Dunlin: Arctic Breeding and Coastal Wintering Welfare
Overview: Welfare science for dunlins, abundant but declining waders breeding in Arctic tundra and wintering on UK coasts.
Key Welfare Facts
Dunlins are among the most numerous Arctic-breeding waders wintering on British estuaries in flocks of thousands.
They declined significantly as breeders in Britain and Ireland due to drainage of blanket bog breeding habitat.
Winter flocking provides predator detection benefit; flock disruption by raptors and disturbance costs foraging energy.
Lead shot contamination in intertidal sediments causes primary poisoning in dunlins foraging in contaminated areas.
Long-distance migration from Arctic breeding grounds exposes individuals to hunting pressure across their range.
Colour-ringing programmes allow individual tracking revealing fidelity to specific estuarine wintering sites.
Welfare Assessment
Dunlin welfare depends on protection of both Arctic blanket bog breeding habitats and UK estuarine wintering sites. Supporting lead ammunition phase-out in coastal areas and estuarine conservation reduces two of the most direct welfare threats.
What You Can Do
Support lead shot phase-out campaigns covering coastal and estuarine areas