Field note 04
Lapwings
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Northern lapwing · Ķīvīte
Vanellus vanellus
- Found in Latvia?
- Yes · breeder and migrant
- Habitat
- Wet meadows, pastures, and arable fields.
- Diet
- Earthworms, insects, and other small soil invertebrates.
Appearance and behaviour
The northern lapwing is a wader with a slender crest, white underparts, and dark upperparts that shine green in good light. Its broad, rounded wings distinguish it in flight. During spring display, males perform steep climbs, rolls, and dives accompanied by far-carrying calls.
Lapwings lay their eggs in shallow ground scrapes. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and feed themselves under the adults’ watch. Adults give alarm calls and mob intruders near their young. Outside the breeding season, lapwings often gather in flocks on open fields.
Occurrence in Latvia
A breeding bird and passage migrant in Latvia. Damp grasslands and open agricultural landscapes are typical places to find it. Keep a distance from alarm-calling adults during the nesting season.
Further reading: Latvian bird records.
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