Southern Lapwings are strikingly stocky birds, characterized by their large heads and short tails. Their faces, necks, and parts of their chests are deep black, with sharp white borders outlining the black of their faces and throats. The crown of their heads is a soft gray, creating a sharp contrast to the vibrant glossy olive-green of their bodies. Their shoulders shimmer with hints of bronze, and their bellies are smooth and pristine white, giving them a polished and distinguished appearance.

These lapwings are mostly sedentary, though populations in the far south of their range migrate to warmer regions during the winter months. Their range stretches from Costa Rica to the southernmost tip of South America, making them a common sight across the continent.

Adapted to open grasslands, Southern Lapwings are versatile birds that can also be found along coastlines, near bodies of water, and even in inland areas, far from major water sources.

A unique feature of Southern Lapwings is the red spurs located at the ‘wrist’ area of their wings, which they use both for combat and to protect their nests. When threatened, they become highly alert, emitting loud, frantic shrieks and flying further and further away to evade danger.

Most studies on Southern Lapwings focus on populations that inhabit human-modified habitats. This observation suggests that the species may thrive in environments altered by human activity, particularly those that result in more open spaces, which are ideal for both breeding and non-breeding seasons.

Sources:

Santos, Eduardo S. A.. 2010. Southern Lapwing(Vanellus chilensis), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA. 

Species profile: Southern Lapwing. Conservación Patagónica http://www.conservacionpatagonica.org/blog/2013/12/31/species-profile-southern-lapwing/