Spot-breasted Lapwing vs Northern Lapwing

Vanellus melanocephalus compared with Vanellus vanellus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Spot-breasted Lapwing Northern Lapwing
Scientific Name Vanellus melanocephalus Vanellus vanellus
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae Charadriidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Near Threatened
Length — —
Wingspan 46.9 cm (18.5 in) 44.5 cm (17.5 in)
Weight 213.5 g (7.53 oz) 223.0 g (7.87 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 4 4
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Spot-breasted Lapwing only

None

Northern Lapwing only

None

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Spot-breasted Lapwing

Near Threatened

Northern 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.

Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing: 28–33 cm, wingspan 67–87 cm. Iconic Eurasian lapwing with an iridescent green back, wispy crest, and broad rounded wings giving a floppy flight. Breeds on farmland and wet grassland; winters in southern Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feeds on invertebrates. Widespread but declining. NT.

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