Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis)

OTHER NAMES: Quero-quero
Latin Etymology: Vanellus ("lapwing") chilensis ("of Chile")

 

Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) at San Jose, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Vanellus chilensis cayennensis
Weight: 250-425g  /  Length: 32-38cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

An extremely widespread wader of the Neotropics, found from Nicaragua to Patagonia and largely only missing from the interior of the Amazon, deserts and the Andes. Like some other members of the lapwing family, it possesses bony spurs on its forewings to intimidate potential predators. The taxon found in Costa Rica is considered a potential future split.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Vanellus
SUBSPECIES: V. c. fretensis, V. c. chilensis, V. c. cayennensis, V. c. lampronotus 
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Tero
A widespread resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles and San Jose

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)

OTHER NAMES: Spur-winged Plover
Latin Etymology:  Vanellus ("lapwing") spinosus ("thorny")

Adult Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) near Side, Antalya, Turkey - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 127-177g/kg  /  Length: 28cm  /  Wingspan: 69-81cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species which only just barely extents into Europe, crossing over the Turkish straights into European Turkey and the very edge of Greece. It's range then covers Turkey and the Levant, then is essentially mainly connected via the Nile to it's Sub Saharan African heartlands. The name refers to a very rare evolutionary feature among birds - they possess a small sharp spur on their forewing which it will use to defend its nest!

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Vanellus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

TURKEY  -   Turkish:Diken kanatlı kız kuşu ("Thorn winged lapwing")
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - Several groups seen in coastal area near Side

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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White-tailed Lapwing (Vanellus leucurus)

OTHER NAMES: White-tailed Plover
Latin Etymology: Vanellus ("lapwing") leucurus ("white tailed")

Adult White-tailed Plover (Vanellus leucurus) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - March 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 130g  /  Length: 26-29cm  /  Wingspan: 55-70cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The White-tailed Lapwing breeds largely in central Asia and the Middle East - predominantly in inland marshes of Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, with more isolated populations in a few other countries. Many populations are migratory, heading to North-East Africa and the Indian subcontinent in Winter, which is presumably where this particular individual got very lost and ended up turning up in the UK. As of writing it has been present along the East Coast for a few months, but it was only when it came a little nearer to me at Frampton I took the shot to go see it.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Vanellus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A very rare vagrant

 - Vagrant seen at Frampton Marshes in March 2022.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

OTHER NAMES: Lapwing, Peewit, Green Plover

Latin Etymology: Vanellus ("lapwing") vanellus ("lapwing")

Adult Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - April 2026

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 150-300g  /  Length: 28-31cm  /  Wingspan: 70-76cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

In many ways, the Lapwing is probably the most accessible wader in the UK - it can be seen throughout the year, is frequently the most visible and numerous wader on nature reserves and can frequently be found on or flying over farmland. This means it stands a good chance of being the easiest wader to see and photograph for many people. It is also a distinctive looking bird which means there are none of the issues of identification that you have with the sandpipers and relations. It is usually found around most decent sized bodies of water, but breeds in suitable fields.  It's call is a distinctive "pee-wit", giving it one of it's traditional names.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Charadriidae
Genus: Vanellus
Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Widespread breeding species (140,000 pairs) and fairly common Winter visitor (650,000 birds)

 - Seen at sites including Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Pitsford Reservoir, Eyebrook Reservoir and Geddington.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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