Vanellus vanellus
The Northern Lapwing, *Vanellus vanellus*, is a distinctive and charismatic shorebird instantly recognizable by its long, wispy crest and striking iridescent plumage. Measuring approximately 28-31 cm (11-12 inches) in length with a wingspan of 70-80 cm (28-31 inches) and weighing 128-330 grams (4.5-11.6 ounces), it boasts glossy green-purple upperparts that shimmer in the sunlight, contrasting sharply with its pure white belly and a broad black band across its chest. The under-tail coverts ar...
Found in open, short-vegetation environments, including agricultural fields, wet grasslands, pastures, moorland, and coastal mudflats, typically at low elevations.
Primarily consumes invertebrates, including earthworms, insect larvae (especially beetles and flies), spiders, and snails, obtained by probing soft soil or surface gleaning; occasionally supplements with seeds.
Northern Lapwings are diurnal and gregarious, often forming large, vocal flocks outside the breeding season, roosting communally in open fields. They are visual foragers, employing a 'foot-trembling' technique to disturb prey from the soil, followed by rapid pecking or probing of soft ground for ...
The Northern Lapwing has a vast Palearctic breeding range, stretching across temperate Europe and Asia, from the Atlantic coast of Ireland and the UK eastward through Scandinavia, Central Europe, Russia, and into parts of Siberia and East Asia, including Japan. In winter, most populations migrate...
Least Concern
- The Northern Lapwing is often called a 'peewit' because its distinctive two-note call sounds like 'pee-wit, pee-wit'. - Males perform an incredible 'tumbling' aerial display during courtship, flying erratically with dramatic dives and twists. - Their iridescent green-purple back plumage is not ...