Spot-breasted Lapwing
Vanellus melanocephalus
Silhouette: Rebecca Groom · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyCharadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
- GenusVanellus (Lapwings)
- SpeciesVanellus melanocephalus (Spot-breasted Lapwing)
About the Spot-breasted Lapwing
The spot-breasted lapwing (Vanellus melanocephalus), also known as the spot-breasted plover, is a species of bird in the family Charadriidae. It is endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands. There are no known subspecies of the bird.
The bird is a chunky lapwing of the Ethiopian highlands. It has a black cap, white eyebrow, black throat, and coarse spots across the breast. Found in both wet and dry montane habitats, including grassland, moorland, and marsh. It is a non-migratory bird that occurs over 247,000 square kilometers.
The spot-breasted lapwing is not migratory, but does move locally north during the rainy season. The species largely occurs in grasses, marshes, and meadows. Very little information is known about its nesting habits. Due to climate change, and the acute vulnerability caused by being a confined endemic species, habitat loss is expected to be 86.6 percent or more by 2070. Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Spot-breasted Lapwing in Bale Mountains National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bale Mountains National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Spot-breasted Lapwing in Bale Mountains National Park?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Spot-breasted Lapwing sighting in Bale Mountains National Park, based on 141 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Spot-breasted Lapwing in Bale Mountains National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Spot-breasted Lapwing in Bale Mountains National Park in our monthly data.