Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Genus · Lapwings Family · Plovers and Lapwings
Observation tips Difficulty: EASY
Best time
🕒 Any
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Best months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Observation habitat
FarmlandMarshy grasslandRiver

Look for its slow, floppy wingbeats and the long crest. In winter, they gather in massive flocks on flooded fields and coastal wetlands.

Northern Lapwing

♂ Male · ♀ Female

Stats
Wingspan67–87 cm
Weight130–330 g
Length28–32 cm
Lifespan wild4–18 yrs
Size
XS
S
M
L
XL
Nesting
Nest typeScrape
Clutch size3–4 eggs
Incubation24–28 days
Breeding months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Regional Status (Europe)
NT
Near Threatened (Europe)
IUCN Red List
MigrationPartial migratory
Social BehaviourFlocking

Diet: Carnivore

🦗Insects
🐛Larvae
🐌Snails
🕷️Spiders
🪱Worms

Habitat

🚜 Farmland🌊 Marine🌾 Marsh🏙️ Urban
✦ Fun Fact

Lapwing eggs were once considered a delicacy across Europe, and large-scale egg collecting continued until legal protection was introduced in many countries during the 20th century.

About

A medium-sized wader of farmland and wetlands. It has a very distinctive silhouette with broad, rounded 'paddle' wings and a long, thin crest. From a distance, it looks black and white, but up close, its back shows a stunning iridescent green and purple sheen. It is a resident or short-distance migrant.

Behaviour

Lapwings are famous for their acrobatic display flights in spring, where the males tumble and dive through the air with a loud 'lapping' sound from their wings. They nest on the ground in open fields. They are highly territorial during breeding and will dive-bomb intruders with their piercing 'pee-wit' cry. When a predator approaches the nest, they may also perform a broken-wing display to lure it away from their eggs.

Sexual Dimorphism

♂ Male

Has a much longer crest and a more solid black throat and breast. During the spring display, his wing shape is even more rounded than the female's.

♀ Female

Has a shorter crest and her black face/throat markings are often mottled with white. Her wings are slightly narrower.

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