We studied breeding ecology of the Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus by tracing nesting of 31 banded adults and their precocial chicks in Ogura-ike Farmland, Kyoto, for five breeding seasons from 2007 to 2011. From incubation to chick-rearing periods, banded males and females of seven pairs took care of their offspring cooperatively and the monogamous mating system of this species was confirmed. The pair relationship was maintained over years, notably in two pairs which remained stable for four and five years, respectively, even after failure in breeding. Thirteen birds four males, eight females, one bird sexunknown returned to the study area and nested on the same block of the paddy field. Thus, nest site fidelity in this species can be strong.
was discovered at the same place. Subsequently, the bird incubated eggs in a rice field at this site for 2 years. These data show that Grey-headed Lapwings have a life span and breeding ability of at least 14 years.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.