Spur-winged Lapwing by Cheryl Crowley

Lapwing, Spur-winged

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Description

The Lapwing has a black crown on its head, front of the neck and tail. The face, the rest of the neck and the tail are white. The wings are light brown. The legs are long, thin and black. They have red eyes. The wings have a small claw (the spur) hidden inside the feathers.

Classification

Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Charadriidae
Genus
Vanellus
Species
V. spinosus
Conservation Status
Least Concern

Key Facts

Length
28 cm (11 inches)
Weight
170 g (6 ounces)

Social Life: Outside of breeding season Lapwings like to cluster in groups of about 15 birds. They vocalize loudly to warn of predators, attract mates and defend their territory.

Habitat and Range: Spur-winged Lapwings inhabit a variety of habitats, including dry ground and marshland near lakes, cultivated fields, dunes and beaches. In the wild, they are found in the Eastern Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa.

Diet: Spur-winged Lapwings are ambush predators (they sit and wait for prey). They rely on their keen vision and sharp beaks to spear prey such as insects, mollusks and small lizards.

Lifespan: Spur-winged Lapwings live about 17 years.

Predators: Predators are primarily birds of prey and small carnivores. Snakes may occasionally raid the scrape nest for eggs.

Reproduction: Males court the females by dancing and calling. They usually mate for life. The female lays a clutch of 2-4 brown speckled eggs in late spring or early summer. She lays in a rudimentary scrape nest on the ground, often near water. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 22 days and care for the chicks. Baby Spur-wings fledge at 8 weeks but often stay near their parents until the next breeding season.

 

Information

Description

The Lapwing has a black crown on its head, front of the neck and tail. The face, the rest of the neck and the tail are white. The wings are light brown. The legs are long, thin and black. They have red eyes. The wings have a small claw (the spur) hidden inside the feathers.

Classification

Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Charadriidae
Genus
Vanellus
Species
V. spinosus
Conservation Status
Least Concern

Key Facts

Length
28 cm (11 inches)
Weight
170 g (6 ounces)

Social Life: Outside of breeding season Lapwings like to cluster in groups of about 15 birds. They vocalize loudly to warn of predators, attract mates and defend their territory.

Habitat and Range: Spur-winged Lapwings inhabit a variety of habitats, including dry ground and marshland near lakes, cultivated fields, dunes and beaches. In the wild, they are found in the Eastern Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa.

Diet: Spur-winged Lapwings are ambush predators (they sit and wait for prey). They rely on their keen vision and sharp beaks to spear prey such as insects, mollusks and small lizards.

Lifespan: Spur-winged Lapwings live about 17 years.

Predators: Predators are primarily birds of prey and small carnivores. Snakes may occasionally raid the scrape nest for eggs.

Reproduction: Males court the females by dancing and calling. They usually mate for life. The female lays a clutch of 2-4 brown speckled eggs in late spring or early summer. She lays in a rudimentary scrape nest on the ground, often near water. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 22 days and care for the chicks. Baby Spur-wings fledge at 8 weeks but often stay near their parents until the next breeding season.