Southern lapwing :

NAME (S) LOCAL (S):
Queltegüe, Treglos

DISTRIBUTION IN CHILE:
from the valley of Copiapo to Chiloe and Llanquihue. Registration Antofagasta.

HABITAT:
Shores of lakes, lagoons, tranques, plowed fields and wet meadows and dry.

DESCRIPTION:
Length: 36 - 37 cm.
Head and neck gray forehead, neck and chest black, both colors separated by white feathers. Dorsum brownish gray with metallic luster. Wing coverts gray with iridescent glitter. Primary and secondary coverts black separated from by a white band that is seen with open wings. Red spur in the elbow of each wing. Abdomen, flanks and white underwing. Cola basal half white and half black exterior. Red beak with black tip. Legs red. Eyes red.

The Queltehue is one of the typical inhabitants of the fields and wet lands, and even he can be found in the same cities on lawns, parks and gardens open. Perfect sentinel day and night, is always alert to any hint of danger, launching immediately a loud metallic cry that alerts not only to others of their species, but the entire environment. Birds and animals are always wary of this sentinel of the fields. Basically insectivorous, so it is very useful for agriculture, will also eat seeds.

Lives in pairs or small flocks. Their breeding season is very early, beginning in early July, ie in winter, nesting in a depression in the ground is often covered with dry grass. The eggs, from 3 to 4, are large relative to the size of the bird (50 mm. X 37 mm. App.) Greenish brown and covered with large dark spots. The pups are autophagic, ie barely feed themselves and colors are born very camouflaged with the environment, making it difficult to see.