A group of lapwings is called a desert, an unusual and slightly puzzling term given that lapwings are actually wetland and farmland birds, rarely found anywhere near an actual desert. The origin isn’t well documented, and it’s possible the word is a corruption of an older, now-obscure term rather than a literal description of habitat.
Lapwings are known for their distinctive, wide, rounded wings and a slow, floppy flight style that looks almost lazy compared to other wading birds. They’re also famous for elaborate broken-wing distraction displays, feigning injury to lure predators away from a ground nest, which is part of why the more common collective noun for lapwings is “deceit.”
Bonus fact: the lapwing’s distinctive wingbeat produces an audible humming sound in flight, one of the reasons it’s sometimes called the “peewit” after its call.
Lapwings are far more commonly described using the term deceit, a direct nod to their broken-wing act.
Related: Collective Nouns for Birds · What Is a Group of Lapwings Called? · A Deceit of Lapwings