Kingdom Animalia Order Charadriiformes Genus Vanellus Higher classification Vanellus | Phylum Chordata Family Charadriidae Scientific name Vanellus macropterus Rank Species | |
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Similar Bird, Vanellus, Siau scops owl, Sumatran ground cuckoo, Flores hawk‑eagle | ||
The Javan lapwing (Vanellus macropterus) also known as Javanese lapwing and Javanese wattled lapwing is (or was) a wader in the lapwing family.
This large, long-legged wader inhabited the marshes and river deltas of Java, and possibly Sumatra and Timor. It was last seen in 1940, and as it was a conspicuous species unlikely to be overlooked, it seems likely that it is extinct. And the IUCN classified it as such in their 1994 and 1996 assessments, but reversed that in 2000 and listed the species as Critically Endangered (CR).
In an assessment dated 1 October 2015, the IUCN justified the classification:
This conspicuous species has not been recorded since 1940, and it is likely to have declined severely owing to extensive habitat degradation and destruction, probably compounded by significant hunting pressure. However, not all potential habitat has been surveyed, and local reports need to be followed up with dedicated surveys. Any remaining population is likely to be tiny, and for these reasons it is treated as Critically Endangered.
The IUCN clarifies by citing "unconfirmed reports" by locals from 2013. While acknowledging that finding live individuals is "unlikely", insight gained from observations in the 1920s may point to additional habitats not previously considered. Specifically grasslands on Belitung Island may be one such location to be surveyed.
