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Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus


Where is it found?

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Farmland and wetland

Diet and foraging

Eats animals
Searches for invertebrates in the surface soil layers by systematically scanning the ground and listening for its preys movement.
Eats insects
Eats worms

Key adaptations

Robust, stout bill for probing the soil surface layers

Social organisation and mating system

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Forms huge flocks in winter
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Individuals for socially monogamous pairs for breeding, but some promiscuity occurs. Cooperative breeding sometimes occurs too; this is when individuals help to rear another pairs chicks.

Did you know that...?

The Lapwing's name comes from the Old English word hleapewince which means "leap with a flicker in it". This name may have come from the flickering appearance of Lapwing's wings when flying in large flocks due to their wings tips being dark black. 

Taxonomy

Picture

Picture credits:

Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Vanellus vanellus 2 (Marek Szczepanek)". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vanellus_vanellus_2_(Marek_Szczepanek).jpg#/media/File:Vanellus_vanellus_2_(Marek_Szczepanek).jpg
 "Vanellus vanellus (profile)" by © Hans Hillewaert /. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vanellus_vanellus_(profile).jpg#/media/File:Vanellus_vanellus_(profile).jpg
"XN Vanellus vanellus 605" by Guido Gerding - Personal photograph taken by Author, URL: Ex :: Natura - Freies Portal für Umweltbildung (Environmental Education). Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:XN_Vanellus_vanellus_605.jpg#/media/File:XN_Vanellus_vanellus_605.jpg
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