Habitat selection of the threatened northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) breeding in an intensive agroecosystem

Land use changes induced by agricultural intensification and wetland reclamation are negatively impacting farmland biodiversity. In this context, information on habitat selection of wildlife can be fundamental to developing effective conservation actions targeting biodiversity conservation, shedding light on fine-scale species-habitat relationships. We studied nesting and foraging habitat selection in a declining shorebird, the northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), in the intensive agroecosystem of the Po Plain, Italy. Out of 67 nests we found, 94% were in wetlands and summer crops, wetlands being the only habitat actively selected. The likelihood that a pair of lapwings nested in a cropland patch was inversely proportional to plant height and ground cover, which likely explains why summer crops were more favourable than winter and hay crops to the species nest settlement. Tracking data showed that GPS tagged lapwings (n = 14) stayed close (207 +/- 153 m) to their nests throughout the entire breeding period, and they selected the same habitat types for foraging as for nesting. Home ranges averged 56 ha (range = 3-161 ha), and were on average larger than previously reported from elsewhere, probably because the overall low quality of the habitat in the Po Plain. Home ranges of lapwings breeding in croplands were larger and significantly more cohesive than those of birds breeding in wetlands, suggesting a need to explore larger areas to find suitable foraging patches. The dual nesting and feeding strategy highlighted the crucial importance of both wetlands and, unexpectedly, summer crops for this species of conservation concern. To provide suitable habitat for breeding lapwings, restored wetlands must be well managed and attention should be given to intrafield heterogeneity, possibly increasing bare ground patches.