
Senegal Lapwings’ chins are whitish, with dull brownish-gray throats merging into black breastbands. The rest of their underparts are white, and their legs are blackish.
- Length – 8.7-10.2 in (22-26 cm)
- Weight – 3.8-4.9 oz (107-140 g)
Similar to Black-winged Lapwings. Senegal Lapwings have distinct white foreheads and black legs, while Black-winged Lapwings have diffuse white foreheads and reddish legs.
Habitat: Senegal Lapwings inhabit dry open plains with bare ground or short grass. They are also found in heavily grazed grasslands, airfields, and coastal savannas.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Senegal Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Senegal Lapwings are found intermittently from Senegal through the DRC to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi, extending into southern Africa.
1.17. Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)
Description: Sociable Lapwings have black crowns and a wide white stripe above their eyes that connects at their foreheads and napes. They have a black line that goes through their dark brown eyes. Their bills are small, thin, and black. Their throats, necks, and breasts are light brown-gray with dark brown streaks. In winter, their upper parts are olive-brown; in summer, they are grayish, with striking scalloped patterns.
During breeding season, Sociable Lapwings have black and chestnut bellies. In winter, their bellies turn white. They have white undertails and tails that are white with broad black tips.
When they fly, their wings show shades of brown, white, and gray. Their legs are dark and blackish. Females look similar but have less vibrant colors, especially on bellies and crowns.
- Length – 10.6-13.0 in (27-33 cm)
- Weight – 5.3-9.2 oz (150-260 g)
Habitat: Sociable Lapwing habitats are categorized into breeding and non-breeding areas:
– Breeding habitats are typically found where Stipa and Artemisia grasslands intersect, especially in regions with bare saline land near water sources. They also occupy dry wastelands, farmland, plowed fields, and stubble fields.
– Non-breeding habitats include burnt steppes and savannas, dry plains, uncultivated lands, waste pastures, and harvested millet fields. These areas are generally located near water bodies.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Sociable Lapwings as Critically Endangered (CR) due to illegal hunting during migration. Additionally, the breeding grounds are threatened by the conversion of steppe to arable land.
Distribution: Sociable Lapwings breed in the steppes of Kazakhstan. They migrate in two main directions: west and east. In the west, they winter in Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, parts of Saudi Arabia, and areas of Eastern Africa. In contrast, their eastern route takes them to the coast of Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and India for the winter.
1.18. Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis)
Description: Southern Lapwings are the only species of crested Lapwings found in North America. They have brownish-gray upperparts and heads, accented by bronzy shoulders. Their foreheads and throats are black, which extends down to their wide black breastbands. A white border separates the black areas of their faces from the gray of their heads and crests. They have striking red eyes with matching red orbital rings, and their bills are red with black tips. The rest of their underparts are white, while their legs can vary in color from bright red to dull black.
Southern Lapwings have red bony spurs under their wings. They use these spurs for defense and to settle disputes over territory. Males and females look similar, but males usually have slightly longer wing spurs and may show brighter colors during breeding season.
- Length – 12.6-15.0 in (32-38 cm)
- Weight – 8.8-15.0 oz (250-425 g)
Similar to Northern Lapwings. Ranges do not overlap. Southern Lapwings have plainer faces.
Habitat: Southern Lapwings inhabit coastal areas, bodies of water, riverbanks, paddocks, pastures, farms, and urban landscapes with predominantly short, grassy vegetation.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Southern Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Southern Lapwings range from Costa Rica and northern Venezuela to the southernmost tip of South America.
1.19. Spot-breasted Lapwing (Vanellus melanocephalus)
Description: Spot-breasted Lapwings have gray-brown upperparts and gray heads featuring black crowns that extend down to their chins and throats, which lead to their distinctly spotted black chests. Their napes can be raised to form crests. They have a white supercilium, and their eyes, wattles, and legs are yellow. The rest of their underparts are white, and their tails, which are also white, have narrow black tips. When they fly, their wings show shades of brown, white, and gray. Males and females look alike.
- Length – Averages 12.6 in (32 cm)
- Weight – Averages 7.5 oz (213 g)
Habitat: Spot-breasted Lapwings are found in wet and dry montane habitats, including grasslands, moorlands, and marshes, and are also seen on pastures and near cattle.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Spot-breasted Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Spot-breasted Lapwings are endemic to the Ethiopian highlands.
1.20. Spur-winged Lapwing also Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus)
Description: Spur-winged Lapwings are striking birds recognized for their distinctive color patterns, which include black, white, and light brown. They have light brown backs and wings, complemented by black crowns, breasts, and vertical stripes on their forenecks and tails. The faces and necks of these birds are primarily white, as are their bellies and vents. They also possess dark red eyes, deep black bills, and legs.
A distinct characteristic from which their name comes is the existence of small claws or spurs hidden within each wing, a detail that enhances their distinctive nature. The males and females are alike in appearance, but the spurs of the females are somewhat smaller.
- Length – 9.8-11.0 in (25-28 cm)
- Weight – 4.5-6.2 oz (127-177 g)
Similar to Red-wattled Lapwings. Their ranges do not overlap. Spur-winged Lapwings have black bellies; Red-wattled Lapwings have white bellies.
Habitat: Spur-winged Lapwings prefer wetlands such as marshes and similar freshwater habitats.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Spur-winged Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Spur-winged Lapwings are found breeding in regions around the eastern Mediterranean and extend through various areas from sub-Saharan West Africa to Arabia. Notably, the populations in Greece and Turkey are migratory, whereas other groups of Spur-winged Lapwings remain resident in their breeding areas.
1.21. White-headed Lapwing also White-crowned Plover (Vanellus albiceps)
Description: White-headed Lapwings are striking birds, easily recognized by their long yellow wattles. Their heads are gray and are separated by broad white crowns and foreheads. They have yellow eye rings, yellow legs, and bills that feature black tips. The birds have brown backs, while their wings and tails display bold black and white patterns. Additionally, they possess long carpal spurs on their wings.
The underparts of White-headed Lapwings are completely white, while their tails are black. Both males and females exhibit similar characteristics.
- Length – 11.0-12.6 in (28-32 cm)
- Weight – 5.7-7.8 oz (161-214 g)
Similar to Masked Lapwings. Ranges do not overlap. Masked Lapwings have black crowns; White-headed Lapwings have white crowns.
Habitat: White-headed Lapwings are found on sandy riverbanks or islands of large rivers but will also wander to smaller streams, pans, and lagoons.
Conservation: IUCN has listed White-headed Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: White-headed Lapwings live in tropical Africa. They are found in regions from Senegambia and Sierra Leone to South Sudan. They also inhabit western and central DRCongo, northwestern Angola, west Uganda, southeastern Tanzania, Zambezi, and southern Mozambique.
1.22. White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)
Description: White-tailed Lapwings are elegant, slender birds with brown backs and forenecks, contrasting their lighter faces and breasts. Their bellies boast a rosy-buff hue, while the rest of their underparts are white. A notable feature is their distinctive white tails, and in flight, their wings display a striking combination of brown, black, and white. Complementing their appearance, they have black bills and long yellow legs that add to their unique look.
- Length – 10.2-11.4 in (26-29 cm)
- Weight – 3.5-7.0 oz (99-198 g)
Habitat: White-tailed Lapwings are typically found in habitats such as lakeshores and river valleys. They prefer to inhabit densely vegetated wetlands that are located near either salt or freshwater sources. Additionally, these birds are often seen on small, vegetated islets and the swampy banks of brackish lakes.
Conservation: IUCN has listed White-tailed Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: White-tailed Lapwings are predominantly found in inland marshes across Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, and southern Russia. These birds remain resident throughout the breeding season in Iraq and Iran. In contrast, populations from Russia migrate south for the winter, traveling to areas in the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, and northeastern Africa. Additionally, they are considered rare vagrants in Western Europe.
1.23. Yellow-wattled Lapwings (Vanellus malabaricus)
Description: Yellow-wattled Lapwings have mostly light brown plumage with white underparts. They have black crowns, distinctive yellow triangular face wattles, eye rings, and white stripes behind their eyes. Their chins and throats are dark, while their legs are bright yellow. The tails feature a black band near the tip that doesn’t reach the outer feathers.
- Length – 9.4-11.0 in (24-28 cm)
- Weight – 3.8-7.2 oz (108-203 g)
Habitat: Yellow-wattled Lapwings can be found in dry and open habitats and edges of wetlands. They are also found in cultivated and fallow fields.
Conservation: IUCN has listed Yellow-wattled Lapwings as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Yellow-wattled lapwings occur in most parts of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Conclusion
Lapwings enjoy a variety of foods, including insects, invertebrates, and worms, all of which play a vital role in our ecosystems. Their unique diets help regulate insect populations and boost biodiversity, showcasing the vitality of their habitats. By protecting these wonderful birds, we contribute to a balanced environment. Observing them as they forage on their hunting grounds is a delightful experience that connects us to nature’s beauty and harmony!
