As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday, 11 December 2013

Scottish rare mountain bird declining at rapid rate, says RSPB


DotterelOne of the UK’s rarest and most beautiful breeding birds, the dotterel, is declining at a rapid pace, the latest UK’s bird report reveals.
The report, by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said the population of the elusive mountain species had fallen by 40 per cent.

The authors said the breed was found only on the highest mountain tops of Scotland, as such more research is needed to establish what might be causing the decline, and if climate change is a factor.

According to RSPB, the dotterel is unusual in that the brightly-coloured females lead in courtship before leaving the smaller, drabber males to incubate the eggs and raise the young. 

Mark Eaton of RSPB, who described the findings as “concerning”, said new research would be conducted with Aberdeen University and SNH to examine the possible causes of the dotterel decline.

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