About this species
The Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) is a medium-sized plover with a striking black crown, white supercilium, grey-brown back and black-and-chestnut belly patch in breeding plumage. It is a colonial breeder on short-grass steppe, typically nesting near livestock that keep vegetation cropped.
The species underwent a catastrophic decline in the 20th century, with early 2000s estimates below 10,000 birds. Satellite tracking has since revealed a previously unknown autumn staging area in eastern Turkey with flocks of up to 3,000 birds, prompting a revised global population estimate of 16,000–17,000 individuals (still classified as Critically Endangered).
It remains a flagship species for CAF steppe conservation, benefiting from close cooperation between Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey and partners along the flyway.
