Lapwing (subfamily)
Lapwings | ||||||||
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Lapwing ( Vanellus vanellus ) |
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Systematics | ||||||||
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Scientific name | ||||||||
Vanellinae | ||||||||
Linnaeus , 1758 |
The lapwing are a subfamily of the plover (Charadriidae) within the order of the plover-like (Charadriiformes).
Appearance
Representatives of this subfamily are large and quite showy waders. Many species have feather hoods such as the lapwing , which also breeds in Central Europe , some have colorful facial appendages such as the masked lapwing .
Black hand wings are typical of lapwing. Many species have a wide, white band diagonally across the wing. With the exception of the white-tailed lapwing , the tails of the representatives of this subfamily are also strikingly black and white. Many species also have rounded and broad wings.
Distribution and number of species
Lapwings occur almost worldwide with the exception of North America and the Pacific Islands . A total of 24 species are described. Six species breed in the western Palearctic . Only one species breeds in Central Europe, namely the lapwing. Another species, the black-winged lapwing, is occasionally seen in south-eastern Europe. However, it is a typical and common bird of the fauna of the Near East .
habitat
Lapwings prefer to stay in open terrain. They often live on the edge of lakes, rivers, and wetlands. However, they can also be found on cultivated land such as meadows and fields . Occasionally they can be seen in large schools.
Systematics
The subfamily includes five genera and about 27 species.
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Anarhynchus - 1 kind
- Wrybill ( Anarhynchus frontalis )
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Erythrogonys - 1 Art
- Black-breasted plover ( Erythrogonys cinctus )
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Hoploxypterus - 1 type
- Cayenne Lapwing ( Hoploxypterus cayanus )
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Peltohyas - 1 kind
- Ringed plover ( Peltohyas australis )
- Lapwings ( Vanellus ) - 23 species