Spot-breasted plover, Vanellus melanocephalus (formerly, Tylibyx melanocephalus and Hoplopterus melanocephalus; protonym, Lobivanellus melanocephalus), also known as the spot-breasted lapwing, photographed at Bale Mountains (also known as the Urgoma Mountains), Ethiopia (Africa).
Image: Dan Logen, 3 February 2011 [velociraptorize].
Nikon D300s, 600 mm lens, ISO 500, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec
Question: This Ethiopian mystery bird is the least studied and least well-known of its congeners. This species is endemic to Ethiopia, and is found exclusively in the Ethiopian highlands. Can you identify it?
Response: This is a spot-breasted plover, Vanellus melanocephalus. This species, which is endemic to marshes and moorlands located in the Ethiopian highlands, is very much like the northern lapwing, V. vanellus, found in Europe: it is a relatively tame, noisy bird with a swerving flight that feeds on the ground, making short runs and sudden stops. The spot-breasted lapwing is distinguished from its close relatives by the fleshy wattles in front of its eyes and by its black-spotted breast.
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