Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Description:

A very distinct plover, with its flicked crest, black mask and purple/green wings. Also very distinct looking in flight. There are several individuals that live along the estuary here, and have been here all year. They have slowly become used to humans, which allows me to get closer to them.

Habitat:

These birds are most often found near farmland and breed on these lowland areas. They are also sometimes found in wetland areas, and the ones I see live on the estuary (note there is a meadow behind the estuary, where they perhaps breed).

Notes:

I have seen these individuals all year round, they live on a stretch of the estuary where a footpath runs alongside it. They used to be very shy of humans, and my earlier spottings from summer showed them from a distance. They are still a little easily spooked, but don't mind me getting right up to the railings on the footpath any more.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

4 Comments

LauraMaria
LauraMaria 12 years ago

Thank you all! Stian, they do indeed make a really cute sound! And that's an interesting story, Alvaro! This one seems to be here all year round, whatever the weather :)

Wild Things
Wild Things 12 years ago

Very pretty bird.

Stian Waaler
Stian Waaler 12 years ago

Great pictures Laura! Love the sound they make =)

AlvaroMartinZarzuela
AlvaroMartinZarzuela 12 years ago

In Spain come in winter, and here is a sign of a cold. Here has a proverb. "Cuando las neveras van pa abajo, pastorcicos mucho trabajo y cuando las neveras van pa arriba pastorcicos buena vida", translate; "When Northern Lapwing are going down, pastors lot of work and when going up pastors fridges good life". The Northern Lapwing come here when in the north of europe it´s cold and they go out when the heat is near.

LauraMaria
Spotted by
LauraMaria

Borough of Colchester, England, United Kingdom

Spotted on Feb 7, 2012
Submitted on Feb 7, 2012

Related Spottings

Northern Lapwing Lapwing Northern Lapwing Northern Lapwing

Nearby Spottings

Peacock Butterfly Grass Veneer Moth Coxcomb Prominent Viper's Bugloss
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team