Extremely rare sociable lapwing photographed in Xinjiang for first time

A sociable lapwing, a critically endangered bird species, is spotted at Qianquan Lake in Shawan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Guan Xiangyu)

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Zhao Mei) news: An extremely rare sociable lapwing, a critically endangered bird species, was clearly recorded at Qianquan Lake in Shawan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

On July 1, 2026, Xinjiang Boda Nature Technology Co. released its quarterly report on important bird sightings in the region for the second quarter of 2026. The discovery of the sociable lapwing has drawn widespread attention from academics and birdwatching communities across the country.　　

Guan Xiangyu, executive council member of the Beijing Birdwatching Association and the photographer who captured the images, said that on May 29, while birdwatching at Qianquan Lake, his companion Chen Qianyuan photographed an unusual bird and asked him to identify it.

"I was stunned when I took a closer look. It was a sociable lapwing. I had only seen this bird in literature and never imagined encountering it in the wild," said Guan, who has 16 years of birdwatching experience.

To obtain reliable images, Guan waded into the marsh and crawled forward slowly when he was about 200 meters away from the bird.

"It was mixing with a flock of northern lapwings. The two species look somewhat similar, but the sociable lapwing has no crest, a black crown, pale yellow cheeks, and a brownish back and belly. It looks understated yet elegant," he said. Guan managed to take only a few photos before the flock flew away.

A sociable lapwing is seen mixed with a flock of northern lapwings at Qianquan Lake in Shawan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Guan Xiangyu)

According to Ma Ming, a researcher at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the sociable lapwing is a nationally second-class protected wild animal. It is an extremely rare member of the lapwing family with a very small population.

The species was listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2009. There have been only two previous records in China: a documented sighting in 1876 by a German expedition in Tacheng without photographic evidence, and a sighting recorded by a birdwatcher in Hebei Province in 1998.

"This record is very valuable. It is not only the first photographic record in Xinjiang in over a century, but also provides important clues for research on the distribution and migration of this species," Ma said.

The sociable lapwing measures 27 to 30 centimeters in length and weighs 150 to 260 grams. It has a greyish-brown back and black legs, with its yellow cheeks especially prominent in winter. It is a migratory bird with strong flying ability, often found in grasslands, farmlands and deserts near water. Its diet consists mainly of locusts, grasshoppers, snails and shrimp.

Sociable lapwing is identifiable by its distinctive "black cap" on the crown and pale yellow cheeks. (Photo by Guan Xiangyu)

Ding Peng, head of a team at Xinjiang Boda Nature Technology Co., said the selection criteria for the quarterly report cover new bird records for Xinjiang and the country, reappearances of previously recorded species, and locally rare or uncommon birds.

A total of 20 important bird records were selected for the quarter. Besides the sociable lapwing, these include rare species such as the white-winged lark, black-necked crane, glossy ibis and blue-cheeked bee-eater.

"These important bird records not only provide a basis for research on bird distribution and migration, but also offer useful references for local ecological conservation efforts," Ding said.

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