Spot-breasted Lapwing
Spot-breasted LapwingSpot-breasted LapwingSpot-breasted LapwingSpot-breasted Lapwing

Spot-breasted Lapwing

Vanellus melanocephalus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Bale Mountains National Park
70 Verified records at Bale Mountains National Park
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The spot-breasted lapwing (Vanellus melanocephalus), also known as the spot-breasted plover, is a species of bird in the family Charadriidae. It is endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands. There are no known subspecies of the bird. The bird is a chunky lapwing of the Ethiopian highlands. It has a black cap, white eyebrow, black throat, and coarse spots across the breast. Found in both wet and dry montane habitats, including grassland, moorland, and marsh. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Spot-breasted Lapwing sighting in Bale Mountains National Park, based on 70 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Bale Mountains National Park

Black-winged Lapwing
LC

Black-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus melanopterus

5–10% · With luck
African Wattled Lapwing
LC

African Wattled Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus senegallus

Insufficient data
Spur-winged Lapwing
LC

Spur-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus spinosus

Insufficient data
Green Sandpiper
LC

Green Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa ochropus

20–30% · Possible
Little Stint
LC

Little Stint

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris minuta

Insufficient data
Common Sandpiper
LC

Common Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis hypoleucos

10–20% · With luck
African Snipe
LC

African Snipe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinago nigripennis

5–10% · With luck
Wood Sandpiper
LC

Wood Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa glareola

5–10% · With luck
Common Greenshank
LC

Common Greenshank

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa nebularia

<5% · Rare
Marsh Sandpiper
LC

Marsh Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa stagnatilis

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
30–40
Feb
50–60
Mar
40–50
Apr
40–50
May
40–50
Jun
50–60
Jul
40–50
Aug
30–40
Sep
40–50
Oct
30–40
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
40–50%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Spot-breasted Lapwing in Bale Mountains National Park?

About 42% of wildlife watchers report a Spot-breasted Lapwing sighting in Bale Mountains National Park, based on 70 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Spot-breasted Lapwing in Bale Mountains National Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Spot-breasted Lapwing in Bale Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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