Northern Lapwing
Latin: Vanellus vanellus (Linné 1758)
Svenska: Tofsvipa
Deutsch: Kiebitz
Kamikaze pilot
In the spring, the male northern lapwing flies back and forth through the air in such a way that his wings whistle. If an intruder comes near, the northern lapwing will do a death-defying dive towards it to scare it off!
The northern lapwing may be found all throughout Uppland. It nests in farmland, shore meadows, and bogs. Gustav Kolthoff wrote in 1907 that ‘the large colonies one could see in the past do not exist anymore. Certainly it still has the same distribution here, but occurs less frequently and sporadically.’ Today, the northern lapwing can still be found around Kungsängen just outside Uppsala.
These birds migrate in June and July to France and Spain. Some may return as early as February, but most will not arrive before the end of March or early April.
Photo: Markus Tallroth ©
Latest sightings of northern lapwings in Uppland
NatureGate on the northern lapwing