Sociable lapwing

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Sociable lapwing
SociablePlover.jpg
At the Little Rann of Kutch, India
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Vanellus
Species:
V. gregarius
Binomial name
Vanellus gregarius
Vanellus gregarius range map 2.png
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)
Charadrius gregariusPallas, 1771
Cheltusia gregaria(unjustified emendation)
Chettusia gregaria(Pallas, 1771)
Chetusia gregaria(unjustified emendation)
Choetusia 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]

Taxonomy

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]

Description

A male alongside a lapwing in Paris, France Vanellus gregarius 20190414 t1830.jpg
A male alongside a lapwing in Paris, France

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>

A skin specimen of a male sociable lapwing collected in the Russian Empire, 1913 Naturalis Biodiversity Center - ZMA.AVES.14984 - Vanellus gregarius Pallas, 1771 - Charadriidae - skin specimen.jpeg
A skin specimen of a male sociable lapwing collected in the Russian Empire, 1913

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.

Egg - MHNT Vanellus gregarius MHNT.jpg
Egg - MHNT

Distribution and habitat

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.

Piwiya bikil.jpg

Status

breeding individuals in Kazakhstan Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) (8079444215).jpg
breeding individuals in Kazakhstan

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]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crab-plover</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lapwing</span> Subfamily of birds

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey plover</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">American golden plover</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-crowned lapwing</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-wattled lapwing</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-wattled lapwing</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">African wattled lapwing</span> Species of bird

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.

<i>Vanellus</i> Genus of birds

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.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blacksmith lapwing</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">River lapwing</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-billed plover</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-toed lapwing</span> Species of bird

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.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2019) [amended version of 2018 assessment]. "Vanellus gregarius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T22694053A155545788. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22694053A155545788.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "Ornithology of Gibraltar, page 272=10 November 2022". openlibrary. 1895.
  3. Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  178, 397. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. "Sociable lapwing". dynamicnatude. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Species factsheet: Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius". BirdLife International. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  6. "EBird- Sociable lapwing".
  7. "Investigating the causes of Sociable Lapwing declines". BirdLife Datazone.
  8. "birds of Qatar". January 2022.
  9. "birds of britishbirds" (PDF).
  10. "Superflock of Endangered Birds Spotted in Turkey". National Public Radio. 20 October 2007.
  11. "Ornithologists "hit jackpot" on sightings of Critically Endangered bird". BirdLife International. 2 March 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007.