Black-winged Lapwing
Black-winged LapwingBlack-winged LapwingBlack-winged LapwingBlack-winged Lapwing

Black-winged Lapwing

Vanellus melanopterus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Lake Nakuru National Park
12 Verified records at Lake Nakuru National Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The black-winged lapwing. black-winged plover or greater black-winged lapwing (Vanellus melanopterus) is an east African species that is found from the Ethiopian highlands in the north to central Kenya (race V. m. melanopterus), and again at middle to coastal elevations in eastern South Africa (race V. m. minor). It is a habitat specialist of short grass in well-watered temperate grasslands. They may move about locally to find ideal situations, often at night. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-winged Lapwing sighting in Lake Nakuru National Park, based on 12 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Lake Nakuru National Park

Blacksmith Lapwing
LC

Blacksmith Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus armatus

60–70% · Likely
Spur-winged Lapwing
LC

Spur-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus spinosus

30–40% · Possible
Crowned Lapwing
LC

Crowned Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus coronatus

30–40% · Possible
Long-toed Lapwing
LC

Long-toed Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus crassirostris

10–20% · With luck
African Wattled Lapwing
LC

African Wattled Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus senegallus

Insufficient data
Common Ringed Plover
LC

Common Ringed Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius hiaticula

20–30% · Possible
Caspian Plover
LC

Caspian Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius asiaticus

Insufficient data
Grey-hooded Gull

Grey-hooded Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

50–60% · Likely
Black-winged Stilt
LC

Black-winged Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus himantopus

50–60% · Likely
Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gelochelidon nilotica

40–50% · Likely
Common Sandpiper
LC

Common Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis hypoleucos

30–40% · Possible
Pied Avocet
LC

Pied Avocet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Recurvirostra avosetta

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
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 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
2 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
3 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
4 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
5 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
5–10%
6 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
7 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
8 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
9 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
10 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
11 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
12 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
13 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
14 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
15 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Black-winged Lapwing in Lake Nakuru National Park?

About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Black-winged Lapwing sighting in Lake Nakuru National Park, based on 12 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Black-winged Lapwing in Lake Nakuru National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Black-winged Lapwing in Lake Nakuru National Park in our monthly data.

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