Wildlife

Lapwing Welfare: Wet Grassland Restoration in the UK

The lapwing has suffered one of the steepest declines of any UK farmland bird and targeted wet grassland restoration is central to reversing welfare impacts from habitat loss.

Key Facts

UK lapwing numbers have declined by around 80% since the 1960s
They require short, wet grassland with soft soil for probing earthworms and open areas to spot predators
Drainage of wet grassland and conversion to arable has removed most traditional breeding habitat
Agri-environment schemes creating lapwing scrapes and maintaining wet grassland have helped at some sites

Welfare Considerations

Intense predation pressure from foxes and crows at remaining breeding sites causes high nest failure rates. Nest trampling by livestock occurs where field management does not protect early nesting attempts. Food shortages from earthworm depletion in improved grassland causes nutritional stress in chicks. Active habitat management is essential to provide the structural diversity lapwings need.

What You Can Do

Support wetland creation and wet grassland management through conservation farming
Advocate for targeted agri-environment scheme payments for lapwing nesting habitat
Record lapwing nesting activity and submit to BTO and local recording schemes
Donate to RSPB and Wetland and Wildfowl Trust conservation projects