Since the 1940s lapwing declines have been driven by large-scale changes to farming. Large areas of grassland were converted to arable, marginal land was drained and improved, and chemicals were introduced for fertilisers and pest control with increasing reliance on them.

Why are lapwings endangered?

Lapwings in brief

The UK population of the lapwing fell by at least 40 per cent between 1970 and 1998*. This decline has been largely caused by the loss of mixed farming and spring cropping,and the intensification of grassland management. Declines in the west of the UK are leading to local extinctions.

Why are lapwings on the red list?

Red-listing has been important for Lapwing, increasing the profile of the species and encouraging the development of specific agri-environment schemes targeted at species recovery. These include 'Lapwing plots' in arable fields and funding to raise the summer water tables in lowland grassland.