Eurasian Dotterel vs Grey-headed Lapwing

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Medium108 gGrassland

This plover is smaller and more compact than European golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria). It has a striking whitish supercilium in all plumages and has plain wings in flight. Adults in summer are unmistakable, with a chestnut breast bordered above with white, black belly, and warm-brown back. The legs are yellow, and the short bill is black. As with the phalaropes, the female is brighter than the male. Winter birds lack the rich underpart colouration, apart from the white breast line, and are greyer above. Young birds are similar, but have a scaly appearance to their backs.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: [2] · CC BY 4.0

Grey-headed Lapwing

Vanellus cinereus

Medium270 gWetland

The grey-headed lapwing is 34–37 cm long. It has a grey head and neck, darker grey breast band and white belly. The back is brown, the rump is white and the tail is black. This is a striking species in flight, with black primaries, white under wings and upper wing secondaries, and brown upper wing coverts. Adults of both sexes are similarly plumaged, but males are slightly larger than females. Young birds have the white areas of plumage tinged with grey, a less distinct breast band, and pale fringes to the upperpart and wing covert feathers.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Eurasian Dotterel and Grey-headed Lapwing.