Short abstract from the book: The oystercatcher is a common breeding bird in Denmark,
breeding at many coastal sites as well as some inland localities.
The Danish Wadden Sea is an important rest and winter
locality for the species. The first oystercatcher was ringed in
Denmark in 1912, with most ringed in the 1960s and ’70s.
Most of the birds were ringed in the breeding season, either
as chicks or fully grown, but some passage migrants have also
been ringed.
The majority of the Danish oystercatchers are migrants,
migrating SW along the coast of western Europe. In autumn
and winter Danish birds have been recovered in Denmark,
Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Spain.
Eighty-five per cent have been recovered abroad during winter,
most in France and the Netherlands. In March Danish oystercatchers have been recovered in France and the Netherlands,
but by the end of April all have returned to Denmark. Many
birds settle to breed close to where they were born.
Passage migrants from Norway are found in western
Jutland and the Wadden Sea from late July. Norwegian birds
winter in the German–Dutch Wadden Sea. Many of the
oystercatchers found in the Danish Wadden Sea in autumn
and spring are probably from northwest Russia. Swedish and
Finnish oystercatchers are mainly found in eastern Denmark,
and birds from Estonia in southern Denmark. During winter
birds ringed in eastern Denmark are in general found further
south than birds ringed in Jutland.
The main known cause of death is hunting. Most oystercatchers have been shot in Denmark (76 %) and France
(21 %).
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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