Spur-winged Lapwing

Vanellus spinosus (Linnaeus, 1758)

188 gWeight

The spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae.

Busiest months: March–April · Most records: Israel, Kenya, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Spur-winged Lapwing has been recorded at 378 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 52 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

International Birding and Research Center Eilat (IBRCE)Israel5,730 records
Eilat – KM20 Flamingo Pools 20Israel3,507 records
Gazelle ValleyIsrael2,504 records

More places

Hama'apil FishpondsIsrael1,951 records
Poleg MarshIsrael1,652 records
Eilat north beachIsrael1,599 records
Nairobi NPKenya1,472 records
Eilat – KM19 Sewage Ponds 19Israel1,422 records
Tsor'a FieldsIsrael1,320 records
Kfar Ruppin fishpondsIsrael1,265 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Israel Kenya Uganda Gambia Egypt Senegal Ethiopia Tanzania

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 spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae.

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

Questions

How big is the Spur-winged Lapwing?

The Spur-winged Lapwing weighs around 188 g.

Where does the Spur-winged Lapwing live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic, Africa: eastern Greece (southeastern Europe), Turkey, Cyprus, Middle East to southwestern Iran and Arabian Peninsula; Mauritania to Nigeria and east to Eritrea, Somalia, northern in Sudan and Egypt to Nile Delta; south to Zambia and Malawi. It is most often recorded in Israel, Kenya and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the Spur-winged Lapwing?

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

Is the Spur-winged Lapwing endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Spur-winged Lapwing as Least Concern.

What does the Spur-winged Lapwing eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Spur-winged Lapwing in?

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

At a glance

Weight: 188 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Omnivore
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 196 mm
Tail: 92 mm
Bill: 31 mm
Tarsus: 67 mm

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

Range

Palearctic, Africa: eastern Greece (southeastern Europe), Turkey, Cyprus, Middle East to southwestern Iran and Arabian Peninsula; Mauritania to Nigeria and east to Eritrea, Somalia, northern in Sudan and Egypt to Nile Delta; south to Zambia and Malawi

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2