Editing Northern lapwing (section)

==Behaviour==
It is highly [[bird migration|migratory]] over most of its extensive range, wintering further south as far as North Africa, northern India, Nepal, Bhutan and parts of China. It migrates mainly by day, often in large flocks. Lowland breeders in westernmost areas of Europe are resident. It occasionally is a vagrant to North America, especially after storms, as in the Canadian sightings after storms in December 1927 and in January 1966.<ref name=Godfrey/>

[[File: Vanellus vanellus mobbing Circus aeruginosus.jpg|thumb|left|A northern lapwing mobbing a [[Western marsh harrier]] near its nest]]

It is a [[wader]] that breeds on cultivated land and other short vegetation habitats. 3–4 eggs are laid in a ground scrape. The nest and young are defended noisily and aggressively against all intruders, up to and including [[horse]]s and [[cattle]].

In winter, it forms huge flocks on open land, particularly [[arable land]] and [[mudflat|mud-flats]].

It feeds primarily on insects and other small invertebrates. This species often feeds in mixed flocks with [[European golden plover|golden plovers]] and [[black-headed gull]]s, the latter often robbing the two plovers, but providing a degree of protection against predators.

Like the golden plovers, this species prefers to feed at night when there is moonlight.

The northern lapwing is one of the species to which the ''Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds'' ([[AEWA]]) applies.

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:Tofsvipa (Vanellus vanellus) - 2017 -Ystad.jpg|In some years the species is more sociable and gathers in large flocks after breeding. In the picture, part of a large flock estimated at around 3,000 individuals on September 24, 2017 in [[Ystad]].
File:Birds of Sweden 2016 45.jpg|Flying
File:Alarmerende kievit in bloemrijk grasland-4961654.webm|Alarmed in flowery meadow on [[Texel]], the Netherlands
File:Vanellus vanellus -Rotterdam Zoo, Netherlands -chick-8a.jpg|Chick in the Netherlands
File:Vanellus vanellus MHNT.jpg|Egg – [[MHNT]]
File:Tofsvipa - Northern lapwing - (Vanellus vanellus) -Ystad-2023.jpg|A large flock flying by
</gallery>