Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-winged Lapwing
Vanellus melanopterus
Black-winged Lapwing (Vanellus melanopterus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-winged Lapwing (Vanellus melanopterus) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 185 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Charadriidae Plovers
- Genus Vanellus
- Species melanopterus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 185 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-winged Lapwing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black-winged Lapwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-winged Lapwing (Vanellus melanopterus) is a species of bird in the Charadriidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF inland ne to se Africa.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 185 g, with a wing length of about 20.6 cm and a tail of around 7.8 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 839,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-winged Lapwing?
The Black-winged Lapwing is a large bird that weighs around 185 g.
Where does the Black-winged Lapwing live?
The Black-winged Lapwing is found across Africa with a range covering AF inland ne to se Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black-winged Lapwing belong to?
The Black-winged Lapwing (Vanellus melanopterus) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Black-winged Lapwing eat?
The Black-winged Lapwing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-winged Lapwing migrate?
The Black-winged Lapwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-winged 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 Black-winged Lapwing make?
1 real field recording of the Black-winged 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 Black-winged Lapwing's range?
The Black-winged Lapwing has a mapped global range of about 839,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Charadriidae
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
More in Shorebirds
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern