# Northern Lapwing (*Vanellus vanellus*) The Northern Lapwing is a beautiful bird with a striking black and white body and a long crest on its head. It loves to be near fields and wetlands, where it can find tasty insects and worms to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Green Plover, Peewit ![Northern Lapwing](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Northern-Lapwing-Vanellus-vanellus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern-Lapwing-Vanellus-vanellus.jpg) ## Appearance The Northern Lapwing has glossy dark green-black upperparts that shimmer with purple and bronze, and a striking white face with a black gorget. It boasts a long, thin crest and broad, rounded wings, making its flight distinctive. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Charadriidae - **Genus:** Vanellus ## Interesting facts - Its nickname, 'Peewit,' comes from the unique sound of its calls! - Lapwings often nest on the ground in open fields, keeping their babies safe. - Male lapwings perform amazing 'butterfly dances' in the air to impress females! - The Northern Lapwing's eggs are camouflaged, blending in perfectly with the soil! ## Special abilities - **Acrobatic Flight Master:** Northern Lapwing can perform amazing aerial displays and tumbles during courtship or to defend territory. - **Parental Protector:** Northern Lapwing can feign injury, flapping wings and dragging a leg, to distract predators from its nest or chicks. - **Crested Communicator:** Northern Lapwing has a long, wispy crest that helps them signal mood or readiness during breeding season. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 28-31 cm - **Wingspan:** 67-72 cm - **Weight:** 0.128-0.33 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-10 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 24-31 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding These birds love munching on worms and bugs they find by probing in the soil! - **Age differences:** Juveniles start with smaller invertebrates, gradually eating the same as adults. - **Primary Foods:** Earthworms, Insect larvae, Beetles, Slugs, Snails - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — Digs for these in soft soil. - **Eats:** [Ground Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ground-beetle) (*Carabus nemoralis*) — Forages for these insects on farmland. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Foxes frequently predate on nests and young. - **Eaten by:** Least Weasel (*Mustela nivalis*) — Preys on eggs and small chicks. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Crested](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/crested): Crested describes animals possessing a prominent tuft of feathers, hair, or skin on their head. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a bird's nest, be sure to look but don't touch it. The birds need their homes to stay safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Northern Lapwing? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Northern Lapwing? 28-31 cm ### What is Northern Lapwing's wingspan? 67-72 cm ### How much does Northern Lapwing weigh? 0.128-0.33 kg ### How long does Northern Lapwing live? 3-10 years ### How fast can Northern Lapwing move? 60 km/h ### What does Northern Lapwing eat? These birds love munching on worms and bugs they find by probing in the soil! ### Where is Northern Lapwing usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Fota Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fota-wildlife-park) — Municipal District of Cobh, IE · Zoo - [Biosphärenreservat Bliesgau](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/biospharenreservat-bliesgau) — Saarland, DE · Park - [Naturpark Dümmer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dummer-nature-park) — Niedersachsen; Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Hümmling](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hummling-nature-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park - [Biosphärenregion Berchtesgadener Land](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berchtesgadener-land-biosphere-region) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Knowsley Safari Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knowsley-safari-park) — England, GB · Zoo [View all places to see Northern Lapwing](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/northern-lapwing) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Northern Lapwing: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-lapwing)