CROWNED LAPWING

Crowned Lapwings (Vanellus coronatus) occur all over southern Africa and are probably among the better known plovers (as they used to be called) lapwings. Apart from regularly seen in our game reserves, these birds are commonly found in open park lands – one year a pair decided to nest on the playing field of a local primary school: the site was cordoned off until the eggs had hatched – we often used to see them on the edges of the local golf course, and even on the grass verges outside our home.

Should one mention anything with corona in its name at this stage? This bird is aptly named though for the black top of its head is interrupted with a white stripe, so it can easily be interpreted as a crown. You can see from the photograph below how the crown forms a ‘v’ at the back. In the late afternoons and early evenings we can hear their strident ‘kreep, kreep’ calls from the grassy area below our home, possibly when they are disturbed.

Male and female Crowned Lapwings look similar with grey heads and grey-brown upper parts and chest, although the throat is white – a dark chest band separates them. Their eyes are brown with a clear yellow/orange ring; they have long pink legs – this colour intensifies when they are about to breed. The bills of the Crowned Lapwings are red with a black tip. They feed on insects, especially termites, and other invertebrates. The photograph below shows an immature Crowned Lapwing.