The impact of grazing and road use on hatching success of Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus)

Hatching success of Lapwings was studied in a Hungarian alkaline grassland ("puszta") between 1992 and 1994. We estimated that 85% of nests fail during egg-laying and incubation. Two potential reasons for the high nest loss were investigated: trampling due to grazing livestock and disturbance due to the use of unmade roads. Hatching success was not significantly different between grazed (14%) and ungrazed grasslands (16%); thus we conclude that grazing did not influence hatching success. Similarly, hatching success was not significantly different between nests close to unmade roads (14%) and distant nests (17%). Behavioural observations supported both results, since the proportion of time when the nests was incubated by the parents was not different either between grazed and ungrazed, or between close and distant nests. Our results suggest that the influence of nest-predators (mammals and birds) are more significant on hatching success than trampling by sheep or disturbance due to road use.