More southern dunlins have returned to Öland
Sometimes good news comes from nature conservation, and this one I really love. BirdLife Sweden reports that at least eleven southern dunlins raised within the Southern Dunlin Project have returned to Öland this year, and six of them tried to breed.
The project is run by Nordens Ark and BirdLife Sweden with support from Postkodlotteriet and started in 2023. At that time there were an estimated only 40 pairs left in Sweden, a fraction of what existed a hundred years ago. The method is to find nests and eggs, hatch the eggs at a rearing station where the chicks are protected from predators, and release them on Öland's wet meadows once they can fly. They then live as wild birds and overwinter in northern and north-western Africa. Individual colour rings make it possible to recognise them when they return.
This year 24 fledglings were released on the wet meadows of southern Öland. Some are thought to have fallen prey to predators, probably mink. The spring was dry and many water pools disappeared early, and egg predation was high, but later more rain came and conditions improved. Several of the returning birds have bred and laid eggs themselves, and some were taken into care by the project, giving rise to a new generation.
Eleonor Karlsson, project leader at BirdLife Sweden, reminds us that migratory birds' first migration is the most risky and that every individual is very valuable. Emma Nygren, nature conservation manager at Nordens Ark, believes the real number of returnees is higher than eleven, because the species is hard to survey and not all wet meadows could be visited.
As a bird enthusiast, I think the colour rings are the best part of the story: you can follow individual birds all the way from egg to return. That gives hope for a species that could otherwise easily disappear.
Source: BirdLife Sverige
The project is run by Nordens Ark and BirdLife Sweden with support from Postkodlotteriet and started in 2023. At that time there were an estimated only 40 pairs left in Sweden, a fraction of what existed a hundred years ago. The method is to find nests and eggs, hatch the eggs at a rearing station where the chicks are protected from predators, and release them on Öland's wet meadows once they can fly. They then live as wild birds and overwinter in northern and north-western Africa. Individual colour rings make it possible to recognise them when they return.
This year 24 fledglings were released on the wet meadows of southern Öland. Some are thought to have fallen prey to predators, probably mink. The spring was dry and many water pools disappeared early, and egg predation was high, but later more rain came and conditions improved. Several of the returning birds have bred and laid eggs themselves, and some were taken into care by the project, giving rise to a new generation.
Eleonor Karlsson, project leader at BirdLife Sweden, reminds us that migratory birds' first migration is the most risky and that every individual is very valuable. Emma Nygren, nature conservation manager at Nordens Ark, believes the real number of returnees is higher than eleven, because the species is hard to survey and not all wet meadows could be visited.
As a bird enthusiast, I think the colour rings are the best part of the story: you can follow individual birds all the way from egg to return. That gives hope for a species that could otherwise easily disappear.
Source: BirdLife Sverige
Comments 0
Leave the first comment, in any language.
Log in to comment