Farmland Birds

Lapwing Welfare and Arable Field Nesting Challenges

Lapwings have declined by 52% in the UK since 1987, largely due to changes in arable farming practices that have eliminated suitable nesting habitat. Creating and managing lapwing scrapes and wet features on farmland can reverse local declines.

Key Facts

UK lapwing populations declined by 52% between 1987 and 2021
They require bare or sparsely vegetated ground for nesting, preferring shallow wet features
Modern cereal crops rapidly become too tall for lapwing nesting by April
Lapwing nesting on arable land results in frequent nest destruction by machinery
Set-aside land and wet grassland under agri-environment schemes support lapwing recovery

Welfare Considerations

Lapwing nests destroyed by farm machinery represent acute welfare events for eggs and newly hatched chicks. Adults that lose nests repeatedly in a season may undertake up to three nest attempts, each requiring significant energy investment. Chicks that hatch on intensively farmed land face high predation risk due to lack of cover. The welfare impact of chronic breeding failure in declining populations compounds over the lifetime of individual birds.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB Lapwing Pledges campaign for farmland bird friendly management
Advocate for agri-environment scheme payments for lapwing scrapes and nesting areas
Report lapwing nesting to local Wildlife Trusts for monitoring
Donate to Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust farmland bird research
Encourage farmers to create wet features and delay cultivation on lapwing nesting fields