Short abstract from the book: The dunlin is a rather rare breeding bird in Denmark
breeding mainly in western Jutland, around Limfjord and
on Læsø. The dunlin is a very common passage migrant in
Denmark in June–November and March–June, the majority belonging to the subspecies alpina breeding in northern
Scandinavia and northern Russia.
The first dunlin was ringed in 1921, with the majority
ringed in the 1950s and early 1960s. The majority of the recovered birds were ringed on Amager in July–October and only
very few belong to the Danish population. Only one wader,
the lapwing, has been ringed in greater numbers.
In autumn and winter birds of the Danish population have
been recovered in Britain, western France and Mauritania
and during spring in Belgium.
Recoveries show that the passage migrants are from the
populations around the Baltic Sea and from Siberia, western
Russia and northern Scandinavia. Before they arrive in
Denmark, many birds have been ringed around the Baltic Sea
and in southern and western Norway. The number of passage
migrants in Denmark is greatest in August. In September and
October the majority of the ringed birds have been juveniles. From Denmark most birds migrate SW to the British Isles and
western France. Some birds take a more southerly route across
central Europe to the Mediterranean coasts of Italy, France
and Spain. During winter dunlins have been recovered
from Scotland in the north to Mauritania in the south; most
have been recovered in the British Isles and western France.
Birds ringed in eastern Denmark have in general been found
further south than those ringed in western Denmark. The
mean positions indicate that the spring migration takes place
rather quickly. As in the autumn, some follow a route along
the west coast of Europe and others cross central Europe. A few
birds have been ringed in Denmark in May and subsequently
recovered in northern Russia.
The main known cause of death is hunting. Most have been
shot in Denmark. Of 190 dead dunlins reported from France,
157 were shot, from Spain 13 of 14, in Portugal 6 of 7, and
from Russia 13 of 14.
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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