Crowned Lapwing
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| Vanellus coronatus (Boddaert, 1783) |
The Crowned Lapwing occurs from the Red Sea coast of Somalia to southern and south western Africa. It is related to the more localised Black-winged and Senegal Lapwings with which it shares some plumage characteristics.
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[edit] Description
The Crowned Lapwing is easily recognised by its combination of brown and white colours, with most tellingly, a black crown intersected by an annular white halo. Adults are noisy and conspicuous.
Males measure on average 3% larger than females. Juveniles are dull versions of the adults, vermiculated on the wings and mantle, the legs being yellowy in stead of red, and the bill not yet showing a red base.
[edit] Habitat and numbers
Crowned Lapwings prefer short dry grassland which may be overgrazed or burnt; mountains are avoided. In higher rainfall areas like parts of Zambia and Zimbabwe it is mainly a dry season visitor. Good rainfall in dry areas of northern Botswana however causes large-scale influxes. In southern Africa their highest concentrations are found in the dry central Kalahari region.
Although generally outnumbered by the Blacksmith Lapwing it is the most widespread and locally the most numerous Lapwing species within its area of distribution. Their numbers have increased in the latter part of the 20th century due to benefiting from a range of human activities.
Longevity is up to 20 years.
The Crowned Lapwing is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
[edit] Behaviour
Crowned Lapwings and the rarer Black-winged Lapwings sometimes associate and do not show mutual aggression, even within breeding territories. Different Crowned Lapwing males do however posture aggressively when nesting territories are established. The loser in an encounter assumes a special posture to indicate his defeat.
Bare part colours of males brighten in the breeding season. Different types of display flights lure the female to the defended territory. A female accepting the male and territory will follow the male during his display flight. Mates may be retained for life. Egg-laying is timed to precede the rainy season and most incubating is done by the female. The male only assists on hot days when he either incubates or shades the nest.
[edit] Food
Feeds on insects generally but termites are an important food source.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Vanellus coronatus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. Fifth edition. 1984. G.L. Maclean.
- Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. 2003. Sinclair I., Ryan P.
- Ward, D. Crowned Plover. In: The atlas of southern African birds. Vol. 1: Non-passerines.
- Waders of southern Africa. 1995. Hockey P.A.R., Douie C.
- Shorebirds: An identification guide. 1986. Marchant J., Prater T., Hayman P.
