The Red-wattled Lapwing is one of India’s most familiar birds, widely known as the “Did ye do it?” bird, on account of its incessant call. In its habitat preferences, it uses any sort of open ground including open woodland. It prefers to be within reach of water and the largest concentrations are found in and near wetlands but it will also occupy dry fields, parks and gardens. It is not unusual to come across a pair in a crowded street or occupying the damp ground around a communal tap.

In spite of the every increasing building on open land and the intensification of agriculture, there appears to be no change in its status over the past 30 years. Partly this is because of its tolerance of a range of habitats, but also perhaps because it is a bold species, unfazed by the proximity or size of humans and ready to defend its eggs and precocial young. It has a long breeding season from February right through the rains, to October. This is in spite of the fact that it nests on the ground and some sites must be prone to flooding. Although several pairs may nest within sight and sound of each other the nests are rarely very close because of the extreme territoriality of the species.