Southern Lapwing vs Black-winged Lapwing

Vanellus chilensis compared with Vanellus melanopterus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Southern Lapwing Black-winged Lapwing
Scientific Name Vanellus chilensis Vanellus melanopterus
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae Charadriidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 45.2 cm (17.8 in) 41.2 cm (16.2 in)
Weight 291.5 g (10.28 oz) 186.0 g (6.56 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 3-4 2-4
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Southern Lapwing only

Black-winged Lapwing only

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Southern Lapwing

Least Concern

Black-winged 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.

Black-winged Lapwing

Black-winged Lapwing: 23–26 cm, brown-backed lapwing with bold black primary flight feathers, a white forehead, and narrow breast-band. Two disjunct populations: highlands of Ethiopia and eastern Africa to KwaZulu-Natal. Inhabits high-altitude grassland and montane farmland. Insectivorous. Undertakes altitudinal migrations.

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