First record for Texas found by Gary Jensen 13 April remaining through 20 April 2024. We lucked out seeing this extraordinary South American species with Gary near the golf course clubhouse. These large spectacular lapwings have expanded their range north to Nicaragua as deforestation has created new habitat. They have also expanded into Grenada where they now breed regularly and there are also records from Mexico (San Blas, 2007, Campeche, 1996) as well as several records from Belize. Sexes are alike. Note the long legs, long black crest, browner (less gray) head and lack of a black breast stripe. These features are characteristic of the Northern subspecies "V. c. cayennensis" sometimes split as Cayenne Lapwing (Vanellus cayennensis). A previous US photo record from Iasco, Michigan stayed for six months (May-November 2022) prompting the ABA to add this species to the North American checklist. There is also a photo record from Maryland 17 June 2006 not accepted based on questionable natural occurrence and another record from St. Marks, Florida (6 May-11 June 2006) likewise not accepted. The consensus is that the Texas bird is likely a genuine wild stray and the previous Florida and Maryland records should probably be reassessed based on a continuing pattern of natural occurrence. Formerly placed in the monotypic genus "Belonopterus."
