Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Nice, France • Jan 2009

Bird name: Northern Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus vanellus
Other: Lapwing • Vanneau Huppé (Fr) • Kiebitz (De) • Avefría europea (Es) • Abibe-comum (Pt)
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwing
Range: Widespread Eurasia to China, North Africa. Breeds Scandinavia, Russia, Mongolia etc.

I saw the flock of Northern Lapwing below in the middle of the Var in Nice in the winter. The flock seemed to fly in a linear pattern. Also seen on banks in the Danube Delta, above, in May. The Northern Lapwing develops long head feathers in breeding plumage. Some greenish sheen to feathers. White and black below.

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Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Ngorongoro Crater • Oct 2009

Bird name: Blacksmith Plover
Latin: Vanellus armatus
Other: Blacksmith Lapwing
Family: Charadridae • Lapwings

The Blacksmith Plover is quite abundant in Kenya wetlands. Seen here in the Ngorongoro Crater.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Crowned Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus coronatus
Other: Crowned Plover
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Crowned Lapwing is easily identifiable by the white band on its crown.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Long Toed Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus crassrostris
Other:
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Long-toed Lapwing photographed here by André in Amboseli, Kenya. There are 24 species of Lapwing in the world.More photos...

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Amboseli • Oct 2009

Bird name: Spur Winged Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus spinosus
Other: Spur-winged Plover
Family: Charadriidae • Lapwings

The Spur-winged Lapwing has shoulder spurs, which it uses to charge down predators and intruders, much like its South-American cousin the Southern Lapwing.More photos...

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Lagoa do Peixe + • November 2009

Bird name: Southern Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus chilensis
Other: Tero (Uruguay) • Quero Quero (Brazil) • Other Es: Avefría, Fraile, Queltehue, Teruteru, Traile, Treile, Trel, Caravana, Alcaravan, Triel
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers & Lapwing • Waders

The Southern Lapwing is common and visible throughout Brazil, on farmland, pasture, wetlands, etc. During nesting season, pairs chase potential predators such as hawks, caracaras and gulls - so they are a useful indicator of approaching birds of prey.

They have small pink spurs on their wrists. I saw one Caracara, which had stolen an egg, cleverly taking shelter next to a fence so that it couldn’t be dive-bombed by an aggressive Lapwing.

The Southern Lapwing is the national bird of Uruguay.More photos...