Lapwing
The Northern Lapwing, also known as the peewit, pewit, tuit or tew-it (imitative of its cry), Green Plover (emphasising the colour of the plumage) or (in the UK) just Lapwing (which refers to its peculiar, erratic way of flying), is a bird in the lapwing family.
The Lapwing has rounded wings and a crest. It is also the shortest-legged of the lapwing species. It is mainly black and white but the back is tinted green. The male has a long crest and a black crown, throat and breast contrasting with an otherwise white face. Females and young birds have shorter crests and have less strongly marked heads but plumages are otherwise quite similar.
The Lapwing is a vocal bird in the breeding season with constant calling as the crazed tumbling display flight is performed by the male. The typical contact call is a loud, shrill "pee-wit" from which they get their other name of peewit.
The Lapwing is common through temperate Eurasia and breeds on cultivated land and other short vegetation habitats. The ground scrape nest and young are defended noisily and aggressively against all intruders. It is highly migratory over most of its extensive range, wintering further south as far as north Africa, north India, Pakistan and parts of China. It migrates mainly by day, often in large flocks. Lowland breeders in the westernmost areas of Europe are resident. In winter, it forms huge flocks on open land, particularly arable land and mud-flats.
In the UK, the Lapwing has suffered a significant decline in the last 25 years and is an Amber List species because of the importance of its UK wintering population. It breeds on farmland throughout the UK, particularly in lowland areas of north England, the Borders and east Scotland, and prefers fields of spring sown cereals and root crops, permanent unimproved pasture, meadows and fallow fields but also wet grassland and marshes. During the winter, the Lapwing can be seen on flooded grassland, estuaries, coastal wetlands, short grassy fields and ploughed fields. In addition to the UK population, large numbers of north European birds arrive in the autumn for the winter.
The Lapwing feeds primarily on insects and other small invertebrates. It often feeds in mixed flocks with Golden Plovers and Black-headed Gulls, the latter often robbing the plovers, but providing a degree of protection against predators.
Date: 14th April 2022
Location: RSPB Rye Meads, Hertfordshire
The Lapwing has rounded wings and a crest. It is also the shortest-legged of the lapwing species. It is mainly black and white but the back is tinted green. The male has a long crest and a black crown, throat and breast contrasting with an otherwise white face. Females and young birds have shorter crests and have less strongly marked heads but plumages are otherwise quite similar.
The Lapwing is a vocal bird in the breeding season with constant calling as the crazed tumbling display flight is performed by the male. The typical contact call is a loud, shrill "pee-wit" from which they get their other name of peewit.
The Lapwing is common through temperate Eurasia and breeds on cultivated land and other short vegetation habitats. The ground scrape nest and young are defended noisily and aggressively against all intruders. It is highly migratory over most of its extensive range, wintering further south as far as north Africa, north India, Pakistan and parts of China. It migrates mainly by day, often in large flocks. Lowland breeders in the westernmost areas of Europe are resident. In winter, it forms huge flocks on open land, particularly arable land and mud-flats.
In the UK, the Lapwing has suffered a significant decline in the last 25 years and is an Amber List species because of the importance of its UK wintering population. It breeds on farmland throughout the UK, particularly in lowland areas of north England, the Borders and east Scotland, and prefers fields of spring sown cereals and root crops, permanent unimproved pasture, meadows and fallow fields but also wet grassland and marshes. During the winter, the Lapwing can be seen on flooded grassland, estuaries, coastal wetlands, short grassy fields and ploughed fields. In addition to the UK population, large numbers of north European birds arrive in the autumn for the winter.
The Lapwing feeds primarily on insects and other small invertebrates. It often feeds in mixed flocks with Golden Plovers and Black-headed Gulls, the latter often robbing the plovers, but providing a degree of protection against predators.
Date: 14th April 2022
Location: RSPB Rye Meads, Hertfordshire
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Also in: Plovers
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