Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) is a member of the Charadriidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 218 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Charadriidae Plovers
- Genus Vanellus
- Species vanellus
Where it lives
Widespread inland temperate and subarctic Eurasia: British Isles, Scandinavia and Baltic states to Iberian Pen. east through southern, central Russia to southeastern Russia and northeastern China, south through Turkey and Caspian region, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia (northwestern, north-central China)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 218 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Charadriidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern Lapwing is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Northern Lapwing is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) is a species of plovers in the family Charadriidae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia — widespread inland temperate and subarctic Eurasia: British Isles, Scandinavia and Baltic states to Iberian Pen. e through s, c Russia to se Russia and ne China, s through Turkey and Caspian region, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia (nw, nc China).
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Lapwing?
The Northern Lapwing is a large bird that weighs around 218 g.
Where does the Northern Lapwing live?
The Northern Lapwing is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL widespread inland temperate and subarctic Eurasia: British Isles, Scandinavia and Baltic states to Iberian Pen. e through s, c Russia to se Russia and ne China, s through Turkey and Caspian region, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia (nw, nc China), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Northern Lapwing belong to?
The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) belongs to the Charadriidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Northern Lapwing eat?
The Northern Lapwing is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Northern Lapwing migrate?
The Northern Lapwing is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Northern Lapwing endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Northern Lapwing make?
1 real field recording of the Northern Lapwing — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Northern Lapwing's range?
The Northern Lapwing has a mapped global range of about 18.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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