White-headed Lapwing
Vanellus albiceps
Silhouette: Rebecca Groom · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyCharadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
- GenusVanellus (Lapwings)
- SpeciesVanellus albiceps (White-headed Lapwing)
About the White-headed Lapwing
The white-crowned lapwing, white-headed lapwing, white-headed plover or white-crowned plover (Vanellus albiceps) is a medium-sized wader. It is resident throughout tropical Africa, usually near large rivers. This lapwing is unmistakable. Its wings and tail are strikingly patterned in black and white, the back is brown and the underparts white. The head is particularly striking, being mainly grey, but with a white crown and foreneck. The eyering, facial wattles and legs are yellow. Females, males and young birds are similar in plumage.
It is a wader which breeds on exposed sand or shingle near rivers. 2–3 eggs are laid in a ground scrape. The nest and young are defended noisily and aggressively against all intruders, up to and including the hippopotamus.
Food is mainly insects and other small invertebrates. This species often feeds in small flocks when not breeding. The white-crowned lapwing is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. Shorebirds by Hayman, Marchant and Prater ISBN 0-7099-2034-2 White-crowned plover - Species... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of White-headed Lapwing in Ruaha National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Ruaha National Park
Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus
Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus armatus
Spur-winged Lapwing
Vanellus spinosus
African Wattled Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus
Senegal Lapwing
Vanellus lugubris
Long-toed Lapwing
Vanellus crassirostris
Caspian Plover
Charadrius asiaticus
Water Thick-knee
Burhinus vermiculatus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Spotted Thick-knee
Burhinus capensis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lower Zambezi National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 2 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 3 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 4 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 5 | Niokolo-Koba National Park | 🇸🇳 Senegal | |
| 6 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 7 | Selous Game Reserve | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 10 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 11 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 12 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 13 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 14 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 15 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a White-headed Lapwing in Ruaha National Park?
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a White-headed Lapwing sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 95 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see White-headed Lapwing in Ruaha National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for White-headed Lapwing in Ruaha National Park in our monthly data.