Rob Robinson

Wood Sandpiper breeds in various types of wetland habitats located in the boreal, sub-Arctic and low Arctic zones - peatlands, open swampy areas and marshland. Outside the breeding season it occurs on variety of primarily freshwater habitats but is not generally associated with woodlands. Its breeding range extends from Scotland and Scandinavia to E Siberia and Kamchatka (Van Gils et al. 2020). The European strongholds are in Russia, Finland and Sweden (Keller et al. 2020). It is a N Eurasian-African migrant, wintering mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendUnknown
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		2090000-2920000,2480000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Wood Sandpiper

A long-distance migrant using a 'hopping' strategy (Muraoka et al. 2009) generally moving NNE-SSW. The majority of birds breeding in Fennoscandia take SW routes, generating numerous encounters in C & W Europe, as well as in the W Mediterranean. These populations are encountered during winter primarily in W Africa, but with some in C Africa. Part of the Fennoscandian population migrates S and SE, moving through E & SE Europe and the E Mediterranean and wintering in E Africa and the Middle East. There are some winter records from SC & SW Europe, as well as NW Africa, suggesting some winter in the W Mediterranean region.

Birds breeding in European Russia and W Siberia winter largely in E & S Africa; some E European breeders (Ukraine) winter in W Africa (Ilichev 1985, Underhill et al. 1999, Noskov et al. 2016).

Recoveries by Condition for Wood Sandpiper

Most recoveries are at the end of breeding season and during autumn migration (~87% in Jul-Sep), when juveniles have primarily been ringed. The majority of encounters are in C and N Europe (~73% combined). the percentage of recoveries of dead birds decreased from 82% pre-1961 to 6% after 1991 with live birds increasing from 13% before 1961 to 84% after 1991 (mostly recaptures by ringers). Shooting was an important factor until about 20 years ago (74% of all pre-1961 and 46% of all 1961-90 recoveries), more recently shooting accounts for just 2.4% of all recoveries. Most of the distant (>=50 km) recoveries are less than 2,500 km away, but a few move >8,000 km.

Annual Movements for Wood Sandpiper

Post-breeding dispersal and autumn migration start as early as late Jun, adults being ahead of juveniles which follow about a month later. Migration takes place overland on a broad front (Van Gils et al. 2020). The mean direction for autumn migration in S Sweden was SSW for juveniles and SW for adults (Iwajomo et al. 2013). Autumn migration is most intensive Aug to mid-Sep, although the African wintering grounds are reached as early as late Jul. Spring migration takes place mostly Mar to mid-May, although some late migrants are encountered in the Mediterranean until late May. In Europe, spring migration is quick, with one peak and with males generally preceding females (Remisiewicz et al. 2006, 2007). Few birds remain in Africa in the breeding season.

Breeding sites are reached mostly in May, locally (far N) - even in early Jun.

Few birds remain summering in S Africa (Oschadleus 2002).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Wood Sandpiper

Dispersal movements and migration start in mid-summer, with adults leaving first. In Europe, peak passage is in late summer and early autumn. The birds are in their African wintering sites between late summer and mid-spring (rarely late spring). The wintering grounds in W Africa are mainly the Inner Niger Delta, the Gulf of Guinea and the Senegal Delta (Zwarts et al. 2009). In tropical Africa, return migration is mostly in early to mid-spring; late spring in the Mediterranean region and Europe. Data from Germany suggest a progressively earlier arrival in spring and delayed departure in autumn, presumably in response to climate change (Anthes 2004). The overall picture suggests that more easterly routes are taken in spring than in autumn.

Boris Nikolov

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
2020 . European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, BarcelonaEditor(s): Keller, V., S. Herrando, P. Voříšek, et al.
1985 . Migrations of birds of Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Gruiformes – Charadriiformes. (in Russian). Nauka, MoscowEditor(s): Ilichev, V.
Anthes, N. 2004 . Long-distance migration timing of Tringa sandpipers adjusted to recent climate change. 51 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00063650409461355) Bird Study : 203–211
Iwajomo, S.B., Stervander,M., Helseth, A., Ottosson, U. 2013 . Population trends and migration strategy of the Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola at Ottenby, SE Sweden. Ringing & Migration 28: 6–15
Muraoka, Y., Schulze, C.H., Pavličev, M., Wichmann, G.2009 . Spring migration dynamics and sex-specific patterns in stopover strategy in the Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola. J Ornithol 150: 313–319
Noskov, G. A., Rymkevich, T. A., Gaginskaya, A. R. 2016 . Migration of Birds on Northwest Russia. Non-Passerines. ANO LA “Professional”, Saint Petersburg
Oschadleus H.-D. 2002 . The Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) in South Africa data from counting, atlasing and ringing.
. Ring 24: 71–78
Remisiewicz, M., Meissner, W., Pinchuk, P., Ściborski, M.2007 . Phenology of spring migration of Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola through Europe. Ornis Svecica 17: 3–14
Remisiewicz, M., Wennerberg, L. 2006 . Differential migration strategies of the wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola) - genetic analyses reveal sex differences in morphology and spring migration phenology. Ornis Fennica 83: 1–10
Underhill, L.G., Tree, AJ., Oschadleus, H.D. & Parker, V. 1999 . Review of Ring Recoveries of Waterbirds in Southern Africa. Avian Demography Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town
Van Gils, J., P. Wiersma, and G. M. Kirwan 2020 . Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola), version 1.0. In Birds of the World Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.woosan.01) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
Zwarts, L., Bijlsma, R. G., van der Kamp, J., Wymenga, E. 2009 . Living on the edge: Wetlands and birds in a changing Sahel. KNNV Publishing, Zeist

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