Habitat and Ecology
Behaviour This species is fully migratory and travels over land on a broad front utilising few staging areas on route (in autumn no known concentrated staging occurs)1, 5. It breeds from May to August2 either in well-dispersed3 solitary pairs1 or in loose groups depending on the topography of the land5. The autumn migration occurs from July onwards2 with the return passage to the breeding grounds occurring chiefly between March and May2 (non-breeders may also remain on the wintering grounds all year round)1. When not breeding the species usually forages singly or in small groups1, flying in small parties3 or larger flocks on migration4, 5 and roosting communally at night in mangrove trees or in shallow water1. Habitat Breeding The species breeds on dry scrub heathland5, moss and lichen tundra with stunted bushes3, sedge meadows3, wet moorland1, 5 and mossy hummock bogs4, 3 in open areas, river valleys1, along the shores of tundra lakes4, in birch forest near the Arctic treeline1, burned areas of forest4 and open montane forest1 in the boreal, subarctic and subalpine zones1, 3. It generally avoids extremes of cold and wet, steep slopes, bare rock and gravel expanses or tall dense vegetation (e.g. dense forest)5. Non-breeding On passage in the autumn and spring the species frequents wetlands, tidal flats1, short-sward wet and dry grasslands1, 2, farmland2 and heathland with Empetrum spp., generally occupying coastal habitats in the winter such as muddy, rocky or sandy beaches1, coral shores6, exposed reefs, tidal mudflats1, sandflats6, mangrove swamps1, tidal marshes3 and lagoons6. Diet When inland on migration and during the breeding season its diet consists of adult and larval insects1, 3 (e.g. Coleoptera, Orthoptera and cranefly larvae), spiders, millipedes, earthworms, snails, slugs, seeds, leaves and berries1 (e.g. of ericaceous plants)3. On the coast during the winter the species takes crustaceans (e.g. crabs), molluscs, large polychaete worms and occasionally fish, reptiles or young birds1. Breeding site The nest is a shallow depression1, 5 often positioned on hummocks or in short heather or grass3, 4 in dry exposed locations1, 3, 4 sometimes far from water3, 4. When the breeding habitat (e.g. tundra or heathland) is flat and open the species nests in solitary pairs, but where irregular features such as hummocks and tall vegetation patches give more visual isolation the species may nest in loose groups5. Management information A study in the Shetland Islands, UK found that when trying to enhance the grazing quality of heathlands by re-seeding (e.g. with high quality grass-seed mixtures) it is better to apply lime, grass-seed and inorganic fertiliser directly to the surface of the ground rather than ploughing and harrowing the ground first, as the latter maintains more natural vegetation hummocks and heather used by the species for nesting8. Re-seeding of heathland with prior ploughing and harrowing may improve feeding conditions for pre-breeding adults however9.
Systems
- Terrestrial
- Freshwater
- Marine
