Bird 🐦
🐦
Vanellus vanellus
| Size | 28–31 cm About the size of a small pigeon |
|---|---|
| Weight | 128–330 g About the weight of a large apple |
| Lifespan | 5 years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Males have a longer crest and bolder black-and-white face pattern; females have a shorter crest and some white in the black face area |
| Habitat | Farmland, wet grassland, moorland, estuaries — needs bare or short vegetation for nesting |
| Best time | Year-round; spectacular flocking in winter; displaying on farmland from February |
| Conservation | UK: Red LC |
Did you know?
The Lapwing's tumbling display flight over farmland in spring, with its 'pee-wit' calls, was once one of the most familiar sights in the British countryside — now a sign of decreasing rarity
The Lapwing's tumbling display flight over farmland in spring, with its 'pee-wit' calls, was once one of the most familiar sights in the British countryside — now a sign of decreasing rarity
More for experts
Lapwings are a keystone farmland species — their decline of 75% since the 1970s is a direct result of the shift from spring-sown to autumn-sown cereals, which removes their nesting habitat
Often confused with
Golden Plover (golden-speckled, no crest, no iridescent back), Grey Plover (winter — grey, no crest)
Golden Plover (golden-speckled, no crest, no iridescent back), Grey Plover (winter — grey, no crest)