Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / River lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii) flying at Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China, May.

Bernard Castelein / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus), Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus), Gambia.

Bernard Castelein / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) in flight, Gambia.

Mathias Schaef/ BIA / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus), Israel

Melvin Grey / Spur-winged plovers (Hoplopterus spinosus) adults in courtship display, Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / African spoonbill (Platalea alba) landing among other Spoonbills, Spur winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus), Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) and Egret, Orango National Park, Bijagos UNESCO Biosphere Re...

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Spur winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) in shallow water, Oman, May

Melvin Grey / Spur-winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) adult male, Naivasha, Kenya

Melvin Grey / Spur-winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) nest and eggs in rough open grassland around the lake. Lake Bogoria, Kenya

Bruno D'Amicis / Spur-winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) in mud, Shesher lake, Fogera Plains. Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia.

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, New South Whales, Australia

Ingo Waschkies / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus), Larnaca, Cyprus

Ann & Steve Toon / Spur winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) profile portrait, Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, September

Brent Stephenson / Juvenile Spur-winged Plover / Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) foraging on short grass. Note speckled plumage on wings and back. Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, October.

Brent Stephenson / Spur-winged Plover / Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) walking across grass. Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, October.

Brent Stephenson / Spur-winged Plover / Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) chick hiding amongst grass. Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, October.

Robin Chittenden / Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus). Gambia, Africa, January.

Guy Edwardes / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) standing in grassland, Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania, Africa, February

Pete Oxford / Masked Lapwing / Plover (Vanellus miles) on sand of Moreton Bay, off Queensland Coast.

Anup Shah / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) wading in a shallow pool. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March

Suzi Eszterhas / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus), Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Hermann Brehm / Spur winged plover (Vanellus spinosus) sitting on nest, Manjara NP, Tanzania

Niall Benvie / Spur winged plover {Vanellus spinosus} amongst flowers. Israel.

Tim Fitzharris / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) with its reflection at waterhole, Kenya

Mike Wilkes / Spur winged plover wing stretching, Tanzania East Africa

Roger Powell / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) standing on an irrigation pipe in its breeding territory, K'Far Ruppin kibbutz, Jordan Valley, Israel, March.

Roger Powell / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) standing on an irrigation pipe in its breeding territory, K'Far Ruppin kibbutz, Jordan Valley, Israel, March.

Steve Gettle / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus), Samburu National Reserve, Kenya

Roland Seitre / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) pair, Dakar, Senegal

Roland Seitre / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus), Dakar, Senegal

Roland Seitre / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus), Dakar, Senegal

Roland Seitre / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) drinking, Dakar, Senegal

Bernard Castelein / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) displaying menacing behaviour, Allahein river, The Gambia.

Bruce Thomson / Masked / Spur winged plover / Masked lapwing (Vanellus miles) with distinctive yellow mask, yellow wing spur visible as bird prepares to sit on eggs in grassy field, Minden, Queensland, Australia.

Bruce Thomson / Masked / Spur winged plover / Masked lapwing (Vanellus miles) with distinctive yellow mask, yellow wing spur visible as bird prepares to sit on eggs in grassy field, Minden, Queensland, Australia.

Bernard Castelein / Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus) taking off, spur visible on wing edge. Allahein River, Gambia.

Avi Meir/ BIA / Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) chick foraging, Eilat, Israel