The lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) — also known as the peewit for its distinctive call — was once one of the most familiar and abundant farmland birds in Britain. Population decline of over 50% since the 1970s has placed it on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern, making it a priority species for conservation attention.
Lapwings breed on open, short grassland, arable land, moorland, and wetland margins from February to June. They nest on the ground in shallow scrapes, relying on camouflage and distraction displays to protect eggs and chicks. Chicks are precocial (mobile soon after hatching) and feed on invertebrates in tussocky grassland, rushing to the warmth of the brooding parent in cold or wet weather. They are highly sensitive to predation — foxes, corvids, and hedgehogs are major predators of ground-nesting lapwing.
RSPB reserves with active lapwing management (Minsmere, Elmley, Titchwell) demonstrate that targeted intervention can maintain and increase lapwing populations. The Nene Washes and other wetland sites show what is achievable with appropriate water level management. These successes require ongoing active management rather than passive protection.