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Banded Lapwing

(Vanellus tricolor)
Alternative names: "Banded Plover", "Black-breasted Plover", "Flock Plover", "Plain Plover", "Tri-coloured Plover"
Size: 25-29 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Banded Lapwings populate roughly the southern half of the Australian continent. They are predominantly found throughout NSW, VIC, the north and east coast of Tasmania and the eastern half of SA, along the south coast into WA and up the west coast up to about Exmouth, WA. After substantial rainfall they can disperse into the centre, roughly up to a line connecting Exmouth, WA and Townsville, QLD. They are not found north of the tropic of Capricorn.

People with decades of bird-watching experience report that in the past Banded Lapwings were the most common type of lapwing in inland NSW. These days their numbers have declined drastically, at least in north-west NSW, and the dominant species is now the Masked Lapwing.

Banded Lapwings are usually found in open grassland, but also along the edges of inland lakes, including ephemeral lakes. Also seen by us on a sandy beach.

Sightings

A single Banded Lapwing was first spotted by us in August 2007, 10 km west of Narrabri, NSW.

Three birds, which formed a small group together with two Masked Lapwings, were spotted by us in August 2011 at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake near Spring Ridge, about 30 km south of Gunnedah, NSW.

In September 2011 a single bird was spotted on the beach at Old Bar, NSW, near the Manning River estuary.

Photos

Lateral view of a Banded Lapwing

Banded Lapwing looking back

Here the same bird as shown above seen from behind

Here a bird seen in flight

Two birds in flight

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive Elementary unit: Pair