The Masked Lapwing is a large species of plover native to parts of Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea. They are mostly found around wetlands but are highly adaptable and may be found in drier areas, though they prefer moist habitats that also include beaches.
Masked Lapwings have grey-brown upperparts and white underparts. They have yellow face wattles and yellow spurs on their wings that they use to defend their nest or territory. Birds of the northern subspecies have an all-white neck while birds in the southern range have a black neck-stripe.
Masked Lapwings feed on a variety of live prey items that they forage from the ground. Their prey includes insects and worms.
Bird Terms: Wattles, Dewlaps, and Snoods, Oh My!
Some birds have fleshy growths hanging or protruding from the head or the neck. When these are a normal part of their anatomy, they are called caruncles.
Caruncles are often made of bare ... more
