Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus
Also known as: Crowned Plover
Habitat
Ground
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
165 g
About This Species
A ground-dwelling wader of open grassland, farmland, and short-grass savanna across much of eastern and southern Africa, usually seen in pairs or small groups standing alert in open ground. It is active at dawn, dusk, and sometimes at night, giving a sharp, repeated call, particularly when alarmed near a nest or chicks. The dry season, when grass is short and nests and chicks are easier to spot on bare ground, offers the best viewing, though care is needed not to disturb them.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Because nests and chicks are on open ground and well camouflaged, keeping a distance of at least 30 metres and scanning with binoculars rather than walking into short-grass areas is the safest approach, especially during the breeding season.
- Protections for this species vary across its many African range states, with most affording some protection to wild birds and their nests under national wildlife legislation.
- Avoid driving or walking through open grassland where pairs are displaying, since eggs and chicks are easily trampled without being seen.
Seasonal Activity
266,445 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Charadriidae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 165 g
Photo
(c) Paul Hoekman, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Paul Hoekman
CC-BY-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.