Bird Guide

Masked Lapwing vs Red-wattled Lapwing

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)

Masked Lapwing

Vanellus miles

Large387 gGrassland

The masked lapwing is the largest representative of the family Charadriidae. It measures from 30 to 37 cm (12 to 15 in) in length and has a wingspan of 75–85 cm (30–33 in), and has a conspicuous yellow spur on the carpal joint of each wing. The nominate subspecies (V. m. miles) weighs 191–300 g (6.7–10.6 oz), while the southern race (V. m. novaehollandiae) is larger and weighs 296–412 g (10.4–14.5 oz). The subspecies from northern Australia and New Guinea (V. m. miles) has an all-white neck and large yellow wattles, with the male having a distinctive mask and larger wattles.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mark Clarke · CC BY 4.0
Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)

Red-wattled Lapwing

Vanellus indicus

Medium181 gWetland

Red-wattled lapwings are large waders, about 35 cm (14 in) long. The wings and back are light brown with a purple to green sheen, but the head, a bib on the front and back of the neck are black. Prominently white patch runs between these two colours, from belly and tail, flanking the neck to the sides of crown. Short tail is tipped black. A red fleshy wattle in front of each eye, black-tipped red bill, and the long legs are yellow. In flight, prominent white wing bars formed by the white on the secondary coverts.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Ujjal Kishor De · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dani Alba · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Masked Lapwing and Red-wattled Lapwing.