Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2023
Höfundar / Authors: Sölvi Rúnar Vignisson, Böðvar Þórisson, Veronica Mendez, José Alves, Jenny Gill, Jörundur Svavarsson, Tómas Grétar Gunnarsson.
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: Þekkingarsetur Suðurnesja og Rannsóknarsetur Háskóla Íslands á Suðurlandi
Kynnir / Presenter: Sölvi Rúnar Vignisson
The Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) is a charismatic large coastal wader with an extensive breeding range in temperate and sub-arctic Europe and Asia. The nominate form breeds commonly in Western and Northern Europe, reaching as far north as Iceland, northern Norway, Finland, and the White Sea region. This study utilizes GPS/GSM tracking technology to unveil the winter migration behavior of Oystercatchers that breed in Iceland. Our research presents the first-ever GPS tracks of Iceland-breeding Oystercatchers, providing valuable insights into their remarkable migration patterns. We explore differences in migration lengths and activity levels between resident and migrant individuals during winter, shedding light on the timing of migration, site fidelity, and its potential influence on their life strategies. These findings represent the preliminary results of our tracking analysis.