Yellow-wattled Lapwing

The yellow-wattled lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus) is a distinctive ground-dwelling wader of the Indian subcontinent. Adults are about 26–28 cm long and weigh roughly 129–145 g. The upperparts are sandy brown, the underparts mostly white, and the head carries a black cap contrasting with a broad white eyebrow. Bright yellow legs and the fleshy yellow wattles in front of the eyes are the most conspicuous field marks.

It is smaller and more strongly associated with dry open ground than the widespread red-wattled lapwing (Vanellus indicus). When alarmed it becomes conspicuous and vocal, but at rest the muted brown upperparts blend effectively into dry soil and short grass.

Yellow-wattled lapwings are specialists of open, relatively dry landscapes. They use short grassland, fallow fields, uncultivated ground, sparse scrub, playgrounds and lightly cultivated land, sometimes close to ponds or river margins but without the strong dependence on wet ground shown by many other waders.

A five-year study carried out in 2019–2023 in Lucknow District, Uttar Pradesh, India, and published in 2025 found uncultivated ground to be used most heavily, while river habitats held the fewest birds. This preference helps explain why apparently rough or unused open ground can be important habitat for the species.

A diet study published in 2024 from Lucknow District found a strongly arthropod-based diet, with beetles and insect larvae especially important alongside flies, cockroaches and other small invertebrates. Prey availability varied with season and habitat.

Yellow-wattled lapwings usually forage by walking across open ground, pausing to inspect the surface and pecking at visible prey. A study published in 2024 from Lucknow District found this foraging pattern to dominate across habitat types, with feeding success highest in uncultivated habitat where prey was most abundant. Foraging activity showed distinct morning and evening peaks.

The species is often seen in pairs or small groups, with small flocks occurring particularly outside the breeding season.

Yellow-wattled lapwings nest on the ground in exposed open habitat. The nest is a shallow scrape, often surrounded or lined with small stones, dry plant material or other locally available debris, and the mottled eggs are well camouflaged against the substrate. Both adults participate in incubation and nest defence, and breeding pairs become much more territorial around eggs and chicks.

A five-year study carried out in 2020–2024 in Lucknow District, Uttar Pradesh, India, and published in 2026 recorded 189 nests. The average clutch contained 3.43 eggs and incubation averaged just under 29 days. Nesting and hatching success were highest in uncultivated habitat, while predation and agricultural activity were important causes of failure. Other regional studies likewise show that three or four eggs are typical.

The chicks are precocial, meaning they hatch well developed and leave the scrape soon afterwards. They feed for themselves under close parental protection, while the adults use alarm calls, aggressive approaches and distraction behaviour to draw potential predators away from eggs or young.

The yellow-wattled lapwing is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List and remains widespread across the Indian subcontinent.

State of India's Birds lists the species as a low conservation priority. Its 2025 update shows a long-term national decline of about 32%, while the more recent annual trend is stable. As an open-habitat specialist, however, it can be affected locally when uncultivated ground and short natural grassland are converted to intensive agriculture, urban development or denser tree cover.