Lapwings nesting site behaviour & MacFarlane

[scampie]

Hi All

Have just joined living in Cambridge and wondered if there is anyone with knowledge or link to how male lapwings 'show' their potential nesting sites to females. I think I have seen birds doing this but it's only been when driving past and nowhere to stop and observe, out in the fens.

What I saw was a black and white wing which was like a puffed sleeve, the wing looked too big to go with a lapwing's body if you know what I mean. It seemed to me that the bird was flying almost vertically down over a ploughed field and turning in the air.

I noticed posts about Robert MacFarlane's Natural World programme about Essex, any thoughts on that from anyone, was it too romantic or did it inspire you all with hope? I just got The Peregrine - but haven't started it yet. Maybe I should post on that bit of the site. All new to me!!

[Dogghound]

Males display by flying high then tumbling down vertically towards the ground. They build several scrapes which the female inspects then she chooses one. What you have seen is indeed a display flight. They usually build these scrapes in short vegetation. A combination of tilled bare ground and grassland with a short sward is usually best for breeding. It is a species I have done a fair bit of successful habitat management on. Springsown cereals are better for this species. The habitats we provide here always include several large scrapes which fill with water these provide vital insect food for the chicks.

[rossy]

hello scampie and welcome, doghound is right lapwings are very acrobatic whilst in display and when intruders get too near the nest sight, you will find normally 4 eggs all pointed inwards, in a scrape, if you ever walk in a field with a nest or young you will soon know what i mean, regards rossy,

[scampie]

Thanks for your prompt reply Dogghound! I am thrilled to have identified and actually seen this display as it was something unusual to me, had seen it about a year ago too on the same (or possibly another bit of fen) - field. The field is not far from the river - in fact just over the road.

I had no idea Lapwings were so exuberant not having seen them fly like that before.

Thanks
Scampie

[Cowgirl]

Hello Scampie & welcome. Male lapwings do a tumbling display which is what your description sounds like. They go up high then plummet twisting & tumbling til nearly the ground then rapidly recover calling all the while. They do this over the nest site so if you see them do this there will be nesting sites nearby, open grass fields are favoured. I used to love watching them do this when I was a child.

Not sure if they do it to attract a mate or just to reaffirm his bond with his mate. Someone else more expert will be able to tell you.

I've also seen them do the broken wing thing to try & lure away predators. Unfortunately it was my dog it was doing to, it worked on the dog, unfortunately I was so busy watching this weird behaviour I nearly stepped on a nest. In my defence I was about 10 & I didn't know any better at the time. Went home, looked it up & never went in that field again! Luckily the family raised healthy chicks & I watched (minus dog) from a safe distance. They returned every year until the field use changed.

[Dogghound]

They are a species which often tries to lead you away from the nest, faking injury or being very noisy and bold as rossy says when you get to close to a nest.

Sorry cross-post with cowgirl.

[diggleken]

Just to add a little, the display call you should have also heard is a longer slightly trilled verion of one of their other names 'peewit'.
A terrificly evocative wild noise of spring for me, as bubbling Curlew is too - lovely.
Cheers
Ken

[scampie]

Very interesting replies and shared knowledge - thanks all - will try and listen out for call next time I take a trip out into the Fens.

Scampie

[rossy]

heres a little story for you some years ago me and a few others were watching lapwings that had decided to nest in a pig field, whilst observing from a distance behind a fence , a rather loud noise of something breaking wind to which was a pig we hadnt seen laid on the other side, next thing little piglets started to appear, so we went for the farmer and witnessed them being born, like people say you never know in nature what you will come across , thats what makes it . rossy