Photo: Whit Welles / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Africa.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Kenya Birds of Portugal Birds of Tanzania Birds of South Africa

By family

Plovers of Kenya Plovers of Portugal Plovers of Tanzania Plovers of South Africa

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The African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 248 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 senegallus

Where it lives

Inland Sub-Saharan Africa except (central, southwestern, and southern)

Africa

Quick facts

Weight: 248 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Charadriidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The African Wattled Lapwing hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

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

Migration

The African Wattled Lapwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) is a member of the Charadriidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF inland Sub-Saharan Africa except (c, sw, and s).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 248 g, with a wing length of about 22.5 cm and a tail of around 9.7 cm.

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

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 11.3 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

African Wattled Lapwing — Song / call

Recorded by Marna Buys Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the African Wattled Lapwing?

The African Wattled Lapwing is a large bird that weighs around 248 g.

Where does the African Wattled Lapwing live?

The African Wattled Lapwing is found across Africa with a range covering AF inland Sub-Saharan Africa except (c, sw, and s), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the African Wattled Lapwing belong to?

The African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the African Wattled Lapwing eat?

The African Wattled Lapwing hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the African Wattled Lapwing migrate?

The African Wattled Lapwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the African Wattled 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 African Wattled Lapwing make?

1 real field recording of the African Wattled Lapwing can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the African Wattled Lapwing's range?

The African Wattled Lapwing has a mapped global range of about 11.3 million km².