Northern Lapwing

(Vanellus vanellus)

Category of conservation concern (IUCN, 2020) – Near threatened

Population size: 2020: 700 – 1 600 pairs (2007: 1 000 – 1 700 pairs)

Distribution pattern

With patchy and dispersed distribution in the lowlands of the country, most compact – in the Thracian Plain and the Sofia Field, along the Tundzha River valley and the neighbouring territories, the Burgas lowlands, along the Danube River and the lowland areas with wetlands in the Danubian Plain, and with less grouped localities – also in some of the wetter parts of the Ludogorie, Dobrudzha, and the Fore Balkan. Changes in the distribution through the years is due to breeding in fields temporarily flooded in the spring.

Population estimation for the period 2013 – 2020: During the period 2013-2020, the species was established in 207 ETRC 10x10km. No visible change in the distribution of the species was established.

Population size in Special Protection Areas of Natura 2000: 235-576 pairs (34-36% of the population).

Comparative distribution of the species compared to the first breeding birds atlas (Iankov, 2007): Breeding locality until 2007 | Breeding locality until 2007, confirmed after 2015 – | New breeding locality after 2015. – The breeding localities after 2015 are identified on a base of raw data from smartbirds.org.

Habitats

Breeds in humid grasslands, less often in mesophile grasslands, often near standing fresh waters, standing brackish waters or running waters, as well as around bogs and marches. Very often in agricultural land and artificial landscapes, has a certain predilection for the fringe parts of seasonally flooded terrains, as well as arable land with sparse crops and other (annual) grass crops, especially rice fields or temporarily flooded grain fields.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Threats

Predation threatening eggs and chicks in breeding colonies. Extreme climatic events because of global climate change. Destruction of nests and chicks because of technical activities in the production and extraction of salt. Destruction of sand islands in the Danube due to dredging and construction of other hydraulic facilities.

Vladimir Mladenov, Ralitsa Georgieva, Kalin Velev