The nest is a scrape in the ground, lined with a variable amount of plant material. The birds need a good all round view from the nest to spot predators, and nest either on bare ground or in short vegetation.

Where do lapwings make their nests?

They nest in a ground scrape laying three to four camouflaged eggs. Adults near the nest fly around, diving at potential predators while calling noisily. The cryptically patterned chicks hatch and immediately follow their parents to feed, hiding by lying low on the ground or in the grass when threatened.

What kind of environment do lapwings prefer to nest in?

Lapwings breed between mid-March and July. They nest on spring-tilled arable land or on short grassland with a low stocking rate. Arable nesting birds often walk their chicks onto grazed pasture to feed. Lapwings feed mainly on earthworms, leatherjackets, insects and their larvae.