Banded lapwing
| Banded lapwing | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Family: | Charadriidae |
| Genus: | Vanellus |
| Species: | V. tricolor |
| Binomial name | |
|
Vanellus tricolor (Vieillot, 1818) |
|
 |
|
| Distribution of the banded lapwing | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Charadrius tricolor Vieillot, 1818 |
|
Charadrius tricolor Vieillot, 1818
Hoplopterus tricolor (Vieillot, 1818)
Lobivanellus tricolor (Vieillot, 1818)
The banded lapwing (Vanellus tricolor) is a small to medium-sized shorebird, found in small parties or large flocks on bare ground in open grasslands, agricultural land and open savannah. It is native to Australia and in the past considered as a game bird for hunting. Population estimate is 25 000 - 1 000 000. Other names include banded, black-breasted, brown flock and plain plover.
Adult on Rottnest Island
Juvenile
Atkinson's Dam, SE Queensland, Australia
Rottnest Island, Western Australia
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.
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.
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. The 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 124-133 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.
...
Wikipedia