Southern Lapwing vs Spot-breasted Lapwing

Vanellus chilensis compared with Vanellus melanocephalus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Southern Lapwing Spot-breasted Lapwing
Scientific Name Vanellus chilensis Vanellus melanocephalus
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae Charadriidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 45.2 cm (17.8 in) 46.9 cm (18.5 in)
Weight 291.5 g (10.28 oz) 213.5 g (7.53 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 3-4 4
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Southern Lapwing only

None

Spot-breasted Lapwing only

None

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Southern Lapwing

Least Concern

Spot-breasted Lapwing

About These Birds

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.

Spot-breasted Lapwing

Spot-breasted Lapwing: 28–30 cm, Ethiopian highland endemic lapwing with a black head and breast spotted white, and red legs. Restricted to high-altitude moorland and montane grassland above 1,800 m in Ethiopia. Insectivorous. Sedentary; rare and little-studied. Declining due to overgrazing and agricultural encroachment.

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