Today I’ve been to watch the British Dodgeball Open in Cannock, Staffordshire so I’ve not really been outside. But I did see a few things on the journey down so one of those is today’s subject.
What: (Northern) Lapwing Vanellus vanellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
When: 11th January 2020
Where: Astbury, Cheshire, UK
Who saw it? Me, from the road, a flock of maybe 200 birds (hard to count when I’m driving though!)
How did I record it? Will submit the record on eBird.
Is it bigger than a blackbird? Yes
What is it? A medium sized wading bird of the plover family. It is dark green, black and white in colour with a prominent crest. Their wings are characteristically square although there is a difference between the male wing shape and the female. They are gregarious and seem to be one of those species of birds that fly up without too much provocation; they are incredibly skittish. They are unfortunately declining as a breeding bird in the UK with their preferred habitat of open grassland decreasing, partly due to changing farming practices.
A fact I have learned about this species: Whilst it’s official English name is ‘lapwing’ it is sometimes more commonly known in these parts (Northern England) as the Peewit; named after the bird’s call. The name lapwing comes from the Mercian dialect of Old English; from what is now the English midlands (Lockwood, 1984).
Is it charismatic in my opinion? Maybe, as I said in a previous post any gregarious bird species gets immediate charisma points. However this species almost seems too pathetic and too flighty for it’s own good. They fly up due to who knows what on most occasions and they do have a really needy sounding call. But just look at them (maybe not my drawing!) they are spectacular looking things that are perhaps a little underappreciated. A yes on reflection.
Reference: Lockwood, W. B. (1984) The Oxford Book of British Bird Names Oxford University Press, Oxford
A Species a Day 