Masked lapwing

Masked lapwing
Masked lapwing (Vanellus miles miles) Darwin.jpg
V. m. miles
Darwin Australia
Masked lapwing (Vanellus miles novaehollandiae) Waitakere.jpg
V. m. novaehollandiae
Waitakere Ranges, New Zealand

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1] nominate subsp.

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2] novaehollandiae subsp.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Vanellus
Species:
V. miles
Binomial name
Vanellus miles
(Boddaert, 1783)
Subspecies
  • V. m. miles
  • V. m. novaehollandiae
Synonyms

Hoplopterus miles (Boddaert, 1783)
Lobibyx miles (Boddaert, 1783)
Lobivanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783)
Tringa miles Boddaert, 1783

The masked lapwing (Vanellus miles) is a large, common and conspicuous bird native to Australia (particularly the northern and eastern parts of the continent), New Zealand and New Guinea. It spends most of its time on the ground searching for food such as insects and worms, and has several distinctive calls. It is common in Australian fields and open land, and is known for its defensive swooping behaviour during the nesting season.

Despite the species being also known as the masked plover and often called the spur-winged plover or just plover in its native range, lapwings are classified to their own subfamily, Vanellinae, and not to the closely related plover subfamily, Charadriinae. There are two subspecies: the nominate subspecies and the southern novaehollandiae. The latter has distinctive black markings on the shoulder and side of the chest, and is sometimes recognized as a separate species: the black-shouldered lapwing (Vanellus novaehollandiae).[2]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Vanellus miles". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22725229A94887836. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22725229A94887836.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Vanellus novaehollandiae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22725241A94888059. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22725241A94888059.en. Retrieved 1 June 2024.