Sociable lapwing | |
---|---|
At the Little Rann of Kutch, India | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Charadriiformes |
Family: | Charadriidae |
Genus: | Vanellus |
Species: | V. gregarius |
Binomial name | |
Vanellus gregarius | |
Range of V. gregarius (Compiled by: BirdLife International and Handbook of the Birds of the World (2019) 2019.) Breeding summer range Migration overwintering Contracted range (extirpated) | |
Synonyms | |
Chaetusia gregaria(unjustified emendation) Contents |
The sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius), referred to as the sociable plover in the UK, is a wader in the plover family. It is a fully migratory bird, breeding in Kazakhstan and wintering in the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Sudan. Historical literature referred to this bird as the Black-bellied lapwing. [2]
Along with other lapwings, it is placed in the genus Vanellus. The genus name is Medieval Latin for a lapwing and derives from vannus a winnowing fan. The specific gregarius is Latin for "sociable" from grex, gregis, "flock" referring to its tendency to be present alongside conspecifics and other closely related birds. [3]
The sociable lapwing is one of many birds described by Pallas during his trip through the Russian landscape.
It is a monotypic species - no subspecies are recognised. [4]
This medium-sized lapwing has longish black legs and a short black bill. Non breeding individuals in winter have light brown wings with a striking head pattern. The sociable lapwing has a black crown and eyestripe, the latter being bordered above and below with white. The underside of the bird is white. Its long-ish black legs, white tail with a black terminal band and distinctive brown, white and grey wings make it almost unmistakable in flight.
The summer breeding plumage is much more vivid. The brown feathers become grey-ish and slightly glossy with the exception of the cheeks, which are ochre. The stripes across the eyes and the bird’s crown are stronger in colour, and the lower breast of the bird takes on a black plumage which fades to rich chestnut-coloured feathers as they near the vent. [5] }}</ref>
Juveniles have a bordered back feathers giving them a “scaly” appearance and only traces of the head pattern.
This bird resembles the more abundant white-tailed lapwing, but has a striped crown and dark grey legs as opposed to the yellow legs and plain head of the white-tailed lapwing. [6] It is between27–30 cm (11–12 in) in length. The call is a harsh kereck.
Unlike other lapwings, that tend to gravitate towards wetter aquatic environments, the sociable lapwing prefers steppes, arid grasslands, as well as cultivated fields. It breeds in the steppes of Kazakhstan. Three to four eggs are laid in a ground nest. The sociable lapwing historically took two routes, [7] a western and eastern route. On its western route, it passes over Central Asia and turkey to winter in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, a few regions in Saudi Arabia, as well as Eastern Africa. On its eastern route, it winters in coastal Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
In the case of two countries, however, the case is different. Qatar and Kuwait, the sociable lapwing was recorded historically as a vagrant, with the first sightings in the 80’s. As the nations industrialised, farms and parks were established throughout the countries. In particular, vagrants have visited the Rukaiya farm and Sulaibyia pivot fields in the early 2000’s have taken to repeatedly visiting or even wintering in the nations, giving rise to a third, Central migration route. [8]
Once occupying a large range in Europe, the sociable lapwing has been practically wiped out from the continent. The remnants of the former Ukrainian population migrate to the Iberian peninsula, where up to five individuals may spend the winter. On their way, individuals have been observed in nearly every European country [9] and the French Empire, often found alongside the Northern lapwing on its migratory and vagrancy trips. It feeds in a similar way, picking insects and other small prey mainly from grassland or arable land.
The sociable lapwing’s population had always been difficult to quantify. It was estimated that the population has always been in decline, and especially following a major crash towards the end of the 20th century, leaving the current population at only 20-25% of its historical count. [5]
The estimated population count was enhanced following decades long studies and, in October 2007, a superflock of approximately 3,200 sociable lapwings were discovered in Turkey, according to Guven Eken, director of the Turkish Nature Association. [10] Additionally, 1500 sociable lapwings were found overwintering in Syria. [11] The population is currently estimated to sit at 17 thousand individuals, and there was a reported increase in nests each year leading up to 2007, however it is difficult to determine whether this was an increase or simply more nests being found as a result of intensified fieldwork. [5] The range of the sociable lapwing has heavily contracted as it has once existed from Ukraine to China.
The fieldwork undergone that led to the discoveries of thousands of sociable lapwings had led to the population being much larger than once feared, however it was also discovered adults have low survival rates, and the population is projected to decline at a similar or accelerated rate. The reasons for the crash of the population are largely unknown, but hunting along migratory flyways have been attributed as a notable threat at the very least. [5]
The northern lapwing, also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tewit, green plover, or pyewipe or just lapwing, is a bird in the lapwing subfamily. It is common through temperate Eurosiberia.
The isabelline wheatear is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher in the family Muscicapidae. It is a migratory insectivorous bird. Its habitat is steppe and open countryside and it breeds in southern Russia and Central Asia to northern Pakistan, wintering in Africa and northwestern India. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.
The crab-plover or crab plover is a bird related to the waders, but sufficiently distinctive to merit its own family Dromadidae. Its relationship within the Charadriiformes is unclear, some have considered it to be closely related to the thick-knees, or the pratincoles, while others have considered it closer to the auks and gulls. It is the only member of the genus Dromas and is unique among waders in making use of ground warmth to aid incubation of the eggs.
Lapwings are any of various ground-nesting birds akin to plovers and dotterels. They range from 10 to 16 inches in length, and are noted for their slow, irregular wingbeats in flight and a shrill, wailing cry.
The grey plover or black-bellied plover is a large plover breeding in Arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding.
The American golden-plover, is a medium-sized plover. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from pluvia, "rain". It was believed that golden plovers flocked when rain was imminent. The species name dominica refers to Santo Domingo, now Hispaniola, in the West Indies.
The white-tailed lapwing or white-tailed plover is a wader in the lapwing genus. The genus name Vanellus is Medieval Latin for a lapwing and derives from vannus a winnowing fan. The specific leucurus is from Ancient Greek leukouros, "white-tailed".
The white-crowned lapwing, white-headed lapwing, white-headed plover or white-crowned plover is a medium-sized wader. It is resident throughout tropical Africa, usually near large rivers.
The red-wattled lapwing is an Asian lapwing or large plover, a wader in the family Charadriidae. Like other lapwings they are ground birds that are incapable of perching. Their characteristic loud alarm calls are indicators of human or animal movements and the sounds have been variously rendered as did he do it or pity to do it leading to the colloquial name of did-he-do-it bird. Usually seen in pairs or small groups not far from water, they sometimes form large aggregations in the non-breeding season (winter). They nest in a ground scrape laying three to four camouflaged eggs. Adults near the nest fly around, diving at potential predators while calling noisily. The cryptically patterned chicks hatch and immediately follow their parents to feed, hiding by lying low on the ground or in the grass when threatened.
The yellow-wattled lapwing is a lapwing that is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. It is found mainly on the dry plains of peninsular India and has a sharp call and is capable of fast flight. Although they do not migrate, they are known to make seasonal movements in response to rains. They are dull grey brown with a black cap, yellow legs and a triangular wattle at the base of the beak. Like other lapwings and plovers, they are ground birds and their nest is a mere collection of tiny pebbles within which their well camouflaged eggs are laid. The chicks are nidifugous, leaving the nest shortly after hatching and following their parents to forage for food.
The African wattled lapwing, also known as the Senegal wattled plover or simply wattled lapwing, is a large lapwing, a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae. It is a resident breeder in most of sub-Saharan Africa outside the rainforests, although it has seasonal movements.
Vanellus is the genus of waders which provisionally contains all lapwings except red-kneed dotterel, Erythrogonys cinctus. The name "vanellus" is Latin for "little fan", vanellus being the diminutive of vannus. The name is in reference to the sound lapwings' wings make in flight.
The banded lapwing 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.
The grey-headed lapwing is a lapwing species which breeds in northeast China and Japan. The mainland population winters in northern Southeast Asia from northeastern India to Cambodia. The Japanese population winters, at least partially, in southern Honshū.
The black-winged lapwing or greater black-winged lapwing is an east African species that is found from the Ethiopian highlands in the north to central Kenya, and again at middle to coastal elevations in eastern South Africa. It is a habitat specialist of short grass in well-watered temperate grasslands. They may move about locally to find ideal situations, often at night. In their tightly grouped flying flocks they resemble plovers.
The blacksmith lapwing or blacksmith plover is a lapwing species that occurs commonly from Kenya through central Tanzania to southern and southwestern Africa. The vernacular name derives from the repeated metallic 'tink, tink, tink' alarm call, which suggests a blacksmith's hammer striking an anvil.
The river lapwing is a lapwing species which breeds from the Indian Subcontinent eastwards to Southeast Asia. It range includes much of northern and northeastern India, and extends through Southeast Asia to Vietnam. It appears to be entirely sedentary. Formerly also called spur-winged lapwing, this name is better reserved for one of the "spur-winged plovers" of old, Vanellus spinosus of Africa, whose scientific name it literally translates. The masked lapwing of Australasia was at one time also called "spur-winged plover", completing the name confusion.
The long-billed plover is a species of wading bird in the family Charadriidae. It can be found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The long-billed plover is a migratory bird, so it breeds and spends the winter in different parts of its range. This bird can often be spotted along the shores of rivers, streams, in wetlands, and rice fields. It forages on the shoreline primarily for aquatic insects, insect larvae, and other invertebrates. It is difficult to distinguish between male and female individuals because of their similar plumage. The breeding season starts at the end of February or early March and ends in July. A male and a female forms a monogamous pair and maintains their territory throughout the breeding season. A global population survey in 2016 assessed the long-billed plover as a species of least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
The long-toed lapwing , also known as the long-toed plover, is a species of wading bird in the lapwing subfamily, within the family Charadriidae. It is mainly sedentary and found across central and eastern Africa, from Chad and South Sudan in the north to Mozambique in the southeast of its range. It is one of 13 species of ground-nesting lapwings found in Africa.