The end in sight? Alarming decline in the resting population of Lapwing Vanellus vanellus in the eastern hilly country of Schleswig-Holstein

Abstract

After 2000, the formerly high number of roosting Lapwings in the eastern hill country of Schleswig-Holstein declined to about 10 to 20 % of its maximum. While the population in Eastern Europe is assumed to be stable, the breeding population in Germany also declined by 60 % between 1975 and 1990. Therefore, the problem in Schleswig-Holstein could be caused by local reasons. Parallel to this development, breeding numbers of Mew Gulls and Rooks in eastern Schleswig-Holstein also declined heavily. All these birds use the same foraging habitat, which is mainly arable farmland. The assumption that food shortages – mainly invertebrates – will play the dominant role seems plausible. This phenomenon should be studied more intensivly.