The lapwing (or Pe(e)wit, Vanellus Vanellus) is a wader in the family of plovers. He is 28 to 31 cm tall, has a wingspan of 67 to 76 cm and a weight of 150 to 300 grams.
Its top is black with a purple or green sheen. The underside is white, breast in the summer black and brown in winter. At the end of the wing that is from above green - black and from below black and white, is a white border. From there, to one-third of the wing, the feathers are colored black. On the cheek, the lapwing has a white spot. The tail has a black terminal band.
The legs are red. He has a clear distinctive black dot crest atop its head.
Typical are the broad wings and the relatively slow, flapping flight. Lapwings are true stunt flyers, flying in curvy flights over their territory and taking dives and make somersaults and even tumbles upside-down.
The lapwing is also recognized by his call.
Lapwings food benthos. They only migrate in winter when they can no longer be reached by frost in the ground.
It is a typical wader that also feels quite at home on cropland and meadows.
The male guards the territory. In the breeding season, he builds some inconspicuous nests, of which the females picks one to lay approximately four eggs. Both cock and hen incubate the eggs for 26 to 28 days and take care of the chickens.
It is prohibited to pick plovers eggs in the European Union. However, Friesland has an exception to cultural and historical reasons.
It is a tradition to offer (the Commissioner of) the Queen the first plover eg.The first lapwing egg symbolizes the beginning of spring. It is found in the first half of march.
Since 2006 it is again allowed to pick 6.000 lapwing eggs between March 1 and April 9. You should bring a cell phone when you go searching and sending a text to check whether the quota has already been reached.
Search is a matter of quiet (more than 10 minutes) watching to see where lapwings fly and land. They never land directly at the nest, but walk to them.
Plovers’eggs are considered a delicacy. There are also people who empty them slurping raw.
The lapwing itself you can eat too.
The Belgian Jef Soen, clearly a bird lover and connoisseur, in his Big Kitchen Book
the lapwing ‘is very delicious to eat. He is roasted on a spit or in the oven."
the plover, "There are several types, the gold is the best."
(Maybe he meant the filled...)
Sjoerd H. wrote me that with gilded plover was meant the golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria): his grandfather lived with many children onboard of a skûtsje (Frisian for "hulk") where coot, lapwing and golden plover was eaten.
A lapwing is a bird that lays expensive eggs. (Paul Van Ostaijen)