Vanellus vanellus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	CHARADRIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Vanellus vanellus

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Lapwing, Northern Lapwing
French	–	Vanneau huppé

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Mischenko, A., Stroud, D., Trolliet, B., Chan, S.

Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belarus; Belgium; Bhutan; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Egypt; Estonia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Gibraltar; Greece; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam Vagrant: Antigua and Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Bermuda; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Cape Verde; Dominica; Gambia; Greenland; Guadeloupe; Kenya; Martinique; Montserrat; Puerto Rico; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Senegal; Sudan; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Tajikistan; Turks and Caicos Islands; United States; Yemen
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Countries:

Native:

Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belarus; Belgium; Bhutan; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Egypt; Estonia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Gibraltar; Greece; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam

Vagrant:

Antigua and Barbuda; Bahamas; Barbados; Bermuda; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Cape Verde; Dominica; Gambia; Greenland; Guadeloupe; Kenya; Martinique; Montserrat; Puerto Rico; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Senegal; Sudan; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Tajikistan; Turks and Caicos Islands; United States; Yemen

Range Map:

Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour Most populations of this species are fully migratory^{6, 10} and travel on a broad front out of Europe¹⁰ although some breeding populations in more temperate regions are sedentary⁶. The species breeds from April to July⁷ in solitary pairs⁶ although pairs may also nest close together⁸, even semi-colonially²⁵, in optimal habitat⁸. The species may roost communally at night during both the breeding and non-breeding seasons⁹ and after breeding the species gathers in large flocks for migration^{6, 7} and remains highly gregarious during the winter^{9, 10} in flocks of several thousand⁷. Habitat Breeding The species shows a preference for breeding on wet natural grasslands²⁵, meadows and hay meadows⁶ with short swards^{7, 23} and patches of bare soil⁸ at low altitudes⁷ (less than 1,000 m)¹⁰. It will also breed on grassy moors, swampy heaths^{6, 8}, bogs⁸ and arable fields⁶. Non- breeding During the winter the species utilises large open pastures for roosting⁶ and forages on damp grassland, irrigated land⁹, stubble and ploughed fields⁶, riverbanks, lake shores, fresh and saline marshes, drainage ditches, estuaries and mudflats (Africa)⁹. Diet Its diet consists of adult and larval insects⁶ (e.g. beetles, ants, Diptera, crickets⁶, grasshoppers, dragonflies, mayflies, cicadas and Lepidoptera)⁹, spiders, snails⁶, earthworms^{6, 9}, frogs, small fish (Africa)⁹ and seeds or other plant material (Africa)⁹. Breeding site The nest is a shallow scrape in short grass vegetation⁶. Management information Short swards are the most profitable foraging habitat for the species²³ so the application of cattle-grazing¹⁷, preferably intensively (e.g. > 1 cow per hectare), may be successful in increasing abundances of the species on grasslands¹⁵. On coastal grazing saltmarsh however it may be desirable to exclude cattle from selected areas in the spring where the rate of grass growth is slow²⁴. In the UK it has been found that a mosaic of unflooded grassland, winter-flooded grassland and shallow pools may provide optimal conditions for this species to breed¹⁶. It has also been found that shallow pools on coastal grazing marshes should be maintained until the end of June, as the aquatic invertebrates contained within them can be an important part of this species's diet²². Another UK study found that the species shows a preference for feeding in rills (relict saltmarsh drainage channels) in coastal grazing marshes, especially those with many branches¹⁹. It is possible to attract breeding pairs just by flooding rills during April and May to create water-margin habitats for feeding, rather than extensively flooding the land (i.e. marshes can therefore be managed to encourage lapwing breeding without preventing the grazing of cattle)¹⁹. At Lower Lough Erne in Northern Ireland the species showed a preference for nesting in the spring on open areas created by cutting rush beds in mid-winter¹⁸. It is also known to show increased hatching successes when ground predators have been excluded by erecting protective cages or fences around individual nests or nesting areas^{21, 26}. The number of breeding pairs on improved grassland was successfully increased on a reserve in Wales by the implementation of a two-year rotation of chisel ploughing, as well as a seasonal sheep and cattle grazing regime and a controlled increase in the water-level²⁰.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Most populations of this species are fully migratory^{6, 10} and travel on a broad front out of Europe¹⁰ although some breeding populations in more temperate regions are sedentary⁶. The species breeds from April to July⁷ in solitary pairs⁶ although pairs may also nest close together⁸, even semi-colonially²⁵, in optimal habitat⁸. The species may roost communally at night during both the breeding and non-breeding seasons⁹ and after breeding the species gathers in large flocks for migration^{6, 7} and remains highly gregarious during the winter^{9, 10} in flocks of several thousand⁷. Habitat Breeding The species shows a preference for breeding on wet natural grasslands²⁵, meadows and hay meadows⁶ with short swards^{7, 23} and patches of bare soil⁸ at low altitudes⁷ (less than 1,000 m)¹⁰. It will also breed on grassy moors, swampy heaths^{6, 8}, bogs⁸ and arable fields⁶. Non- breeding During the winter the species utilises large open pastures for roosting⁶ and forages on damp grassland, irrigated land⁹, stubble and ploughed fields⁶, riverbanks, lake shores, fresh and saline marshes, drainage ditches, estuaries and mudflats (Africa)⁹. Diet Its diet consists of adult and larval insects⁶ (e.g. beetles, ants, Diptera, crickets⁶, grasshoppers, dragonflies, mayflies, cicadas and Lepidoptera)⁹, spiders, snails⁶, earthworms^{6, 9}, frogs, small fish (Africa)⁹ and seeds or other plant material (Africa)⁹. Breeding site The nest is a shallow scrape in short grass vegetation⁶. Management information Short swards are the most profitable foraging habitat for the species²³ so the application of cattle-grazing¹⁷, preferably intensively (e.g. > 1 cow per hectare), may be successful in increasing abundances of the species on grasslands¹⁵. On coastal grazing saltmarsh however it may be desirable to exclude cattle from selected areas in the spring where the rate of grass growth is slow²⁴. In the UK it has been found that a mosaic of unflooded grassland, winter-flooded grassland and shallow pools may provide optimal conditions for this species to breed¹⁶. It has also been found that shallow pools on coastal grazing marshes should be maintained until the end of June, as the aquatic invertebrates contained within them can be an important part of this species's diet²². Another UK study found that the species shows a preference for feeding in rills (relict saltmarsh drainage channels) in coastal grazing marshes, especially those with many branches¹⁹. It is possible to attract breeding pairs just by flooding rills during April and May to create water-margin habitats for feeding, rather than extensively flooding the land (i.e. marshes can therefore be managed to encourage lapwing breeding without preventing the grazing of cattle)¹⁹. At Lower Lough Erne in Northern Ireland the species showed a preference for nesting in the spring on open areas created by cutting rush beds in mid-winter¹⁸. It is also known to show increased hatching successes when ground predators have been excluded by erecting protective cages or fences around individual nests or nesting areas^{21, 26}. The number of breeding pairs on improved grassland was successfully increased on a reserve in Wales by the implementation of a two-year rotation of chisel ploughing, as well as a seasonal sheep and cattle grazing regime and a controlled increase in the water-level²⁰.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species suffered past declines as a result of land-use intensification, wetland drainage and egg collecting⁶. Today it is threatened by reduced breeding productivity as a result of intensifying and changing agricultural practices⁶, especially the improvement of grasslands (e.g. by drainage, inorganic fertilising and reseeding)¹⁴. Important migratory stop-over habitats for this species on the Baltic Sea coastline are threatened by petroleum pollution, wetland drainage for irrigation, land abandonment and changing land management practices leading to scrub overgrowth¹². Clutch destruction may also occur during spring cultivation (using machinery) on arable fields⁶. The species is susceptible to avian botulism so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the disease¹³, and may suffer from nest predation by introduced mammals (e.g. European hedgehog Erinaceus europeaus) on some islands²⁶. Utilisation The species is hunted for commercial use (to be sold as food) and for recreational purposes in Iran¹¹, and is hunted in France, Greece, Italy and Spain²⁵.

Major Threat(s):

This species suffered past declines as a result of land-use intensification, wetland drainage and egg collecting⁶. Today it is threatened by reduced breeding productivity as a result of intensifying and changing agricultural practices⁶, especially the improvement of grasslands (e.g. by drainage, inorganic fertilising and reseeding)¹⁴. Important migratory stop-over habitats for this species on the Baltic Sea coastline are threatened by petroleum pollution, wetland drainage for irrigation, land abandonment and changing land management practices leading to scrub overgrowth¹². Clutch destruction may also occur during spring cultivation (using machinery) on arable fields⁶. The species is susceptible to avian botulism so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the disease¹³, and may suffer from nest predation by introduced mammals (e.g. European hedgehog Erinaceus europeaus) on some islands²⁶. Utilisation The species is hunted for commercial use (to be sold as food) and for recreational purposes in Iran¹¹, and is hunted in France, Greece, Italy and Spain²⁵.

Bibliography [top]

	Ausden, M.; Rowlands, A.; Sutherland, W. J.; James, R. 2003. Diet of breeding Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Redshank Tringa totanus on coastal grazing marsh and implications for habitat management. Bird Study 50: 285-293. Ausden, M.; Sutherland, W. J.; James, R. 2001. The effects of flooding lowland wet grassland on soil macroinvertebrate prey of breeding wading birds. Journal of Applied Ecology 38: 320-338. Baines, D. 1988. The effects of improvement of upland grassland on the distribution and density of breeding wading birds (Charadriiformes) in northern England. Biological Conservation 45: 221-236. Baldi, A.; Batary, B.; Erdos, S. 2005. Effects of grazing intensity on bird assemblages and populations of Hungarian grasslands. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 108: 251-263. Balmaki, B.; Barati, A. 2006. Harvesting status of migratory waterfowl in northern Iran: a case study from Gilan Province. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 868-869. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. BirdLife International. 2004. Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K. del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Devereux, C. L.; McKeever, C. U.; Benton, T. G.; Whittingham, M. J. 2004. The effect of sward height and drainage on Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris and Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus foraging in grassland habitats. Ibis 146: 115-122. Grishanov, D. 2006. Conservation problems of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds and their habitats in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 356. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Hart, J. D.; Milsom, T. P.; Baxter, A.; Kelly, P. F.; Parkin, W. K. 2002. The impact of livestock on Lapwing Vanellus vanellus breeding densities and performance on coastal grazing marsh. Bird Study 49(1): 67-78. Hayman, P.; Marchant, J.; Prater, A. J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London. Hubalek, Z., Skorpikova, V.; Horal, D. 2005. Avian botulism at a sugar beet processing plant in South Moravia (Czech Republic). Vetinarni Medicina 50(10): 443-445. Isaksson, D.; Wallander, J.; Larsson, M. 2007. Managing predation on ground-nesting birds: the effectiveness of nest exclosures. Biological Conservation 136: 136-142. Jackson, D. B. 2001. Experimental Removal of Introduced Hedgehogs Improves Wader Nest Success in the Western Isles, Scotland. Journal of Applied Ecology 38(4): 802-812. Johnsgard, P. A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London. Milsom, T. P.; Hart, J. D.; Parkin, W. K.; Peel, S. 2002. Management of coastal grazing marshes for breeding waders: the importance of surface topography and wetness. Biological Conservation 103: 199-207. Olsen, H.; Schmidt, N. M. 2004. Impacts of wet grassland management and winter severity on wader breeding numbers in eastern Denmark. Basic and Applied Ecology 5: 203-210. Robson, B.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. Rush cutting to create nesting patches for lapwings Vanellus vanellus and other waders, Lower Lough Erne RSPB reserve, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Conservation Evidence 3: 81-83. Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Squires, R.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. The effect of chisel ploughing to create nesting habitat for breeding lapwings Vanellus vanellus at Ynys-Hir RSPB reserve, Powys, Wales. Conservation Evidence 3: 77-78. Trolliet, B. 2003. Elements for a lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) management plan. Game and Wildlife Science 20((1-2)): 93-144. Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London.

Ausden, M.; Rowlands, A.; Sutherland, W. J.; James, R. 2003. Diet of breeding Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Redshank Tringa totanus on coastal grazing marsh and implications for habitat management. Bird Study 50: 285-293.

Ausden, M.; Sutherland, W. J.; James, R. 2001. The effects of flooding lowland wet grassland on soil macroinvertebrate prey of breeding wading birds. Journal of Applied Ecology 38: 320-338.

Baines, D. 1988. The effects of improvement of upland grassland on the distribution and density of breeding wading birds (Charadriiformes) in northern England. Biological Conservation 45: 221-236.

Baldi, A.; Batary, B.; Erdos, S. 2005. Effects of grazing intensity on bird assemblages and populations of Hungarian grasslands. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 108: 251-263.

Balmaki, B.; Barati, A. 2006. Harvesting status of migratory waterfowl in northern Iran: a case study from Gilan Province. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 868-869. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

BirdLife International. 2004. Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Devereux, C. L.; McKeever, C. U.; Benton, T. G.; Whittingham, M. J. 2004. The effect of sward height and drainage on Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris and Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus foraging in grassland habitats. Ibis 146: 115-122.

Grishanov, D. 2006. Conservation problems of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds and their habitats in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 356. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Hart, J. D.; Milsom, T. P.; Baxter, A.; Kelly, P. F.; Parkin, W. K. 2002. The impact of livestock on Lapwing Vanellus vanellus breeding densities and performance on coastal grazing marsh. Bird Study 49(1): 67-78.

Hayman, P.; Marchant, J.; Prater, A. J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London.

Hubalek, Z., Skorpikova, V.; Horal, D. 2005. Avian botulism at a sugar beet processing plant in South Moravia (Czech Republic). Vetinarni Medicina 50(10): 443-445.

Isaksson, D.; Wallander, J.; Larsson, M. 2007. Managing predation on ground-nesting birds: the effectiveness of nest exclosures. Biological Conservation 136: 136-142.

Jackson, D. B. 2001. Experimental Removal of Introduced Hedgehogs Improves Wader Nest Success in the Western Isles, Scotland. Journal of Applied Ecology 38(4): 802-812.

Johnsgard, P. A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London.

Milsom, T. P.; Hart, J. D.; Parkin, W. K.; Peel, S. 2002. Management of coastal grazing marshes for breeding waders: the importance of surface topography and wetness. Biological Conservation 103: 199-207.

Olsen, H.; Schmidt, N. M. 2004. Impacts of wet grassland management and winter severity on wader breeding numbers in eastern Denmark. Basic and Applied Ecology 5: 203-210.

Robson, B.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. Rush cutting to create nesting patches for lapwings Vanellus vanellus and other waders, Lower Lough Erne RSPB reserve, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Conservation Evidence 3: 81-83.

Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Squires, R.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. The effect of chisel ploughing to create nesting habitat for breeding lapwings Vanellus vanellus at Ynys-Hir RSPB reserve, Powys, Wales. Conservation Evidence 3: 77-78.

Trolliet, B. 2003. Elements for a lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) management plan. Game and Wildlife Science 20((1-2)): 93-144.

Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Vanellus vanellus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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