Recoveries by Condition for Little Stint

Most encounters are obtained from the autumn migration – 83% in Aug-Sep (mostly juveniles). Majority of encounters (ca. 88%) are recorded in N, C and SW Europe (62, 18 and 8% respectively). The encounters based on dead birds decreased markedly from 91% pre-1960 to 3% after 1991; those based on alive birds considerably increased over time – from 7% before 1960 to 97% after 1991. The latter is mostly due to ringing recoveries. Shooting was an important negative factor in the past (74% of all pre-1960 recoveries) but it is currently responsible for just less than 1% of all cases.

Most of the distant (>=50 km) recoveries are less than 3000km away (but some are more than 6000km). Most encounters come from active ringing sites in W Norway, SE Sweden, Finland, N Poland, S France, Tunisia.

Annual Movements for Little Stint

In NW, W & SW Europe the species is generally more numerous in autumn than in spring which suggests a loop migration strategy in some populations (Ilichev 1985, Delany et al. 2009).

Post-breeding movements start as early as Jul, adults usually precede juveniles. In Europe, autumn migration is most intensive Aug-Sep (numerous encounters both inland and along the coasts), the numbers progressively decrease in Oct-Nov. The encounters from W African wintering grounds are mostly Nov-Apr (the earliest – Sep, the latest – May).

The birds present in Kenya in Apr-May are still mainly wintering individuals (Pearson 1987).

The first migrants reach S Africa in early Aug and arrival continues until Nov; departure takes place from late Mar to early May. Small number of birds overwinter in Africa (Underhill et al. 2009).

The breeding grounds are occupied in late May and Jun.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Little Stint

Dispersal movements after the breeding season take place from mid-summer. Juveniles usually migrate later than adults (Delany et al. 2009). Autumn migration is most numerous late summer – early autumn.

Young (and mostly passage) birds ringed in Norway tend to follow the Atlantic seacoast to W Africa, while adults take a more easterly, overland route via the Mediterranean region (Bakken et al. 2003).

African wintering grounds are reached late summer or early autumn at earliest and the birds spend the winter there mostly between early autumn and mid-spring.

Return migration takes place in Africa usually early to late spring. The migrants are usually encountered in the Mediterranean region in mid- to late spring. The breeding sites are reached back in late spring or early summer, usually the males being first (Mazur et al. 2021).