Sociable Lapwing
Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius )
The Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius ) is a monotypic species of the family of plovers ( Charadriidae ). He is a breeding bird of the Eurasian steppe zone, the wintering areas are located in North India, Iraq and Eritrea. Occasionally, individual birds lost to Central Europe and close there Lapwing squads to. The IUCN classifies the species as threatened with extinction a ( critically endangered ), because the stock has fallen dramatically in recent decades.
Appearance
The appearance and appearance is similar to the lapwing. The Sociable Lapwing reaches a size of 27 to 30 centimeters. Coat, shoulders and chest are gray-brown. In flight, shows the characteristic three-colored wing pattern with black primaries, secondaries white and gray-brown coverts. The tail is white with a black Endfleck (similar to the lapwing ).
In breeding plumage the crown and eye stripe are black, making the white eye-streak About settles well. The chest turns gray beige with a slight pink tinge, while the belly is black and rump back is dark red. In Plain dress is the belly without black, the chest is lighter gray. The black cap and black eye-streak are smaller and lighter. Overall, the plumage is more brown than gray.
This year steppe lapwings can be recognized by the lack of black cap and a yellow-white stripe over eyes. The breast is pale gray dashed lines. The top shows a clear scale pattern.
Dissemination
The breeding areas are scattered in the Eurasian steppe and dry steppe between the Volga and West Siberia. The largest known breeding reserves are located in Kazakhstan.
The Sociable Lapwing is one of the short- distance migrants wintering and above all in Northwestern India, Iraq, Israel and Eritrea.
Ecology
The Sociable Lapwing breeds in loose colonies or individually on the floor. He preferred low vegetation, such as that encountered in the area of short grass steppe or grazed areas. He seems to prefer slightly saline soils and the proximity of water. The precise requirements for the hatchery are poorly researched. The largest breeding colonies are found near settlements (due to the local grazing ). In the natural environment of the Sociable Lapwing often brooded on the wintering areas of the saiga antelope ( Saiga tatarica ). Due to their sharp decline these areas often have no more to the appropriate height of vegetation. The wintering areas are arid plains or grasslands, often near water.
Endangering
2003, the Sociable Lapwing by the IUCN classified as Critically Endangered. This highest degree of danger the Red List was founded with the dramatic decline in the already small population. While in 1997 still 10,000 breeding pairs were counted in 2002, 200 breeds in the entire breeding area could be determined. The population size was therefore estimated to be only 600-1800 individuals (source: BirdLife International). During an investigation in Kazakhstan in 2006, but could be counted on an area of 145,000 km 376 breeding pairs. The inventory estimate was then corrected to 5,600 breeding pairs or 11,200 adult birds.
The causes of stock decline in this type have not yet been clarified. Possible factors are a lack of suitable grazing areas, the increased incidence of the Rook ( Corvus frugilegus ) as nest predators or increasing drought in breeding and wintering areas. The expected recovery of stocks, on which point the numbers could be related to the abandonment of agricultural land and an altered grazing after the collapse of the Soviet Union.