Lapwings: focus on this wonderful wading bird

As part of our winter appeal, we're taking an in-depth look into wading birds. 

They rely on wetlands to survive the colder months, but their habitats are disappearing, and they are facing growing challenges finding enough food and shelter to see them through the colder months. Wetlands are often drained for farming or development, leaving many species without the resources they need to survive the winter. 

This Winter, we’re asking for your help to build simple, yet potentially lifesaving features on our farmland at Bere Marsh in Dorset and Lark Rise in Cambridgeshire - a series of shallow, muddy channels to attract wading birds where they can feed and thrive.   

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In the first of our wading birds series, let’s look at the lapwing. 

This year we saw a record year for fledged lapwing chicks at Lark Rise Farm, with all five pairs incubating their eggs through the four weeks to reach hatching stage and ten chicks reaching the flying stage 

Key facts

• Appearance: Lapwings have long crests, black and white patterns, and broad, round wingtips. From a distance, they look black and white, but up-close, the back has an iridescent green and purple sheen. 

• Conservation Status: The lapwing is listed as Near Threatened on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In the UK, it has been placed on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern, which highlights species at the highest risk of decline. 

• Size: Lapwings are compact, with a length of 28-31cm, a wingspan of 84cm, and a weight of around 230g. Despite their small size, they are strong flyers, known for their agile, acrobatic flight patterns. 

• Habitat: Lapwings are typically found in uplands, wetlands, grasslands, and farmland. These environments provide the feeding grounds and shelter they need to survive, especially during the harsh winter months. 

• Lifespan: Lapwings have an average lifespan of four years, although many don't survive their first year due to predation or harsh conditions. Adults that do survive their first year can live over 10 years and the record is over 20 years old.   

Fledging of 0.7 chicks per pair is required to maintain a population, so the record number at Lark Rise Farm this year is a positive sign for their future. 

How You Can Help 

We need your help to provide the resources and habitats that lapwings—and many other wading birds—so desperately need.  

By contributing to our winter appeal, you can make a real difference in the fight to save these remarkable birds. 

With your support, we can restore wetlands, build vital feeding channels, and create safer, more resilient habitats for lapwings across our farms. Together, we can help protect these birds for future generations. 

Your donation could help save a species. Donate today and make a difference to the survival of lapwings and the entire wetland ecosystem. 

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