This bird is often called the Spur-winged Plover in its native range of Australasia, however it has been renamed Masked Lapwing to avoid confusion with the Spur-winged Lapwing/Plover of the Mediterranean and African regions (Vanellus spinosus).
Vanellus miles is a large (35cm; 370g), common and conspicuous bird native to Australia, particularly the northern and eastern parts of the continent. The subspecies found in the southern and eastern states (Vanellus miles novaehollandiae), and often locally called the Spur-winged Plover, has a black neck-stripe and smaller wattles* than its northern counterparts.
It spends most of its time on the ground searching for food such as insects and worms and has several distinctive calls. The wide range of calls can be heard at any time of the day or night include: the warning call, a loud defending call, courtship calls, calls to its young, and others. Since this bird lives on the ground it is always alert and even though it rests it never sleeps properly.
Vanellus miles will strike at interlopers with their feet and attack animals on the ground with a conspicuous yellow spur on the carpal joint of the wing. There is a much-believed but incorrect myth that the spur can inject venom.
[All text above: Ref (139)]
* A wattle is a fleshy longitudinal flap of skin hanging from various parts of the head or neck in several groups of birds, goats and other animals. [Ref (140)]
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