Home › Aves › Charadriidae › Yellow-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus)
SPECIES PROFILE
Yellow-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus)
Vanellus
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Endemic to Indian subcontinent
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Grasslands fields near water
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Charadriiformes
FAMILY
Charadriidae
GENUS
Vanellus
📋 Description
SIZE
25-28 cm long 120-150 g
COLORATION
Brown with black cap yellow wattles white belly
ADAPTATIONS
Long legs for ground foraging dives at predators
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Grasslands fields near water
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Endemic to Indian subcontinent
REPRODUCTION
Lays 3-4 eggs in ground scrapes incubated 24-26 days
DIET DETAILS
Insects worms small invertebrates
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Habitat loss agricultural intensification
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Alert Watchers: Yellow-wattled Lapwings patrol with 130-gram bodies eating 30 grams of insects daily in Gujarat's fields. Their yellow wattles are striking.
2
Ground Nesters: These lapwings cover 3000 sq km in Maharashtra's grasslands nesting in open fields. Pesticides threaten their prey.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary in Maharashtra
Jamnagar in Gujarat
Sultanpur National Park in Haryana
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March Dry season concentrates prey for spotting lapwings
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Listen for yellow-wattled lapwings' sharp calls near fields
