India is home to seven species of lapwings. What are they? Why is their population in decline? What is the peewit? Find out all this and more.
As published in the Nature inFocus on 24 June, 2022.
If you are wondering which bird the quote talks about, then look closer. The clue lies somewhere in there.
In a video for BBC Earth, professional wildlife sound recordist and marine zoologist Gary Moore highlights the displays of lapwings while talking about why the birds are so unique. The peewit noise, which is their signature call, is something that has Moore intrigued. But the reason he sits in a camouflage suit holding a large recording device is to capture the elusive sound of their wingbeats. As Moore explains, the sound is created using the feathers at the tip of the wings by the males, and is one that he has never captured before.
Members of the Charadriidae family, lapwings are ground-dwelling birds that are similar to plovers. Seven lapwing species are found in India, of which four are migratory in nature. Lapwings mainly feed on insects and earthworms, and keep the insect population in check.
A cursory glance of the conservation status reveals that while some species are found in stable populations, others are near threatened or endangered. Lapwings depend on two major habitat regions—grasslands and wetlands—both of which are under stress from various anthropogenic activities. Additionally, being ground-nesting in nature adds to their woes as the eggs are frequently hampered or destroyed.
Head over to Nature inFocus to read the complete story.