This lapwing is easily identified by its black, white and grey plumage. Adults have red eyes and a black bill. Spurs on the wing are larger in males than females. The black plumage in juveniles is browner with buff tips to the feathers.

Blacksmith lapwings occur on the African continent from Tanzania in the east and Angola in west down to south Africa. A common resident throughout South Africa.

Found in a variety of habitats from moist, short grasslands, road verges, sports field, mudflats around dams, estuaries, rivers lakes and saltpans to airports. They can be seen in variety of habitats around the Breede including freshwater pans, mud and sandflats along the middle and upper reaches of the estuary.

An aggressive bird during the breeding season as they will chase other waders, raptors, gulls, herons and starlings out of their territory. The nest is usually a scrape near a water body with several made before the best is chosen. The scrape is lined with vegetation and stones. On average 3-4 eggs are laid throughout the year, with a peak between July and August in the Western Cape. Eggs are incubated for 26-33 days by the male and female. Fledging occurs after about 40 days and the young birds only leave parents after another 30 days. The overall breeding success of this species is 23%.

This lapwing uses sight to look for food by scanning while either standing still or moving very slowly. Once the prey item has been found it darts forward towards it. They eat small aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates such as molluscs, gastropods, worms and insects.

The blacksmith lapwing can live for at least 14.5 years. Numbers and range have expanded in the last 100 years due to man-made wetlands and altered habitats. The first blacksmith lapwing in the Western Cape was in 1939.