Abstract

The migrations of Woodcocks Scolopax rusticola visiting Britain & Ireland in winter are described using ringing data and information from satellite tracking. The winter movements of British Woodcocks are summarised from recoveries of individuals ringed as chicks. About a quarter of British Woodcocks leave their natal area in winter, most of them hatched in Scotland and northern England, and move to Ireland. Migrant Woodcocks typically start to arrive in Britain during the second week of October, but satellite tags indicated a mean departure date of 10th October from the breeding grounds, with peak arrival during November. Northwest Russia constitutes the main breeding area for migrant Woodcocks wintering in Britain & Ireland, followed by Scandinavia and Finland. The mean spring migration distance of satellite-tracked Woodcocks was 2,851 km, but 6% of individuals undertook migrations to central Siberia, averaging 6,274 km. Peak spring departure was usually during the third week of March; the mean duration of spring migration was 23 days, with Woodcocks averaging five stops before reaching the breeding site. Tracked individuals were highly faithful to the same breeding and wintering sites.IntroductionBird migration has been a subject of scientific study for a little over 100 years (e.g. Cooke 1913, Thomson 1922) but has fascinated observers for far longer. The arrivals and departures of conspicuous migrant birds such as Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus, Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica and wintering waterfowl are obvious, especially as these iconic species are completely absent for large parts of the year. By contrast, the annual movements of partial migrants, in which only some individuals migrate, are less easily recorded. Despite the Woodcock Scolopax rusticola being the first bird in Britain to be the subject of study through ringing (Thomson 1911; Greenwood 2009), details of its migration have remained poorly understood until recent years. In Britain & Ireland, resident breeding Woodcocks occur alongside migrant visitors in winter, and the study of the latter is further hindered by the species’ cryptic plumage, secretive behaviour and the fact that migration occurs largely at night.