These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are large brown waders with a black crown, white forehead and large yellow facial wattles. The tail is white, tipped black, and the long legs are yellow.

In flight, African Wattled Lapwing's upperwings have black flight feathers and brown coverts separated by a white bar. The underwings are white with black flight feathers.

The African Wattled Lapwing has a loud peep-peep call.

Scientific name:

Vanellus senegallus

Common names:

African Wattled Lapwing (English)
Lelkiewiet (Afrikaans)

Synonyms:

African Wattled Plover, Senegal Wattled Plover

Roberts VII english name:

African Wattled Lapwing

Roberts VII scientific name:

Vanellus senegallus

Family:

Plovers (Charadriidae)

Length:

24cm

Weight:

115g

Diet:

It often feeds in drier habitats, such as golf courses, picking insects and other invertebrates from the ground.

Nesting:

It lays three or four eggs on a ground scrape.

Natural distribution:

It is a resident breeder in most of sub-Saharan Africa outside the rainforests, although it has seasonal movements.

Habitat:

This species is a common breeder in wet lowland habitats, especially damp grassland.

Notes:

The African Wattled Lapwing is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.