Yellow-wattled Lapwing

Vanellus malabaricus (Boddaert, 1783)

140 gWeight

The yellow-wattled lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus) is a lapwing that is endemic to the Indian subcontinent.

Busiest months: February · Most records: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February · Most records: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal

Yellow-wattled Lapwing has been recorded at 194 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

GKVK CampusIndia1,499 records
Kanha NP – Mukki ZoneIndia1,251 records
Yala National ParkSri Lanka992 records

More places

Madayi ParaIndia866 records
Bundala NPSri Lanka759 records
Osman Sagar LakeIndia569 records
Mysore City Bird Atlas 30B, Srirampura 2nd StageIndia476 records
Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation ReserveIndia469 records
Byatarayana Doddi KereIndia425 records
Kerala Agricultural UniversityIndia421 records

Countries and regions with the most records

India Sri Lanka Nepal Pakistan Bangladesh Bhutan

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 yellow-wattled lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus) 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.

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

Questions

How big is the Yellow-wattled Lapwing?

The Yellow-wattled Lapwing weighs around 140 g.

Where does the Yellow-wattled Lapwing live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: southern Indus Valley (south-central Pakistan), inland India to central Assam (except far northern, northeastern), southern Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It is most often recorded in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

When is the best time to see the Yellow-wattled Lapwing?

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

Is the Yellow-wattled Lapwing endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Yellow-wattled Lapwing as Least Concern.

What does the Yellow-wattled Lapwing eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Yellow-wattled Lapwing in?

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

At a glance

Weight: 140 g
Habitat: Grassland
Diet: Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 192 mm
Tail: 75 mm
Bill: 27 mm
Tarsus: 60 mm

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

Range

Oriental: southern Indus Valley (south-central Pakistan), inland India to central Assam (except far northern, northeastern), southern Nepal, and Sri Lanka

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2