Yellow-wattled Lapwing
The Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus malabaricus photographed on the farm near Thirupporur. It is a medium-sized bird belonging to the family Charadriidae. These birds are medium-sized pale brown waders with a black crown which is separated from the brown on the neck by a narrow white band and large yellow facial wattles. This species is common in much of India, being seen in a variety of open lowland habitats. This species is seen in drier habitats than the closely related Red-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus indicus. Like other lapwings and plovers, these lapwings are ground birds and their nest is just a collection of tiny pebbles within which their well-camouflaged eggs with irregular dark brown splotches are laid.
Long back, as a youngster in Delhi, I was lucky to have observed the nidifugous chicks of the Red-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus indicus. The term nidifugous signifies that the chicks leave the nest shortly after hatching and follow their parents to actively forage for food. The chicks are beautifully camouflaged and look as if they are wearing brown and white double-knit woollen sweaters. The parent birds’ loud and frantic ‘did-he-do-it’ calls make the chicks instantly freeze and virtually impossible to spot. Despite diligent searching I have not seen chicks of either species in Thirupporur.
The food of the Yellow-wattled Lapwing consists of beetles, termites and other invertebrates, which are picked up from the ground.
Nature Rambles Book 