African Wattled Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyCharadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
- GenusVanellus (Lapwings)
- SpeciesVanellus senegallus (African Wattled Lapwing)
The African wattled lapwing (Vanellus senegallus), also known as the Senegal wattled plover or simply wattled lapwing, is a large lapwing, a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae. It is a resident breeder in most of sub-Saharan Africa outside the rainforests, although it has seasonal movements. These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are large brown waders with a black crown, white forehead and large yellow facial wattles. The tail is white, tipped black, and the long legs are yellow. In flight, the upperwings have black flight feathers and brown coverts separated by a white bar. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Selous Game Reserve
White-headed Lapwing
Vanellus albiceps
Spur-winged Lapwing
Vanellus spinosus
Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus
Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus armatus
Common Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticula
Water Thick-knee
Burhinus vermiculatus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
African Skimmer
Rynchops flavirostris
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Little Stint
Calidris minuta
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of African Wattled Lapwing at Selous Game Reserve — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there