Crowned lapwing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crowned lapwing |
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| In Mikumi National Park, Tanzania | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Vanellus
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| Species: |
coronatus
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| Synonyms | |
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Charadrius coronatus (Boddaert, 1783) |
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The crowned lapwing (Vanellus coronatus) is also known as the crowned plover. This bird lives in many parts of Africa, from the Red Sea coast in Somalia all the way to southern and southwestern Africa. It's a very common bird that can adapt to different places. Crowned lapwings are known for being bold and making a lot of noise. They are related to other lapwings like the black-winged lapwing and the Senegal lapwing.
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About the Crowned Lapwing
Scientists use a system called taxonomy to name and group living things. The crowned lapwing was first described in 1781 by a French scientist named Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon. He wrote about it in his book Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. The bird was also shown in a detailed drawing by François-Nicolas Martinet.
In 1783, a Dutch scientist named Pieter Boddaert gave the bird its first scientific name, Charadrius coronatus. Today, the crowned lapwing is placed in the group (or genus) called Vanellus which was set up by Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760.
What Do the Names Mean?
The name Vanellus comes from a Latin word that means "lapwing." It describes how the bird flaps its wings, like winnowing grain. The second part of its scientific name, coronatus, is Latin for "crowned." This refers to the black and white pattern on its head that looks like a crown.
Different Kinds of Crowned Lapwings
There are three main types, or subspecies, of crowned lapwings:
- V. c. demissus – found in northern Somalia.
- V. c. coronatus – found in Ethiopia, East Africa, Zambia, and South Africa.
- V. c. xerophilus – found from southwestern Angola to western South Africa and western Zimbabwe.
What Does a Crowned Lapwing Look Like?
It's easy to spot a crowned lapwing because of its unique colors. It has brown and white feathers. The most special part is its black head with a white ring around it, which looks like a crown. Adult birds are quite loud and easy to see.
Male crowned lapwings are usually about 3% bigger than females. Young crowned lapwings, called juveniles, look similar to adults but their colors are not as bright. Their wings and back have a wavy pattern. Their legs are yellowish instead of red, and the base of their beak isn't red like the adults'.
Where Do Crowned Lapwings Live?
Crowned lapwings like open, grassy areas where the grass is short. This can be places that have been grazed by animals or where fires have occurred. They usually avoid mountains. In areas with a lot of rain, like parts of Zambia and Zimbabwe, they mostly visit during the dry season. But in dry places like northern Botswana, many of them gather when there's good rainfall. In southern Africa, you'll find the most crowned lapwings in the dry central Kalahari region.
Crowned lapwings are one of the most common lapwing species in their home range. Their numbers have grown since the late 1900s, partly because of human activities that create the open habitats they like. These birds can live for up to 20 years.
The crowned lapwing is a bird that is protected by an agreement called the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). This agreement helps protect birds that travel long distances.
How Do Crowned Lapwings Behave?
Crowned lapwings sometimes hang out with black-winged lapwings. They don't fight with each other, even when they are in their nesting areas. However, male crowned lapwings will show off and act strong when they are trying to claim a nesting territory. If a male loses a fight, he will make a special pose to show he has given up.
During the breeding season, the bare parts of the male's body, like his legs and beak, become brighter in color. Males perform special flights to attract females to their territory. If a female likes the male and his territory, she will follow him during his display flight. Once they choose a mate, they might stay together for their whole lives.
Crowned lapwings lay their eggs before the rainy season begins. The female usually does most of the incubating (keeping the eggs warm). The male only helps on very hot days, either by sitting on the nest or by standing over it to create shade.
What Do Crowned Lapwings Eat?
Crowned lapwings eat many different kinds of insects. Termites and ants are a very important part of their diet. They often find these insects near the droppings of large animals. They mostly pick up food from the surface of the ground rather than digging for it.
Images for kids
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An adult bird protecting its nest -
A clutch of eggs hidden among plants -
A young crowned lapwing in the Zulu Nyala Game Reserve, South Africa -
Crowned lapwings flying together
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