Banded Lapwing
Vanellus tricolor
Elegant lapwing with a white stripe through eye (like a sunglass strap), a red wattle in front of the eye, and a thick and complete black breast-band. Smaller and shorter-legged than Masked Lapwing. Not generally an urban bird, it is more common inland. In more coastal areas it tends to be limited to areas with very short grass (e.g., airports, turf farms).
Identification
The banded lapwing is a medium-sized shorebird with short dark purplish legs and a dull red tibia. They range from 25 cm to 29 cm in length and weigh on average 190 grams. They have an upright stance and a slow walk, breaking into a faster trot when alarmed. The bill is a pale yellow with a black tip and a small red wattle lies at the base. The red wattle and wing spurs are more prominent in males than females. Banded lapwings are characterised by a black cap, a white throat and underparts, white eye stripes and a black breast band extending up each side of its neck to its face. The irises are bright yellow. They fly quick, clipped wing beats, giving them the name 'lapwing'. The young range from 22 cm to 25.5 cm in length and weigh between 124 and 133 grams. Juvenile plumage is similar to that of the adults, however the crown, nape, sides of neck and breast is mottled dark brown and the feathers of the upper parts are tan.
Taxonomy
Lapwings belong to the family Charadriidae (plovers) and sub-family Vanellinae. Biochemical evidence suggests that plovers are holophyletic, meaning that all modern plovers, and no other taxa, share the same common ancestor. It has been suggested that most plovers originated from the Southern Hemisphere and evolved under arid and semi-arid conditions.<p>There are 25 extant species of lapwings. Africa has the most species of lapwings, while North America has none. Australia has two native species, the masked lapwing and the banded lapwing. The masked lapwing is split into Vanellus miles miles and Vanellus miles novaehollandiae. The first fossils of the Vanellus species were from Belgian deposits retrieved from the middle Oligocene dating back 30 million years ago, the time when the first grasses appeared.
- Scientific name
- Vanellus tricolor
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1818)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Genus
- Vanellus
Range and habitat
Banded lapwings are endemic to Australia and found throughout the mainland and Tasmania. They are rarely found in northern Australia and are uncommon in most coastal areas and they are not dependent on wetlands and may live far away from water. Banded lapwings prefer open plains and short grassland areas such as heavily grazed paddocks, agricultural lands and recently germinated cereal crops most commonly found inland and pastures of coastal and inland regions. It avoids Acacia scrub areas, except where these have become more open due to overgrazing. The species has probably benefited from the clearing of forest and woodlands in southern Australia for agriculture. Outside the breeding season, banded lapwings gather in small flocks and are nomadic. Its movements from one area to another are influenced by seasonal conditions. Records from the Atlas of Victorian Birds state the banded lapwing is most frequently reported in Victoria during spring and winter, suggesting that in Victoria they breed when rainfall is highest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
Conservation of banded lapwings will be dependent on appropriate management of farm and pastoral lands as it exploits a variety of open habitats and agricultural land. However, there are no immediate or serious threats to its future survival.
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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