White-tailed Lapwings or White-tailed Plovers

The White-tailed Lapwings or White-tailed Plovers (Vanellus leucurus) is a wader in the lapwing genus.

Description

This elegant medium-sized lapwing is long-legged and fairly long-billed. It is the only lapwing likely to be seen in other than very shallow water, where it picks insects and other small prey mainly from the surface.

Adults are slim, erect birds with a brown back and foredeck, paler faces, and grey breasts. Its long yellow legs, pure white tail, and distinctive brown, white, and black wings make this species unmistakable. Young birds have a scaly back and may show some brown in the tail.

Distribution and Habitat

White-tailed Lapwings breed in a variety of countries throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. They also breed in parts of southern Russia. The marshes of Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait are important breeding grounds, as are the southern regions of Russia. In these lands, it tends to nest semi-colonially–that is, in loose groups where several pairs nest in proximity. Nests are made of ground scrapes and are often found in marshes with emergent vegetation or damp ground near water.

In the off-breeding period, populations that originate in breeding grounds further north (e.g., Southern Russia) migrate south. Wintering grounds for these birds include parts of the Middle East and northeast Africa, as well as the Indian subcontinent. Birds from Iran or Iraq are likely to be resident (nonmigratory) and only move locally based on food and water availability. Vagrants are very rare in Western Europe. This confirms that, while most birds follow predictable seasonal routes and ranges, some wanderers may be driven by habitat or weather pressures.

Habitats include marshes and shallow wetlands. They also use mudflats and the edges of marsh vegetation, as well as damp vegetated flats close to water. Sometimes, they are used in human-modified wetlands where water is shallow enough and prey can be accessed. The habitats must have open, shallow water or moist ground. They also need enough vegetation to hide and nest, as well as a large number of insects or small prey. These areas are threatened by pollution, drainage, agricultural conversion, nd changes in water management.

Call / Vocalization

The breeding season call is a peewit, similar to Northern Lapwing.

During breeding season, White Tailed Lapwings can be heard calling. A “peewit”, similar to the Northern Lapwing, is one of the most commonly reported calls. Observers describe it as plaintive and sometimes “peewick” (or something similar), particularly during displays, alarms, or when flying over territories. These calls are used to establish presence, attract mates, and maintain a nesting colony. Vocalizations will likely be less frequent and less intense outside of breeding season. However, individuals may still call when disturbed or flushed.

Calls are important indicators of their presence because they are heard more often than seen, as their vocalizations drift across marshes and water edges at twilight or in the early morning. Vocal activity is most active around sunrise and sunset. In breeding season, vocal activity increases in the early morning, as territories are defended, and displays occur. According to eBird, this species is well documented.

References

• A. R. Dean, J. E. Fortey and E. G. Phillips, British Birds 70:465–471 (November 1977). BirdLife International (2004). 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern, Marchant and Prater, Shorebirds, ISBN 0-7099-2034-2

Conservation Status

The IUCN Red List classifies the White-tailed Lapwing as of ” Least Concern globally. The White-tailed Lapwing has a large range, and it is believed that its population is not declining at an extremely rapid rate on a global scale. The term “least concern” is not synonymous with “no concerns”. Across the range of this species, certain populations are under stress, and habitat destruction is a serious problem.

Wetland Drainage is a major threat to the Middle East, Central Asia, and other areas. Inland wetlands and marshes are frequently converted to agriculture, urban development, or water infrastructure. (Drainage, Dams, Water Diversion). Wetland pollution–including agricultural run-off, industrial waste, and eutrophication–affects water quality and prey abundance.

Unintentional Poaching or Disturbance is another threat. In some places, nests can be disturbed or destroyed by humans, livestock, or habitat encroachment. Nests may also be shot because they are mistaken for another species. Hydrological changes (water levels) may expose nests, or even drown chicks or eggs. This is especially true where nests consist of shallow scrapes in damp soil.

Some local populations were studied in depth. In Armenia, for example, breeding pairs have been observed in a small area (the Armash Wetlands) of marshes where there are fluctuations in numbers. The transformation of ponds into car farms and other land-use modifications led to a decline after an earlier increase. These cases show how local habitat changes can have a rapid impact on species that are otherwise widely distributed.

Protection is provided by international conservation agreements. The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, or AEWA, covers the White-tailed Lapwing. This treaty aims to protect migratory bird species, and in particular those whose survival is dependent on wetlands under pressure. Under AEW,  habitat protection, monitoring, and international cooperation are promoted

The species’ population estimates vary depending on the region, but they show that it is “rare to local common” based on habitat conditions. Some estimates indicate that there are tens or thousands of mature individuals worldwide, and breeding populations number in the thousands. There are still data gaps, especially in remote areas or populations that are migratory.

Conclusion

White-tailed Lapwings are more than just pretty waders. They are a symbol of healthy wetlands and an important component of ecosystems in Central Asia, the Middle East, and northeastern Africa. The White-tailed Lapwing’s dependence on marshes and mud flats, as well as damp ground, means that its fate is closely tied to water.

Protecting this species means protecting the wetlands and shallow waterbodies that so many species–birds, amphibians, invertebrates–depend upon. This also includes maintaining the natural hydrological regime and avoiding pollution or drainage that is unlimited. Conservation of marshes in many areas where the White-tailed Lapwing nests is neglected or only considered secondarily. Yet these areas are crucial not just for lapwings, but also for flood control and water filtration. They also help with biodiversity, casequestration, and flood control.