Photo: Alpsdake / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Grey-headed Lapwing

Vanellus cinereus

Grey-headed Lapwing (Vanellus cinereus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of Indonesia Birds of India Birds of Japan Birds of Malaysia Birds of the Netherlands Birds of the Philippines Birds of Thailand Birds of New South Wales

By family

Plovers of Australia Plovers of the United Kingdom Plovers of Indonesia Plovers of India Plovers of Japan Plovers of Malaysia Plovers of the Netherlands Plovers of the Philippines Plovers of Thailand Plovers of New South Wales

See what's near you right now

The Grey-headed Lapwing (Vanellus cinereus) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 270 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Charadriidae Plovers
Genus Vanellus
Species cinereus

Where it lives

Inland Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia (north-central, northeastern China), Honshu to Kyushu (central, southern Japan)

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 270 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Grey-headed Lapwing hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Grey-headed Lapwing is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Grey-headed Lapwing (Vanellus cinereus) is a member of the Charadriidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL inland Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia (nc, ne China), Honshu to Kyushu (c, s Japan).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 270 g, with a wing length of about 24 cm and a tail of around 10.3 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 550,000 km².

Songs & calls

Grey-headed Lapwing — Call

Recorded by Barry Edmonston Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Grey-headed Lapwing?

The Grey-headed Lapwing is a large bird that weighs around 270 g.

Where does the Grey-headed Lapwing live?

The Grey-headed Lapwing is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL inland Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia (nc, ne China), Honshu to Kyushu (c, s Japan), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Grey-headed Lapwing belong to?

The Grey-headed Lapwing (Vanellus cinereus) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Grey-headed Lapwing eat?

The Grey-headed Lapwing hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Grey-headed Lapwing migrate?

The Grey-headed Lapwing is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Grey-headed Lapwing endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Grey-headed Lapwing make?

1 real field recording of the Grey-headed Lapwing — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Grey-headed Lapwing's range?

The Grey-headed Lapwing has a mapped global range of about 550,000 km².