tags: Australian Lapwing, Masked Lapwing, birds, mystery bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Australian (Masked or Spur-winged) Lapwing, Vanellus miles, (formerly; Masked Plover, Spur-winged Plover), photographed at Atherton, Queensland, Australia. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Steve Duncan, 26 August 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200 w/ Nikkor 300mm f/4 & TC17E.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
- Log in to post comments
Northern Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles miles). The large yellow wattle distinguish it from the smaller subspecies, Vanellus miles novaehollandiae.
good call Raymond: Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles miles although the black shoulders and nape seem to be a better differentiator between the northern and southern (or eastern) subspecies
Vanellus miles novaehollandiae
I just realized you have a link for all the mystery bird posts. I am sure that teachers can find this very useful in motivating students to learn.
We have a pair of lapwings who were nesting on the ground in the long grass out the front of the office. They hatched a week or so ago and they now have two chicks running around with them.
One of the adults is so aggressive that if you twitch the curtains to have a look out at them, he will come running up to our window and start squawking at us. That should come in handy, because the place is crawling with snakes and those chicks look just the right size for a snake snack.