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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	African Three-banded Plover	Spur-winged Lapwing
Scientific Name	Charadrius tricollaris	Vanellus spinosus
Order	Charadriiformes	Charadriiformes
Family	Charadriidae	Charadriidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	—
Wingspan	21.8 cm (8.6 in)	39.3 cm (15.5 in)
Weight	35.0 g (1.23 oz)	159.0 g (5.61 oz)
Diet	--	--
Clutch Size	2	2-4
Population Trend	—	—

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

African Three-banded Plover only

None

Spur-winged Lapwing only

🌾 Grassland

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

African Three-banded Plover

Least Concern

Spur-winged Lapwing

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About These Birds

African Three-banded Plover

African Three-banded Plover: 17–18 cm, small plover with two complete black breast-bands separated by white, red eye-ring, and red-based bill. Widespread resident across sub-Saharan Africa near freshwater margins, mudflats, and reservoir edges. Feeds on invertebrates by pecking. Year-round resident with local movements during dry season.

Spur-winged Lapwing

Spur-winged Lapwing: 25–28 cm, slim lapwing with black cap, black breast-band, white cheeks, and prominent wing spur. Breeds across North Africa and the Middle East; also resident in sub-Saharan Africa. Inhabits sandy riverbanks, lake margins, and irrigated farmland. Insectivorous. Partial migrant in northern populations.

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More Birds to Explore

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American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Andean Lapwing Vanellus resplendens Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor Black-banded Plover Charadrius thoracicus All Charadriidae birds →

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