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Mark Billiau.


Premium (World), region Antwerp, Belgium

Northern Lapwing

The northern lapwing is a familiar wader of open farmland and meadows and is being found from western Europe to the Pacific coast of Russia in the east.

The population of this species has dropped with 50% the last 25 years as a result of intensive agricultural techniques and an overuse of fertilisers and pesticides.

In the Netherlands there is a yearly competition to find the first lapwing egg of the year. It is especially popular in the province Friesland but there are also regional competitions.
The gathering of lapwing eggs is prohibited by the European Union but Friesland was granted an exception for……. cultural-historical reasons (grrrr !!!!)

Dutch name : Kievit
German name : Kiebitz
Latin name : Vanellus vanellus

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