Recoveries by Condition for Spotted Redshank

Most encounters are obtained between the early 1960s and mid-1970s. They come mainly from the autumn migration – 64% in Aug-Sep, when juveniles have primarily been ringed. Majority of encounters are recorded in N, C and W Europe (29, 24 and 23% respectively). The encounters based on dead birds decreased from 97% pre-1960 to 28% after 1991; those based on alive birds markedly increased over time – from practically none before 1960 to 71% after 1991. The latter is mostly due to ringing recoveries. Shooting was an important factor in the past (78% of all pre-1960 recoveries) but still it is currently responsible for 18% of all cases.

Most of the distant (>=50 km) recoveries are less than 2000km away (but at least one is more than 6000km). Ringing recovery data from SE & E Europe are very limited.

Annual Movements for Spotted Redshank

Due to the species breeding system (short-lived pair-bonds, males incubate and take care of the broods largely alone) females leave the breeding grounds first – in Jun, males – in Jul, and juveniles – mostly in Aug-Sep (Van Gils et al. 2020).

Lots of birds ringed during Jul-Aug in S Fennoscandia, Denmark and Germany are encountered mainly in C Europe and along the coasts of W Europe and the C & W Mediterranean in Sep-Nov, with some records of apparently overwintering birds until Feb-Mar. The encounters from N and NW Africa are from Oct-Feb, and from the wintering grounds in W Africa and Sahel zone – from Jan-Mar. Return migration starts in Mar (locally can be delayed until mid-May; Van Gils et al. 2020) and the breeding sites are reached mostly in May.

Small number of birds are known to oversummer in the tropics (W Africa) (Van Gils et al. 2020).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Spotted Redshank

Post-breeding dispersal and autumn migration movements start in early to mid-summer, adults preceding juveniles which migrate mostly late summer to early autumn. Lots of encounters have been generated by birds marked in late summer and early autumn in S Finland, S Sweden, Denmark and C Europe – mostly in the W European and Mediterranean coastal zones, during early to late autumn. The encounters from Africa are not numerous, most of them from N & NW Africa (mid-autumn do mid-winter) and fewer from the wintering grounds further S (mid-winter to early spring). Breeding grounds are occupied back mostly in late spring. Spring migration is fairly rapid (Hildén 1979, Delany et al. 2009).

Migration data analyses from Germany suggest earlier arrival in spring and delayed departure in autumn, presumably in response to climate change (Anthes 2004).