Lapwing

📍 Local Expert Tip

“The Lapwing is a regular but much declined winter visitor. The island by the Toll Bridge is a regular feeding area. At high tide, birds roost on the airfield but easily disturbed.”

🔍 Overview

A dramatic and beloved farmland wader, the Lapwing is iconic in Sussex with its crest and acrobatic displays.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Size: Medium wader (30–33 cm)
Plumage: Iridescent green-black back, white belly
Distinctive Marks: Crested head, black breast band
Bill: Short and slim
Tail: White with black band
Flight: Spiralling, tumbling display flights

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Open fields: Pulborough Brooks, Adur Valley, coastal farmland, wet grasslands.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

“Peewit!” call gives it its other name. Flushing with fast wingbeats.

🍴 Diet

Insects, worms, larvae.

📸 Birding Tip

Spring evening displays are spectacular; spring records peak in March–April.