Greenlandic Dunlins on passage in NE Iceland in spring

摘要

Iceland is an important stopover site for large numbers of trans-Atlantic migrants. Some of these species also breed in Iceland and this can therefore mask the occurrence of birds belonging to breeding populations in Greenland and Canada. This study shows that Dunlins on the shores of NE Iceland in late May have biometrics matching breeding birds of the subspecies Calidris alpina arctica from NE Greenland. Furthermore, the birds had higher mass compared with birds on the breeding grounds indicating they were accumulating fat reserves. The breeding population size of arctica Dunlins is small compared to other trans-Atlantic waders known to stage in Iceland. Knowledge on the distribution, timing and numbers of arctica Dunlins in Iceland is required for the conservation of this subspecies.