Snowy Plover vs Southern Lapwing

Charadrius nivosus compared with Vanellus chilensis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Snowy Plover Southern Lapwing
Scientific Name Charadrius nivosus Vanellus chilensis
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae Charadriidae
Conservation Status Near Threatened Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 20.5 cm (8.1 in) 45.2 cm (17.8 in)
Weight 45.25 g (1.60 oz) 291.5 g (10.28 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2-6 3-4
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Snowy Plover only

Southern Lapwing only

Conservation Status

Near Threatened

Snowy Plover

Least Concern

Southern Lapwing

About These Birds

Snowy Plover

Snowy Plover: 15–17 cm, pale sandy-white North American plover with dark partial breast-band patches and dark bill. Breeds on sandy beaches, salt flats, and alkali lake shores in North America, Caribbean, and western South America; partly migratory. Insectivorous. NT. Vulnerable to beach recreation, storm wash-over, and predation.

Southern Lapwing

Southern Lapwing: 32–38 cm, the most familiar South American lapwing with a grey head, pinkish-grey upperparts, metallic green wing spurs, and a distinctive crest. Common resident from Colombia south to Patagonia in open grassland, farmland, and urban parks. Insectivorous. Highly vocal and territorial. Expanding its range northward.

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