Masked Lapwing

Vanellus miles

The Masked Lapwing is native to Australia. The northern race (V. m. miles) above left has no black neck stripe; the southern race (V. m. novaehollandiae) above right has a more extensive black cap and a plover-like black neck stripe (bird previously known as Masked Plover and still known locally as Spur-winged Plover, a name of a similar African/Middle Eastern species (Vanellus spinosus)).