Spot-breasted Lapwing vs Black-headed Lapwing

Vanellus melanocephalus compared with Vanellus tectus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Spot-breasted Lapwing Black-headed Lapwing
Scientific Name Vanellus melanocephalus Vanellus tectus
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae Charadriidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan 46.9 cm (18.5 in) 37.0 cm (14.6 in)
Weight 213.5 g (7.53 oz) 106.33333333333333 g (3.75 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 4 1-4
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Spot-breasted Lapwing only

Black-headed Lapwing only

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Spot-breasted Lapwing

Least Concern

Black-headed Lapwing

About These Birds

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.

Black-headed Lapwing

Black-headed Lapwing: 25–27 cm, Sahelian lapwing with a black head adorned with a wispy white-tipped crest, red wattles, and white underparts. Resident across the Sahel from Senegal to Ethiopia in dry savanna and semi-arid grassland. Insectivorous. Partly nomadic, tracking rainfall. Often encountered in pairs or small flocks.

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