Weight variations of ringed plovers on the Dee Estuary

Abstract

Counts of Ringed Plovers on the Dee Estuary showed two peaks of abundance each year in May and August. Ringing recoveries and biometrie data indicated that these peaks were caused by the presence of birds migrating between northern Greenland and West Africa. The birds migrating in spring had a pronounced tendency to increase weight, caused by the laying down of fat for migration. A small proportion of the adults in autumn were in moult. It is suggested that these were birds which bred in England. The small wintering population probably came from the North Sea coast of England. Theoretical flight distances and migration routes are discussed. © 1976 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.