The lapwing season is developing more or less as expected. After 11 lapwings flew off to France (about a third of the tracked individuals, just like last year), migration activity has paused. We can now expect a period of calm until autumn. Šmoulinka, whose transmitter went silent some time ago, resurfaced after more than a month - unfortunately, she was already dead. The transmitter was found at a black kite nest in the Třeboň area. The device, especially the antennae, showed clear signs of sharp beak work. Whether the kites hunted her or scavenged the carcass, we'll never know. Still, as the nesting season draws to a close, the most important news is that the lapwings made a final push, and just like last year, some managed to raise chicks to fledging. A total of nine families managed to get at least one chick to flight readiness. That’s not many, considering the number of tracked adults and nesting attempts. It's a worrying number! But better than nothing.
Figure 1: Almost flying chick wandering in the field.
Today, we’ll stay with the chicks and focus on one particular aspect of their path to fledging - their actual path. Not all chicks are lucky enough to grow up undisturbed in their natal field. Some parents decide to relocate their broods, sometimes several kilometers away, even though such journeys can often end in tragedy. Whether lapwings fully grasp the risks is unclear, but in some cases, they simply seem to have no choice. Of the 25 families hatched this year, 10 (40%) moved at least 500 meters at least once, with some journeys over 2 kilometers. Many undertook multiple moves. Almost all involved crossing a road, watercourse, or another barrier.
Why do lapwings move? Most likely, they're seeking better conditions. A nesting site that seemed suitable at egg-laying might not be two months later. Some fields turn from bare and open to dense, jungle-like vegetation. In other cases, excessive visibility might leave them too exposed to predators. Dry years can also reduce food availability. And, when facing constant predator attacks, moving closer to other families can provide better protection through group defense. Relocations may be a way to regroup and rebuild their “aerial defense umbrella.” In some cases, a successful relocation may have helped the chicks survive.
If a lapwing decides to relocate the family, the next question is: where? How does a mother (or father) know there’s a better field 2 km away? The answer lies in the data from the transmitters. Many lapwings leave their chicks during incubation breaks or even while caring for unfledged young sometimes for hours, covering significant distances. These reconnaissance trips allow the parent to rest, forage, and assess better locations. This knowledge can then be used when making a move.
Since chicks need brooding and guarding, the male’s participation (as discussed in a previous blog) is likely crucial. He may be responsible for chick care during the mother’s scouting trips and might influence the timing and direction of relocation.
Once the decision to move is made, figuring out how to move is even more important. Dense vegetation, steep ditches, and other obstacles must be avoided. We’ve seen cases where chicks got trapped and died in dense growths. Moving a fluffy entourage from point A to point B requires parental experience. To illustrate, here are two detailed, almost fairytale-like accounts of tracked lapwing families.
Trinity's Realization: Nowhere Like Home
Trinity nested on a bare field near a wetland by a small hamlet called Jehlice. On April 25th, her chicks hatched on the edge of a drying marsh. In the first days, they stayed within 50–100 meters of the nest. Trinity, however, soon began short excursions farther afield. On May 3rd, she visited a small wetland about 1300 meters away. She landed there, unlike at other visited sites. Over the next few days, she returned daily, sometimes up to seven times in a single day.
Finally, on May 9th, she moved her whole family there (Fig. 2). The nearly two-week-old chicks walked at least 1750 meters, taking over three hours. Most of the path led through winter wheat fields - nearly impassable for lapwings. Trinity solved this by using tractor tracks (Fig. 2B). They also had to cross a road, which they did at a field entrance without ditches or dense roadside vegetation (Fig. 2D).They stayed on the tiny 10x15 m wetland until May 16th. Trinity then scouted another field 600 meters further. On May 17th, just before dawn, she led the family there, walking another 750 meters.
Again, she crossed the road at a safe place. Faced with either maize sprouts or a meadow, she chose maize until another wheat field blocked their way. She then diverted onto the meadow (Fig. 2E). But upon arrival, the new site didn’t appeal to them. So they returned the same day to the wetland. Trinity then inspected the original nesting site, now grown with poppy (Fig. 2A). Two days later, they returned “home.”This return journey was faster, about half the original time, because Trinity now flew ahead, guiding the older chicks from above, a strategy we’ve seen before.
When we visited the site on May 21st, Trinity and at least one chick were thriving in the poppy field. The area was full of hiding places, yet still offered visibility for the parents. Importantly, at least eight other lapwings were nearby, some with chicks. Trinity wasn’t alone in defending her young and perhaps thanks to this, she was among the first to successfully fledge at least one chick this season.
Figure 2: A) Poppy field: birthplace and safe refuge even for older chicks. B) Tractor tracks through winter wheat. C) Tiny wetland refuge amid dense wheat. D) Road best crossed at field entrance or track intersection. E) Skirting wheat via meadow. F) The farthest relocation site, which they didn’t stay at long.
How Jahoda Crossed the Ditch and the Barley—and It Still Didn't Work Out
Jahoda’s story doesn’t end happily, but it offers valuable insight. She hatched her chicks on May 10th on a bare maize field between Trnava and Babice. While she had neighbors during egg-laying, predation left her isolated. Less than a kilometer away was a lapwing-rich field she knew from incubation flights. So two days after hatching, she set off.
On May 12th at dawn, the family began the 1400-meter trek. Their biggest obstacle was a ditch. Other routes were worse: roads with ditches, a village, or endless wheat. They walked along the ditch, looking for a crossing. Luckily, Jahoda was patient and cautious. She didn’t charge blindly into the sedges. Instead, she searched carefully. Eventually, she found a narrow trail likely made by a nutria (Fig. 3II). This allowed the chicks to cross safely, albeit slowly, it took almost six hours.
On the other side, they entered a 75 cm tall barley field. Luckily, barley is more passable than wheat (Fig. 3B). Even so, Jahoda soon led them to a grazed horse pasture easier to navigate, but still risky. GPS data shows they skirted the edge of the pasture, likely wary of hooves. Afterward, the journey continued smoothly. They crossed one maize field and a road (again at a field track) and reached the new site. Sadly, the effort didn’t pay off. A week later, Jahoda left the area and began wandering a sure sign she had lost all her chicks.
Figure 3: A) Jahoda’s original field. I) Even a small ditch can be a major obstacle. II) A narrow path made by a nutria, lifesaver for moving chicks. III) Which to choose: pasture or barley? B) Barley is passable for chicks! C) But pasture won out in the end.
Final Takeaway
These stories are not only captivating, they provide invaluable insight into lapwing decision-making and landscape navigation, only made possible through advanced tracking technology. As humans shaping this landscape, we should occasionally try to see it through the eyes of the creatures we share it with.
Creating good nesting sites is not enough, we must also ensure that lapwings have somewhere to go, and safe routes to get there, if conditions change. And by the way, what crops do lapwings favor later in the season? Aside from poppy, the surprise hit this year was soy! Unexpected, right? Us too. But wherever this not-so-typical crop appeared, lapwings and their chicks thrived (see Fig. 4).
Next time you're looking for a sweet treat after lunch, maybe consider a soy bar?
Figure 4: Zeva, another tracked lapwing, one of the lucky ones to nest near that rare Czech crop: soybeans.