A plover with a long crest and glossy green plumage. It breeds in lowland Britain and is also widespread in lowlands and coastal wetlands in winter.
A long crest rises from the back of the head. The dark back has a glossy green sheen and can look black from a distance.
In spring, males make tumbling display flights. Lapwings remain widespread in lowland Britain during winter and may feed on coastal mudflats at low tide.
In Britain it breeds from mid-March to June on spring-tilled fields or short grassland. Adults may walk chicks from arable nesting fields to grazed pasture to feed.
It feeds mainly on earthworms, cranefly larvae and other insects. Wet grassland is an important feeding habitat.
Its rounded wings are conspicuous in flight. The upperparts have green and purple iridescence.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.