Shrill-voiced cousin of a plover

• Plover relative
• Black-headed gull
• Small olive-colored woodland flycatchers of eastern North America
• Old World bird
• Small black-headed European gull
• Exercise intelligence of bird
• Little bird

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"lapwing" (still the usual name for it in Scotland), 1520s, imitative of its cry (compare Flemish piewit-voghel , Middle Low German kivit , German kiwitz ; also see kibitz ).

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Laughing \Laugh"ing\, a. & n. from Laugh , v. i. Laughing falcon (Zo["o]l.), a South American hawk ( Herpetotheres cachinnans ); -- so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. Laughing gas (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen ...