Family Plovers (Charadriidae)
Least Concern
Senegal Lapwing (Vanellus lugubris)
Taxonomy
French: Vanneau terne German: Trauerkiebitz Spanish: Avefría lúgubre
Other common names:
Lesser Black-winged Lapwing
Taxonomy:
Charadrius lugubris
Lesson
, 1826,Senegal
.Distribution:
S Mali; N of forest zone in Guinea and Ivory Coast; coast from Sierra Leone patchily to SW Nigeria; Gabon, W DRCongo and CW Angola E to Kenya, and S through Tanzania, NE Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to E South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal); also islands off Tanzania (Pemba, Zanzibar, Latham, Mafia); occasional visitor to Senegal (has bred)#R. Non-breeding visitor to S Somalia.
Descriptive notes
22–26 cm; 107–140 g. Small, slender grey-headed plover. Slimmer-bodied than larger V. melanopterus; typically has smaller, more sharply defined white... read more
Voice
Regularly gives a clear, piping “tlu-wit” or “thi-wit”, as well as a plaintive, trisyllabic whistle... read more
Habitat
Dry, open habitats, sometimes with bushes, scrub and trees; prefers burnt grassland and newly grown... read more
Food and feeding
Small invertebrates, including insects and their larvae, especially beetles; also grass seeds. Sometimes feeds at night. Forms flocks of up... read more
Breeding
Laying dates geographically very variable: Mar–May in Sierra Leone; Jun–Sept in coastal Gabon; Jun–Nov (mainly Aug–... read more
Movements
Sedentary and intra-African migrant; movements possiby related to brush fires, resulting in new... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Overall population estimated at 25,000–70,000, of which 20,000–50,000 individuals occur in E & SE Africa, and 5000... read more
Sometimes placed in Hoplopterus or Stephanibyx. Probably close to V. melanopterus, but some behavioural and morphological differences. Monotypic.