Taxonomic information
Common Name: Northern Lapwing
Latin Name: Vanellus vanellus
Family: Charadriidae
Description
Northern lapwingThe sight of the male lapwings undertaking their spectacular tumbling display flights is often thought of as one of the first signs of spring in the Dales. During these displays, the wheezing and far carrying ‘peewit’ call gives rise to one of the local names for this species. They will nest in a wide range of wet or damp habitats where there is short vegetation from the dale bottoms right up to the fell tops. After good breeding seasons, large flocks of adult and young birds will congregate on the low lying land. Many will remain in the uplands until the first frosts of winter force the birds to move to lowland arable areas.
Upland areas such as the Dales are the key breeding areas in the country for many breeding waders such as the lapwing. Survey work has shown that nationally important numbers of breeding lapwing are found in the Yorkshire Dales National Park with up to 2,900 pairs found on moorland areas during the early 1990s and up to 1,500 pairs found on enclosed grassland in 2000.
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