Aim of the work: The present study aims to describe and compare between the different parts of the alimentary canal of Spur-winged lapwing Vanellus spinosus from the histological and histochemical reviews.
Materials and methods: This animal was caught from its natural habitat (Nile Delta in Egypt); dissected and the alimentary canal was fixed in the suitable fixatives for histological and histochemical investigations.
Results: Histological findings revealed that the alimentary canal wall in different parts under investigation is consisted of four main layers which are; serosa, muscularis, submucosa and mucosa. The serosa is composed of simple squamous epithelium.  The muscularis is formed of outer circular and inner longitudinal muscle fibers. The submucosa is showing green colour with Masson's stain due to its content of connective tissue. The mucosal folds of oesophagus are characterized by stratified squamous epithelium. At the base of these folds, oesophageal glands which secrete acid mucopolysacchride are located. The stomach composed of two parts; cardiac (glandular) and pyloric (muscular). The gastric glands of glanular portion are differentiated into deep and superficial gastric glands. The deep gastric glands are of compound-branched alveolar and have neutral mucopolysacchride secrections. While, the superficial gastric glands are of compound tubular type and secreting acid and neutral mucopolysacchride since they give blue and red colours with Alcian PAS stain. The gastric glands in muscular portion of stomach, are compound tubular type and have acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. The mucosal villi of duodenum and ileum are characterized by tubular glands (crypts of Leiberkhün), which contain acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. The mucosal layer of rectum is covered by simple columnar epithelium containing goblet cells in addition to the rectal glands.  This layer nature is acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. The histochemical results showed differences in the stainability and distribution of polysaccharides, acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides in different parts of alimentary canal of investigated animal.