Breeding Chronology and Mating System of the Eurasian Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus)

We studied and color-banded a population of Eurasian Dotterel on a middle alpine breeding ground in southern Norway over 4 yr. Birds arrived paired in mid-May, dispersed onto nesting sites in late May to early June, when 75% of the ground was still covered by snow, and began to lay eggs a few days later. The egg-laying season of the population was long, up to 1 1/2 months. After completion of the earliest clutches, females started to perform display flights, apparently to seek males. The female displaying period lasted until the second week in July, when the females began to form flocks and prebasic molt was in progress. The display period thus covered most of the egg-laying period of the population. Females had a low site tenacity during the season, and evidence for territoriality was found in neither of the sexes. We argue that sequential polyandry is common in this dotterel population.