>> GENERAL >>>>>
– medium-sized wader
– size of a small dove, appears bigger in flight due to very broad, rounded wings
– nocturnal/diurnal migrant
– migrates singly or (more regular) in small to large, rather dense flocks
>> VISUAL ID >>>>>
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, M AD
BIF2209, 04/06/2015, Dankmarshausen, Germany, Martin Grimm
– unique wing shape with bulging primaries
– black wings, dark olive mantle, black and white tail
– sexed as M by four pale-tipped outer primaries (only three pale-tipped in F)
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, M
BIF0314, 29/04/2013, Pritzwalk, Germany, Mathias Putze
– pure white inner underwing covert contrasting to black remiges and primary coverts
– black throat and breast sharply contrasting to white belly and flanks
– rusty red vent
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, F
BIF0312, 20/08/2009, North Sea, Mathias Putze
– contrasty head with steep forehead and short bill
– sexed as F by all black 7th primary (counting outwards)
– some outer primaries missing due to moult
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
BIF0315, 20/08/2009, North Sea, offshore, Germany, Mathias Putze
same as BIF0312
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, NBREED
BIF0316, 08/10/2013, Wermsdorfer Teiche, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
BIF0317, 07/10/2012, Wermsdorfer Teiche, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
BIF0318, 07/10/2012, Wermsdorfer Teiche, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
BIF0319, 07/10/2012, Wermsdorfer Teiche, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
BIF0320, 08/10/2012, Reckahner Teiche, Germany, Mathias Putze
– usually dense flocking
– black and white
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
BIF1222, 15/09/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Heiß
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Common Starling Sturnus v. vulgaris
BIF0797, 10/03/2013, Hof, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Ruff Calidris pugnax, M, F
BIF1129, 30/06/2016, Belzig, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Common Starling Sturnus v. vulgaris
BIF0798, 10/03/2013, Hof, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Common Starling Sturnus v. vulgaris
BIF0799, 10/03/2013, Hof, Germany, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
BIF0986, 12/03/2016, North Sea, offhore, Mathias Putze
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
BIF0987, 12/03/2016, North Sea, offhore, Mathias Putze
– at greater distance readily identified by wing shape and lack of white upperwing markings of the other Lapwings
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
BIF0321, 19/10/2008, Havelland, Germany, Mathias Putze
>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>
– utters a variety of different calls in flight
– on long-distance flights (at night/daytime) a distinctive polysyllabic call is often heard
– narrow modulated, many inharmonic partials but monophonic; towards the end overlapped by a very dense broadband noise (second voice box?)
– when excited sometimes a double syllable call, not unlike Bar-tailed Godwit or Red Knot
/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/BIF3631-1_PFR16445_0-00_200404_BIO_nlapw-1-FC_d_bb_streng_REF-S_702_C.mp3
– overview –
– detail –
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, call in flight
BIF3631, 04/04/2020, Streng, Germany, Patrick Franke
https://birds-in-flight.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/BIF338-1_PFR09625_1-00_130609_nlapw-1-C_mng_tsagaan-nuur_REF-S.mp3
– overview –
– detail –
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, calls in flight
BIF0338, 09/06/2013, Tsagaan Nuur, Mongolia, Patrick Franke
https://birds-in-flight.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/BIF339-1_PFR07934_1-00_130830_nlapw-LAND_d_seelhaus-see_REF-S.mp3
– detail –
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, call in flight
BIF0339, 30/08/2013, Seelhausener See, Germany, Patrick Franke
>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>
Spur-winged Lapwing (v)
Grey-headed Lapwing (v)
Sociable Lapwing (v)
White-tailed Lapwing (v)
Bar-tailed Godwit (a)
Red Knot (a)