Masked Lapwing
Masked Lapwing

Masked Lapwing

Vanellus miles

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Litchfield National Park
85 Verified records at Litchfield National Park
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The masked lapwing (Vanellus miles) is a large, common and conspicuous bird native to Australia (particularly the northern and eastern parts of the continent), New Zealand and New Guinea. It spends most of its time on the ground searching for food such as insects and worms and has several distinctive calls. It is common in Australian fields, open land and where there is lots of water, and is known for its defensive swooping behaviour during the nesting season. Despite the species being also known as the masked plover and often called the spur-winged plover or just plover in its native range, lapwings are classified to their own subfamily, Vanellinae, and not to the closely related plover subfamily, Charadriinae. There are two subspecies, the nominate subspecies and the southern V. m. novaehollandiae. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Lapwing sighting in Litchfield National Park, based on 85 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Litchfield National Park

White-headed Stilt

White-headed Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus leucocephalus

10–20% · With luck
Common Sandpiper
LC

Common Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis hypoleucos

5–10% · With luck
Bush Stone-curlew
LC Endemic

Bush Stone-curlew

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Burhinus grallarius

5–10% · With luck
Comb-crested Jacana
LC

Comb-crested Jacana

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Irediparra gallinacea

<5% · Rare
Australian Pratincole
LC

Australian Pratincole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stiltia isabella

Insufficient data
Chestnut-backed Buttonquail
LC Endemic

Chestnut-backed Buttonquail

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Turnix castanotus

Insufficient data
Oriental Pratincole
LC

Oriental Pratincole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Glareola maldivarum

Insufficient data
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
VU

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calidris acuminata

Insufficient data
Wood Sandpiper
LC

Wood Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa glareola

Insufficient data
Whiskered Tern
LC

Whiskered Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias hybrida

Insufficient data
White-winged Tern
LC

White-winged Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias leucopterus

Insufficient data
Common Greenshank
LC

Common Greenshank

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa nebularia

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

50–60
Jan
50–60
Feb
50–60
Mar
30–40
Apr
30–40
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
20–30
Aug
20–30
Sep
10–20
Oct
50–60
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 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
50–60%
2 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
3 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
4 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
5 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
6 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
7 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
20–30%
8 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
20–30%
9 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
10 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
11 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
12 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
13 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
14 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
15 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
16 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
17 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
18 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
19 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
20 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
21 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
22 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
23 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
24 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
<5%
25 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Masked Lapwing in Litchfield National Park?

About 29% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Lapwing sighting in Litchfield National Park, based on 85 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Masked Lapwing in Litchfield National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Masked Lapwing in Litchfield National Park in our monthly data.

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