From Opus

Vanellus miles

Photo by mehdhalaouate.
Location: QLD, Australia

[edit] Identification

Adults

• Yellow wattles and bills
• Black crown and hindneck
• Back and wings smooth brown
• White rump and underparts
• Black tip on tail
• Red/orange legs and feet

Juvenile

• Smaller wattles
• Feathers on upperparts edged with black and buff

[edit] Distribution

Australia and New Zealand.

[edit] Taxonomy

Adult V. m. novaehollandiae
Photo by Scott Wieman
Location: Lake Matheson, West Coast, New Zealand

There are two distinct races which until recently were thought to be separate species. The Masked Lapwing of Northern Australia (Vanellus miles miles) has an all-white neck and large yellow wattles, the Spur-winged Plover of the southern and eastern states (Vanellus miles novaehollandiae) has a black neck-stripe and smaller wattles. (Note that the northern hemisphere Spur-winged Plover is a different bird.)

Vanellus miles novaehollandiae became self introduced to Southland, New Zealand in the 1930s and has now spread throughout New Zealand, where it is known as the Spur-winged Plover.

[edit] Habitat

Wetlands and in other moist, open environments.

[edit] Behaviour

Nests are made on open ground.

[edit] External Links