Grey-Headed Lapwing

A large, conspicuous wader of open wetland margins, flooded fields, and grassy riverbanks across East and South Asia, it forages by walking deliberately across damp ground, pausing to pick invertebrates from the surface or shallow water. The bold yellow bill base and wattles, grey head, and white-and-black wing pattern in flight are unmistakable; listen for its loud, sharp, repeated "kee-it" calls, which often betray its presence before it is seen. Winter and early spring offer the best viewing opportunities in lowland agricultural areas and wetlands, particularly in Japan, China, and the Indian subcontinent, where birds gather in loose flocks around irrigation channels and wet paddies.