Vanellus miles
IUCN Redlist: Least Concern
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Time: 1510 AEST April 23, 2012
I spotted this pair on the forecourt of a petrol station, shortly after heavy rain.
Masked lapwings are a widespread species, found in southern, eastern and northern Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and they have recently (relatively speaking - 1930s) self-introduced to New Zealand. They are also found as vagrants in New Caledonia and Fiji.
They are also commonly known as spur-winged plovers, particularly in New Zealand, so named for a bony spur on the leading edge of each wing. They use these spurs to defend their nesting sites against any and all intruders.
References
BirdLife International 2009. Vanellus miles. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 April 2012
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