River Lapwing

Vanellus duvaucelii (Lesson, RP, 1826)

≈31 cmLength143 gWeight

It has a black crest, face and central throat, with a single black belly patch on the white underparts.

Busiest months: January–March · Most records: India, Nepal, Bhutan

Near Threatened

How to identify

Field marks

Black crest, crown, face and center of throat
Grayish-white sides of neck and nape
Gray-brown breast-band; white belly with a black patch
Brown back, white rump and black tail

Male, female and young

Sexes have similar plumage, with the male slightly larger; juveniles have brown tips to the black head feathers and a sandier brown back.

Voice

Sharp “tip-tip” or “did-did-did” calls.

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: January–March · Most records: India, Nepal, Bhutan

River Lapwing has been recorded at 168 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 11 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Haiderpur Wetlands and Bijnor BarrageIndia1,009 records
Gajoldoba Barrage JGIndia883 records
Corbett NP – DhikalaIndia828 records

More places

Nameri National Park & SurroundingsIndia574 records
Jhilmil Jheel Conservation ReserveIndia467 records
Corbett NPIndia376 records
Asan Conservation ReserveIndia349 records
Thimpu Sewage LagoonsBhutan314 records
Chitwan National ParkNepal263 records
Chitwan National Park - SaurahaNepal203 records

Countries and regions with the most records

India Nepal Bhutan China Bangladesh Thailand Myanmar (Burma)Cambodia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The river lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii) 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.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the River Lapwing?

The River Lapwing is about ≈31 cm long and weighs around 143 g.

Where does the River Lapwing live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: riverine north-central India to western Yunnan (southwestern China), Thailand to northern Thai-Malay Peninsula and northern, southern Vietnam. It is most often recorded in India, Nepal and Bhutan.

When is the best time to see the River Lapwing?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the River Lapwing endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the River Lapwing as Near Threatened.

What does the River Lapwing eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the River Lapwing in?

It belongs to the family Plovers (Charadriidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Length: ≈31 cm
Weight: 143 g
Habitat: Rivers & streams
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Near Threatened

More measurements

Wing: 194 mm
Tail: 86 mm
Bill: 34 mm
Tarsus: 65 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental: riverine north-central India to western Yunnan (southwestern China), Thailand to northern Thai-Malay Peninsula and northern, southern Vietnam

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2