MORPHOMETRICAL CLUTCH UNIFORMITY IN THE LAPWING COMMUNITY VANELLUS BRISON, 1760 (AVES, CHARADRIIFORMES, CHARADRIIDAE) IN AL-MALIH WETLAND-BABYLON PROVINCE- MIDDLE OF IRAQ

Abstract

In this study, we provide an analytical comparison combined with morphological characteristic of eggs and newly hatched precocial chicks of three lapwing species, Red–owattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus (Boddaert, 1783), Spur-winged Lapwing V. spinosus (Linnaeus, 1758), and White-tailed Lapwing V. leucurus (Lichtenstein, 1823) that breed in Al-Malih Wetland in Babylon Province, Middle of Iraq. Occupied nests were located during the breeding season (March–June 2023), breeding events (e.g., adult courtship, marking of the breeding territories, nest-site selection, nest building, and egg incubation) were carefully observed. A total of 48 eggs from a total of 12 lapwing nests (4 eggs for each nest, 4 nests for each species) were cautiously examined and measured. Lapwing chicks and eggs show many morphological differences. Morphometrical data were tested using ANOVA, calculating the Mean, standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variation (CV). The mean and SD for egg length were 46.25±0.68 mm for V. indicus, 42.25±0.96 mm for V. spinosus (Linnaeus, 1758), and 42.28±0.67 mm for V. leucurus. The egg breadth mean and SD were 33.34±0.84 mm for V. indicus, 31.43±0.55 mm for V. spinosus (Linnaeus, 1758), and 31.42±0.67 mm for V. leucurus. The egg weight Mean and SD were 21.39±0.91 gm for V. indicus, 16.51±0.73 gm for V. spinosus (Linnaeus, 1758), and15.87±0.50 gm for V. leucurus. The low value of CV (≤5%) may indicate a close hereditary clan in the birds that belong to the same genus. In addition, the results indicate that there are considerable differences in the morphometrical measurement of the three species of Vanellus. Eggs, as all of these variables have ≤5% CV. Our preliminary results, which were obtained for the first time, may contribute to the conservation efforts of these wetlands-dwelling birds in Iraq.