MATING SYSTEMS IN THE LAPWING VANELLUS-VANELLUS

The Lapwing Vanellus vanellus has traditionally been regarded as a mon ogamous, single-brooded species, defending a single territory, Recent studies involving individually recognizable Lapwings have begun to cha llenge the ubiquity of these statements, with high frequencies of poly gyny and the production of second broods being reported, Breeding Lapw ings were studied in Upper Teesdale, County Durham, U.K., between 1993 and 1995, where both adults and chicks had been individually colour-r inged since 1990. A total of 90 territorial males and 64 females were intensively studied during the 3 years, Overall, 30% of territorial ma les had more than one mate in any year, with 19% more adult males than yearling males mating polygynously. On two occasions, polygynous male s simultaneously defended two territories. Five females attempted to p roduce second broods, and one was polyandrous.