10 April-lapwing

10 April-lapwing
Originally uploaded by wandering lizard.

One of the many lapwings on campus. I think there were babies in the area because this one and her mate were making more noise than usual, and I saw one pair yesterday with 3 little guys. This species is unbelievably aggressive - the parents will dive anyone who comes within about 50 meters of their babies or eggs, and the males have spurs on their wings. They fly at just about head height and come right at your face. A bit intimidating. They also have a tendency to breed right in the middle of the path. They lay eggs in bare areas (like the middle of a lawn, or sometimes in a carpark), and then attack anything that comes close. Very inconvenient, but a good source of amusement to watch from a distance.