birding-aus

Grey-headed Lapwing

To: "Birding-aus (E-mail)" <>
Subject: Grey-headed Lapwing
From: "Philip Veerman" <>
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 16:09:22 +1000
Thanks, it is about time someone asked these questions.

We have had it called "Grey headed lapwing", "Grey headed Lapwing", "grey 
headed lapwing" and even "Grey Headed Lapwing" on this line. Poor bird must be 
terribly confused. The protocol of bird names is pretty simple. Thankfully some 
correspondents have got it right. The name is "Grey-headed Lapwing". I also 
assume it is Vanellus cinereus. Has anyone mentioned that?

According to a shorebirds book (Hayman, Marchant & Prater), it normally lives 
in Asia and migration includes "south to Andaman Is., Malaysia, Philippines, 
Borneo and Sulawesi".

I think it has been mentioned to be the first record of the species for 
Australia. No doubt others will have more information.

As to how it got there, I have no idea, maybe it was caught in Asia and 
smuggled in by someone from the Burren Junction tourism authority. It is indeed 
strange that it should be found there, within inland SE Australia, rather than 
somewhere like Christmas Island or the northern tips of the continent. I wish I 
could afford to travel there. Is the bird especially exciting? I had not heard 
of the species before this one was mentioned on this line, so I'm not actually 
bursting to go see it. As I have said before, I'd rather see a Secretary-bird 
in Africa than on the streets of Canberra.

Philip



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