>> GENERAL >>>>>
– medium-sizded wader, slightly larger than European Golden Plover
– eastern Asian origin, very rare vagrant to WP
– nocturnal/diurnal migrant
– migrates singly or in small, rather dense flocks
>> VISUAL ID >>>>>
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3610, 06/06/2014, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– pure white underwing coverts and secondaries, black primaries
– yellow bill with black tip
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3611, 06/06/2014, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– grey head and upper breast, dark breast band sharply contrasting to white belly
– long yellow legs, only feet protrude the tail (-> White-tailed Lapwing)
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3612, 06/06/2014, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– white tail with broad black terminal band (broadest in center) -> Sociable Lapwing
– outermost tail feather with completely white outer vane
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3613, 06/06/2014, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– uniform brownish grey mantle, inner wing coverts and scapulars
– white on upperwing reaches the leading edge (same in White-tailed Lapwing, unlike Sociable Lapwing)
– black primaries and primary coverts
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3614, 26/08/2019, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– yellow bill with black tip (same in AD and in 1CY)
– dull yellow-orange iris and yellow eye-ring
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3615, 026/08/2019, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– moult in summer, note the dark brown old outermost primary
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3616, 26/08/2019, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– white tail with black subterminal band as in Sociable Lapwing
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, 1CY
BIF3617, 28/08/2019, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– brown mantle with pale fringes
– outer secondaries with broad dark tips
– dark iris
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, 1CY
BIF3621, 26/08/2019, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– JUV/1CY lacks the dark breast band of AD
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3618, 26/08/2019, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– white band separates black hand and brownish grey mantle -> missing in Sociable Lapwing
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3619, 26/08/2019, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus, AD
BIF3620, 06/06/2014, Sumber, Mongolia, Mathias Putze
– at greater distance resembles White-tailed Lapwing, very similar wing pattern but note e.g. black terminal band in tail
>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>
calls in flight not yet sound recorded
>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>
Spur-winged Lapwing (v)
Sociable Lapwing (v)
White-tailed Lapwing (v)
Northern Lapwing (v)
Sabine’s Gull (v)
#shorebird #wader
#ornithology #birdmigration #birdID #birdguide #birding #birdwatching #birdsound #westernpalearctic #europe #vismig #flightcalls #middleeast #northernafrica #workinprogress