Wildlife

Lapwing Welfare on Wetland and Farmland in 2025

The lapwing has declined by 50% since the 1970s. Drainage of wetlands and changes to arable farming have eliminated breeding habitat across most of lowland Britain.

Key Facts

UK lapwing breeding population fell from 200,000+ pairs in the 1980s to under 100,000 pairs
Lapwings need short, sparse vegetation for nesting and wet grassland for chick feeding
Drainage of traditional wet grassland and marshes has destroyed vast areas of nesting habitat
They are highly sensitive to predator pressure — foxes and crows take a high proportion of nests
RSPB reserves managing water levels for lapwing have produced strong local recoveries

Welfare Considerations

Lapwing chicks are mobile from hatching but depend on short, wet vegetation where invertebrate prey is accessible near the surface. Dry, intensively managed grassland fails to support chick survival even where adults can nest. Predator-related nest failure is significant but secondary to habitat quality — lapwings nesting in poor habitat face starvation even if nests succeed. Wet grassland restoration is the highest-priority welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Support Wildlife Trust and RSPB wet grassland restoration on reserves
Advocate for agri-environment funding for wet grassland in Environmental Land Management
Report lapwing nesting attempts to county bird recorders
Visit and support nature reserves where lapwing management is active
Back predator management as part of comprehensive lapwing recovery projects