- Lifespan
- 8–10 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 26–32 cm, wingspan 42–48 cm; 46–89 g
- Habitat
- Open, dry grasslands, heathland, and cultivated areas with short vegetation and bare ground, often on chalk or sandy soils.
- UK Distribution
- Rare summer visitor and passage migrant to southern England, particularly south coast and southeast counties; occasionally breeds in small numbers. More frequent in spring and autumn migration.
- Diet
- Primarily large insects and grubs, including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and ant larvae, obtained by probing the ground with its long curved bill.
- Prey
- Beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, ants, lacewings, and insect larvae
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, kestrels, and occasionally corvids; eggs and chicks vulnerable to foxes and badgers
- Mating Season
- April to June
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4–8 eggs, incubation period 25–29 days, fledging at 26–29 days; typically single-brooded but may attempt second brood if first fails.
- Behaviour
- Highly distinctive with striking black-and-white barred plumage and prominent erectile crest raised when alarmed or displaying. Often seen walking on ground with head held low while feeding, and flies with characteristic undulating, butterfly-like pattern. Relatively shy and wary.