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Observations on Nesting Masked Lapwings Vanellus Miles

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Observations on Nesting Masked Lapwings Vanellus Miles VOL. 19 (8) DECEMBER 2002 235 AUSTRALIAN BIRD WATCHER 2002, 19, 235-246 Observations on Nesting Masked Lapwings Vanellus miles A.B. ROSE, Associate, The Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, N.S.W. 2010 (Present address: 61 Boundary Street, Forster, N.S.W. 2428) Summary Observations were made on nesting Masked Lapwings Viznellus miles over 11 years. The outcomes of 18 nesting attempts were documented; four young fledged from 57 eggs laid, a success rate of7%. Many eggs and young were presumed depredated although no predation was observed. Descriptions of the behaviour of the nesting birds are included. Introduction Observations of nesting Masked Lapwings Vanellus miles were made between 1973 and 1983 inclusive in the compound of the Mt Colah Works Depot in Ku­ ring-gai Chase National Park north of Sydney, New South Wales. The compound had previously been used as a gravel dump and was lightly vegetated on a mainly gravel base; it was surrounded by a chain-link mesh fence. No water was available until I supplied a small pond in 1980. The study site was separated from a nearby golf course, which was used by the Lapwings and where water was available, by 300 m of bushland and a busy road. Nesting behaviour of Masked Lapwings has been well studied elsewhere (Marchant & Higgins 1993). I present here observations on behaviour during nesting, success rate and predation. Results Of 57 eggs laid in 18 nesting attempts, 39 hatched, 13 were depredated, four were deserted and one was infertile. The incubation period was 27-30 days. Of the 39 young hatched, 17 were taken by predators outside the compound (no fledglings were seen at the golf course), 14were taken by predators inside the compound, one died in the nest, one was found dead against the fence and two were still extant but had not reached the flying stage when observations ceased. Four of the young birds flew. From hatching to flying took 51 days. Nesting attempts 8, 9, 12, 14 and 15 all involved the same female. I could distinguish this bird from other Lapwings because she had distinctive plumage and wattle characteristics, and I sexed her by observing copulations. The sex was confirmed when I found her carcass after nesting attempt 15. The nest-site was the same for all these attempts. Similarly, nesting attempts 10, 11, 13, 16 and 17 involved a recognisable female and an unchanged nest-site. Observations Nesting attempt 1 7 August 1973 The nest, consisting of a depression in the ground with a few twigs and small pieces of wood, contained three eggs. AUSTRALIAN 236 ROSE BIRD WATCHER 5 September 1973 The nest was empty, the eggs having been thrown away by a man wishing to avoid being attacked. Nesting attempt 2 12 July 1974 The nest was a depression with one piece of grass on top of a heap of pebbles; it contai_ned two eggs one of which was cracked. 15 July 1974 A third egg was out of the nest and cracked. The nest was then deserted and the eggs remained there for at least 36 days even though Australian Ravens Corvus coronoides, Australian Magpies Gymnorhina tibicen and Pied Currawongs Strepera graculina were continually in the area. Nesting attempt 3 1 August 1975 The nest was on top of a pile of dead grass clippings and contained two eggs. One Lapwing followed me, calling and menacing to within 2 m. At 1230 h one Lapwing, after pecking at the ground in one spot, settled to brood; it soon stood up, turned around twice, then settled again with tail up. The other Lapwing was about 15 m away and chased away on foot five Australian Magpies. A Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca was ignored. A Magpie swooped and knocked two feathers out of the back of one of the Lapwings but was ignored. After 20 minutes the brooding Lapwing moved away from the nest and after being approached by the other one jumped onto its back briefly; both birds had tails cocked. After separating, both Lapwings kept running at any Magpies coming within 20 m of the nest. 4 August 1975 There was no sign of the Lapwings and the eggs had gone from the nest; one empty shell was 3m away, having been eaten out, probably by a bird. Nesting attempt 4 25 July 1976 The nest was an 8 em diameter depression lined with short pieces of dead grass and contained two eggs. 26 July 1976 The nest contained three eggs. 19 August 1976 The nest was empty and there was no sign of the Lapwings. Nesting attempt 5 6 September 1978 At 0830 h a Lapwing fashioned a shallow scrape with its breast on bare stony ground. At 0920 h the members of the pair were close together at the edge of the nest-scrape; one bird circled, breast nearly touching the nest and, with even movements of its head, picked up pieces of dead grass and placed them on the nest. The second bird gave an alarm call and both flew off. At 1330 hthe pair was at the nest; one bird sat on the nest for 30 minutes then ran off and, after pecking about, returned and pecked around the nest-scrape with lowered breast. The other bird was feeding, stamping one foot rapidly then feeding with jerking head and one foot held off the ground. Then it fed without these head and foot movements. Twice more it used head and foot movements, although not together, then squatted. The main insects in the area were ants and maybe the Lapwing was getting ants up from out of their nests. VOL.19 (8) DECEMBER 2002 Nesting Masked Lapwings 237 7 September 1978 At 0830 h both Lapwings were close to the nest which was a bare soil depression rimmed with dead grass and pebbles. Later, and 100m from the nest, one bird had its breast on the ground and tail elevated; when I approached a Lapwing dive-bombed me while clicking its bill. 8 September 1978 The nest was unchanged. 10 September 1978 I was attacked while at the nest. 11 September 1978 One Lapwing gave a twittering call as the other mounted it briefly. 12 September 1978 The Lapwings were pecking around the nest. 14 September 1978 The Lapwings had a second nest, 20 m from the scrape just described, which contained one egg. 15 September 1978 One of the Lapwings was some distance from the new nest when it was approached by the other at a trot and giving a trilling call. The first bird turned, lowered its body and twisted its tail to the left as the other stood on its back and lowered its body. The bird dismounted after only a fraction of a second and both birds moved to the nest area. At 1130 h a bird was brooding the egg; subsequent to this the nest and egg were deserted. Nesting attempt 6 16 September 1978 What was assumed to be the same pair was building a third nest 60 m from the others; the Lapwings followed some Sulphur-crested Cockatoos Cacatua galerita away from the nest, and remained away from both nests all day. 21 September 1978 The nest was a deep depression in damp soil with pieces of dead grass on the rim. At 1400 hone Lapwing ran after a Pied Currawong before settling on the third nest; then it ran to the second nest, squatted for 5 minutes, then stood and threw scraps of grass and wood into the nest with distinct head movements. It was joined by its mate which stood on its back and they copulated. Lapwings were not subsequently seen at the second nest. 26 September 1978 The new nest contained one egg. 28 September 1978 The nest contained two eggs. I was attacked. 29 September 1978 I was attacked again. The nest contained three eggs. 16 October 1978 A Lapwing was incubating four eggs. 25 October 1978 The incubating Lapwing ran from the nest. The eggs were not chipping. 27 October 1978 The eggs were chipping. 30 October 1978 The nest was empty; both adults with four runners were 300m away. At 0900 h they headed on foot towards a nearby golf course where there was water and to reach which they had to cross a busy road; they did this but with only one runner. The Lapwings were observed by two Pied Currawongs, a domestic cat Felis catus and a Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae, and they were swooped by a Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus. The runner did not follow properly and at one stage was brooded in the middle of the road. AUSTRALIAN 238 ROSE BIRD WATCHER 6 November 1978 The adults were back at the nest and attacked me but there was no sign of the runner. Nesting attempt 7 10 August 1979 A nest contained two eggs. 12 August 1979 The nest was empty. Nesting attempt 8 5 September 1979 A nest on open gravelly ground contained four eggs. It also contained short pieces of plant material and wood. 10 September 1979 After alarm calls during the previous night the nest was empty. I saw Fox Vulpes vulpes tracks near the nest. Nesting attempt 9 20 September 1979 The same nest as in attempt 8 contained one egg. 21 September 1979 The nest contained two eggs. 29 September 1979 The nest contained three eggs. 16 October 1979 The eggs were chipping. 22 October 1979 The adults and three runners headed for the golf course on foot and were not seen again. Nesting attempt 10 24 June 1980 A pair was in the works depot compound.
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