Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)Where and when to see it in the UK
Resident · Plovers and Lapwings · BOU category AF
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Lapwing has been recorded in 2,344 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (79%) in records to 2026. Resident in the UK. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in all year.
Conservation status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, NT)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 46% or more of visits
- High
- 18% to 46%
- Moderate
- 6% to 18%
- Low
- under 6%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 100% | 21% | Very high |
| February | 94% | 19% | Very high |
| March | 85% | 18% | Very high |
| April | 93% | 19% | Very high |
| May | 98% | 20% | Very high |
| June | 88% | 18% | Very high |
| July | 93% | 19% | Very high |
| August | 97% | 20% | Very high |
| September | 92% | 19% | Very high |
| October | 93% | 19% | High |
| November | 99% | 20% | Very high |
| December | 96% | 20% | Very high |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in January
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| C62 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| C94 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D04 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D10 | Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H96 | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| HY21 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| J05 | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J21 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J33 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J47 | Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |