Attempted double-brooding in the Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

Abstract

Female Lapwings Vanellus vanellus typically lay a single clutch each year, although they readily lay replacement clutches when eggs and young chicks are lost.^1,2 Recently, Blomqvist and Johansson³ reported three cases of 'double-clutching' in the Lapwing. However, this behaviour cannot be termed true double-clutching, because in each case incubation of the first clutch was shared by both sexes. According to Erckmann,⁴ double-clutching occurs when a female lays two clutches in rapid succession, with the eggs and chicks from the first clutch tended by the male and the eggs and chicks from the second tended by the female. A more appropriate term, employed here, is double-brooding. Double-brooding, as distinct from other multiple-clutch systems, is relatively infrequent among waders. It is regarded as regular in the Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus and some Plovers (Vanellinae and Charadriinae), but is also suspected among Snipe (Scolopacinae).¹ We report on five further cases of attempted double-brooding in the Lapwing, where each female produced a second clutch after the chicks had hatched from the first clutch and were still alive.

Since 1990, we have colour-ringed adult and young Lapwings in Teesdale, County Durham, England (54°40'N, 2°13'W) to facilitate individual recognition in detailed studies. The study area (altitude 370-480 m) comprised a mixture of upland pastures (grazed by sheep and cattle) and meadows. All the double-brooding females were individually colour-ringed. References to monogamy and polygamy are based on observations of social bonds between individuals and as such may not reflect genetic associations.⁵

The following five cases of attempted double-brooding were observed. These females represent about 6% of marked females studied (see ref. 2).