Tracking the hidden niches: Movement-based insights into northern lapwing intraspecific variation and conservation

Johanna Esguerra, Annegret Grimm-Seyfarth, Mark Frenzel, Elina Takola 

Global monitoring data reveal farmland bird population declines, primarily driven by agricultural intensification, chemical inputs, and climate shifts. The northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) is a farmland bird that exemplifies this decline across Europe. The aim of this study is to quantify intraspecific variation in habitat selection and evaluate the degree of behavioural variance in resource use among individuals and assess its conservation implications. We tested for: (1) inter-individual differences in resource use; (2) repeatability of habitat preferences; and (3) niche components driving selection patterns. Using Movebank GPS data from 13 individuals (2021-2023) across Europe, we applied step selection functions (SSFs) incorporating biotic and abiotic covariates. Repeatability estimates were derived from mixed-effects models to quantify consistent individual-level selection across resource gradients. We also estimated variation of habitat selection across seasons as well as within- and between-individual variation. Movement data showed high individual heterogeneity in several niche axes (notably glyphosate exposure and human population density), while some axes such as soil nitrogen were relatively homogeneous. Step selection functions indicated that soil water index and the earthworm abundance factor influenced movement, but no single environmental variable explained movement patterns consistently across all individuals. Lapwings tended to move more under certain moon conditions and selected pulses, flowers, vegetables and sugar beet with additional seasonal shifts in preferences. Repeatability analyses suggested that individual consistency in crop selection was generally low, with the highest repeatability for pulses, vegetables, flowers (R=0.31) and much lower or negligible for most other crops. Conservation strategies should focus on maintaining low-intensity farmland and grasslands, particularly in remote areas. Predator control through culling is ineffective due to rapid recolonization; instead, managing nesting habitats and removing predator perching structures in highly used nesting sites is recommended. Establishing dedicated nesting areas (lapwing plots) can further support the species survival.