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Black-headed Lapwing - BirdForum Opus

Alternative name: Black-headed Plover

Photo by tf1044x
West Africa
Vanellus tectus

Identification

A large lapwing, a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae.

A medium-large wader with a black head apart from a white forehead, and a white band round lower face and round the rear head and nape. A black crest like Northern Lapwing. The bill and legs are red. Black tip to the white tail.

Flight

The upperwings show black flight feathers and brown coverts separated by a white bar. The underwings are white with black flight feathers.

Distribution

It is a resident breeder across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia, although it has seasonal movements.

Taxonomy

Subspecies1

Habitat

Usually breeds in wet lowland habitats close to water, feeding in drier areas, such as golf courses and grassy scrub.

Behaviour

Diet

Insects and other invertebrates.

Breeding

It lays two or three eggs on a ground scrape.

Vocalisation

Call: a metallic "tink-tink".

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
  2. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links

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Search the Gallery Using the common name Black-headed Lapwing:

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