2016 Bonanza Bird #6: Masked Lapwing

November 30, 2016 in Birdorable Bonanza 2016 and Lapwings with 2 comments

Today's new bird in this special 10th anniversary Birdorable Bonanza is the Masked Lapwing, a species found in parts of Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea.

There are two distinct subspecies of Masked Lapwing; birds in the northern range have an all white-neck while southern-dwelling birds have a distinct black neck stripe. The size of the wattles varies between the subspecies as well.

Male and female Masked Lapwings look alike; both have greyish-brown upperparts and white underparts. Their plumage does not change seasonally. Males and females both also have yellow wing spurs that are used in defending the nest or territory. Swooping attacks against potential invaders are especially common at nest sites after chicks have hatched and are mobile.

Photo by Greg Schechter (CC BY 2.0)

Tomorrow's new bird is a shy Eurasian forest species with a striking plumage and a melodious song. Can you guess the species?

Comments

Spurwing Plover on December 10, 2016 at 5:12 PM wrote:

Please dont make them angry their very biligerate when their angry

I love Falcons on December 19, 2016 at 2:42 PM wrote:

I think it's a white cheeked turaco?

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.

Your name (required)

Your email address (required)

Your email address will not be published

Comment (required)

I agree to receive updates and news from Birdorable

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

10 Years of Birdorable Bonanzas! 2018 Starts Friday!

November 21, 2018

Back in November 2016, we celebrated the 10th year of Birdorable by kicking off our 8th annual Birdorable Bonanza.Â This Friday, November 23, we're kicking off our 10th Bonanza! Each year we reveal a new batch of birds in a burst -- our Birdorable Bonanza....

Avocet & Stilt Week

Fascinating Facts About Avocets & Stilts

August 21, 2024

Among the ten total global species of avocets and stilts, wading birds that are members of the Recurvirostridae family, there are a lot of interesting information and fascinating facts. Following our Amazing Adaptations post, here are some more facts about these long-legged birds.

2020 Bonanza Bird #13: Storm's Stork

December 6, 2020

Today we introduce a rare species of stork: Storm’s Stork. Storm’s Stork is a species found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. They live in tropical forest habitat, where they feed on fish, frogs, and other aquatic prey. Unfortunately this species is considered to...

Swallow Week 2024: Bank Swallow

Discover the Interesting World of the Bank Swallow

March 18, 2024

Today we're introducing a new member to our Birdorable family in honor of Swallow Week: it's our Birdorable Bank Swallow. The Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) is a small, agile bird with a distinctive brown back, white underparts, and a unique band across its chest. This bird, the smallest...

Birdorable Blog