Northern Lapwing

Northern lapwings are migratory Palearctic shorebirds distributed across Europe, the Mediterranean, northern Africa, Russia, China, Mongolia, Korea, and parts of Southeast Asia. They inhabit open agricultural fields, pastures, moors, wetlands, and taiga landscapes, generally between 200 and 1,000 metres elevation. Adults are 28–31 centimetres long and weigh 128–330 grams. Their white belly, dark breast, iridescent green-purple wings, rounded wing shape, and long, wispy crest create a distinctive appearance (Animal Diversity Web).

Lapwings forage mainly during daylight, eating earthworms, leatherjackets and other invertebrates, small fish, seeds, and plant matter. Pastures can be especially productive because they support abundant earthworms, which are also important food for chicks. Breeding occurs from April through July in solitary pairs across farmland, pasture, moorland, and wetlands. Females can reproduce at one year old. Adults may return to breeding country as early as January, often settling within 50 kilometres of where they hatched (Animal Diversity Web).