Bird Guide

Banded Lapwing vs Rufous-chested Dotterel

Banded Lapwing (Vanellus tricolor)

Banded Lapwing

Vanellus tricolor

Medium184 gGrassland

The banded lapwing is a medium-sized shorebird with short dark purplish legs and a dull red tibia. They range from 25 cm to 29 cm in length and weigh on average 190 grams. They have an upright stance and a slow walk, breaking into a faster trot when alarmed. The bill is a pale yellow with a black tip and a small red wattle lies at the base. The red wattle and wing spurs are more prominent in males than females. Banded lapwings are characterised by a black cap, a white throat and underparts, white eye stripes and a black breast band extending up each side of its neck to its face.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Rufous-chested Dotterel (Zonibyx modestus)

Rufous-chested Dotterel

Zonibyx modestus

Small83 g

The rufous-chested dotterel is 19 to 22 cm (7.5 to 8.7 in) long and weighs 71 to 94 g (2.5 to 3.3 oz). Adult males in breeding plumage have a gray face with a bright white supercilium, a gray throat, and a brown crown. Their breast is bright rufous with a black band below it; the rest of the underparts are white and the upperparts brown. Adult females are similar but duller. Non-breeding adults replace the rufous and gray with pale brown; their upperparts feathers have bright fringes and their supercilium is creamy. Voice: The rufous-chested dotterel's breeding season flight display includes "a long series of short staccato notes often followed by a burry drawn-out croak, 'pic..pic..pic..pic..pic..grrrrrrahr'." Its flight call is "a wheezy whistle 'wheeerr'".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Christoph Moning · CC BY 4.0

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Banded Lapwing and Rufous-chested Dotterel.