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Spur-winged Lapwing


Spur-winged Lapwing
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2016-01-17
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D90, Sigma 135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 APO, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2016-08-27 6:06
Viewed: 2225
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Taken from a shelter late in the afternoon.

The Spur-winged Lapwing or Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae, 25 - 28 cm.

It breeds around the eastern Mediterranean, and in a wide band from sub-Saharan west Africa to Arabia. The Greek and Turkish breeders are migratory, but other populations are resident.

These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are medium-large waders with black crown, chest, foreneck stripe and tail. The face, the rest of the neck and belly are white and the wings and back are light brown. The bill and legs are black. Its striking appearance is supplemented by its noisy nature, with a loud did-he-do-it call.

This species has a preference for marshes and similar freshwater wetland habitats. The food of the Spur-winged Lapwing is insects and other invertebrates, which are picked from the ground. The famed "Crocodile Bird" is sometimes taken to be this species, but it is actually the true plover Pluvianus aegyptius. (See my photo of last november)

It lays two blotchy yellowish eggs on a ground scrape. The Spur-winged Lapwing is known to sometimes use the wing-claws in an attack on animals and, rarely, people, who get too close to the birds' exposed offspring.

This species is declining in its northern range, but is abundant in much of tropical Africa, being seen at almost any wetland habitat in its range. The Spur-winged Plover is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Name confusion
Note that the well-known "Spur-winged Plover" of southern Australasia is a different species Vanellus miles. To avoid confusion, it has been re-named Masked Lapwing.
A similar-looking species from Southeast Asia was called "Spur-winged Lapwing" while V. spinosus was still referred to as ""plover". This is now the River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii).

(Source: most from Wikipedia)
ramthakur, marius-secan, Hotelcalifornia, njmv79 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

beautiful ! common also here in Israel, TFS Ori

Ciao Peter, great capture of lovely bird, fantastic reflections, fine details, wonderful colors and splendid sharpness, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2016-08-27 15:38]

Hi Peter,great mirror effect to show us this lapwing in a different and original way,impressive quality in the best light close to the sunset and fine details too! Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

Artistic presentation of this Lapwing with its reflection on placid water surface, Peter.
This is a new species of Lapwings for me.
Thanks.
Ram

hallo Peter
Deze is super goed
zo scherp is de spiegeling ,je ziet zowat geen verschil
mooie kleuren ook
bedankt weer gr lou

Hello Peter,
I like the reflections in the water of this nice bird. Very good details and focus as usual. A excellent quality of the image. Nice and natural.
Marius.

Hello Peter,
Beautiful species this 'Spur-Winged Lapwing'. Well captured. Very good sharpness and color.

Is it a mirror image? Because it's very sharp even in the edge when we could see small waves on the surface of water; even waves flowing on throat, legs (reflection) but still reflection very sharp!

Thanks for sharing,
Regards and have a nice Sunday,
Srikumar

Dear Peter,
Splendid image, majestic, great reflexion, great focus, outstanding work.
TFS,
Nelson

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