SPURWING PLOVER

Photographed at Ambury, New Zealand, June 2017

(*   17)                SPURWING PLOVER              Vanellus miles

NEW ZEALAND              9

In Australia known as Masked Lapwing. An abundant native across most of New Zealand. 38 cm. Colonised NZ from Australia in the 1930s and after a slow start spread after 1960 across most of country.

MASKED LAPWING

Subspecies novaehollandiae, found across Southern Australia.

17    MASKED LAPWING     Vanellus miles

Australia   (17)

Also known as Masked or Spurwinged plover. It is 35-38 cms. Noisy and aggressive towards intruders when nesting. Found on swamp margins, airfields, open areas and paddocks. Ranges over all Australia except bottom south-west quarter of mainland.

Subspecies: miles, found across Northern Australia