The migrations of European Redshank and Dunlin

Abstract

A review of published recoveries of birds ringed in all European countries, supplemented by unpublished British material. The picture of Redshank movement remains similar to that given by Salomonsen (1954), though interpreted rather differently. Redshank from Scandinavia and north-west Russia migrate along the western coasts of Europe into Iberia, wintering around the Mediterranean and in west Africa. Birds ringed in summer in Finland and on passage in southern Sweden include more visitors to west Africa than Danish-ringed birds, more of which stay on the north shore of the Mediterranean. Very few continental Redshank visit Britain. Many from Iceland winter on both the east and west sides of the British Isles, few reaching the Continent. Much of the British-bred stock emigrates to western Europe, south to Portugal. Individuals wintering in Britain move little during the winter. Very few Dunlin have been ringed or recovered in the breeding season. Many passage-migrants ringed in Norway visit Britain, others going into south-west Europe. Most Swedish-ringed Dunlin winter in the Mediterranean area. Though some reach north Africa their winter range does not extend as far south as that of the Redshank. The preponderance of Norwegian-ringed birds in Britain is probably due to a large northern Scandinavian element, Swedish passage-migrants including relatively more Siberian birds. Late summer ringing in Britain shows that some early immigrants move on south-westwards, though many remain, together with birds from Iceland. British-bred Dunlin show southward movement within the country in autumn and winter, though none have yet been recovered abroad. A late spring passage in western France probably consists of British and Icelandic, rather than Scandinavian, stock.