Named for the bright yellow facial wattles that form a mask, it fiercely defends its nest with noisy swooping attacks.
Not listed
Indigenous: Jirrirdirdi, Baaldharradharra, A-Batjjurlerrerlerreh, Betdelerrelerreh, Birrkpirrk, Birrbirrg, Berrerhberrerh, Bidirrirri, Birrkbirrk, Jindarragarragnyin, Didar Djerap
At a glance
FamilyPlovers and Lapwings
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
Habitatopen woodland, sparse woodland, closed forest, grassland, and waterbodies
Best timeReported across most months in Queensland, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Étienne Leroy
Range map
Range map
8944visible hotspots
767474visible records
6states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Behavior
Abundant in most open country, being a common feature of urban parks, sporting fields, paddocks, riverbeds, wetlands, and coastal habitats.
Gallery
Regional timing
Victoria
New South Wales
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Northern Territory
Western Australia
Australian Capital Territory