Blacksmith Lapwing

The Blacksmith Lapwing is a bold, boldly patterned plover of African wetlands, one of the most conspicuous and noisy birds around water bodies where it occurs.

Appearance

• Black crown, face, throat, and breast
• Contrasting white neck sides and belly
• Pale grey back and wing coverts
• Bright red eyes and black bill and legs

Key field marks

• Sharp black-and-white pattern on the head and underparts
• Pale grey mantle and wings
• Red eye and all-black bill and legs

Similar species

The Crowned Lapwing has a brown back, a black cap ringed with white, and lacks the solid black breast and face of the Blacksmith Lapwing, making the two easy to tell apart at a glance.

Range

Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, most common in eastern and southern regions.

Habitat

Frequents the margins of wetlands, marshes, dams, floodplains, and damp grassland or farmland near water.

Movement

Mostly resident with some local movements tracking water availability.

Behavior

Conspicuous and highly territorial, especially around nests, often seen standing sentinel near water.

Voice

Gives a loud, sharp, metallic "tink-tink-tink" alarm call that recalls a blacksmith striking an anvil, giving the species its name.

Feeding

Forages on the ground for insects and other invertebrates using a run-stop-peck technique.

Nesting and breeding

Nests in a simple scrape on bare ground near water; both parents aggressively mob and dive-bomb intruders, including large mammals, to defend the nest and chicks.