Wildlife

Wild Lapwing Farmland Conservation

Lapwings have declined by over 60% from UK farmland since the 1970s and require specific agricultural management to support breeding success.

Key Facts

UK lapwing breeding populations have fallen from 250,000 to under 100,000 pairs
Spring-tilled fields and permanent wet grasslands are priority nesting habitats
Chicks require short, diverse vegetation with invertebrate-rich bare ground
Agricultural machinery destroys nests during early spring tillage operations
Agri-environment scheme options specifically targeting lapwing recovery have shown results

Welfare Considerations

Lapwing chick mortality from agricultural machinery causes direct suffering. Chicks that hatch in fields without adequate invertebrate prey starve progressively over days. Adult lapwings defend nests vigorously against predators, exposing themselves to predation stress. Creating nest-safe zones and maintaining wet grassland invertebrate diversity addresses the root welfare and conservation causes of lapwing decline.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB and GWCT farmland bird conservation programmes
Advocate for lapwing-targeted agri-environment scheme options in agricultural policy
Choose produce from farms participating in higher-tier agri-environment agreements