Búsvæðaval heiðlóu (Pluvialis apricaria) á fartíma

More than half of the European Golden plover population breeds in Iceland, yet research on the species are scarce in Iceland. Golden plovers (hereafter plovers) use moorland for breeding but less is known about habitat preference during migration. Main object of this study was to assess habitat selection of plovers during migration by looking at occupancy and how commonly plovers were found in different types of agricultural land. The objective is also to see how plovers use different types of habitats by looking at behavior and see if intake rates are different between habitats and seasons. The study was conducted during spring and autumn 2015 and 2016 in South Iceland where plovers were observed in agricultural land and Southwest Iceland where plovers were observed in agricultural land and coastal habitats. Results show that plover use agricultural land much for feeding during migration and coastal habitat where they have access to it. Plovers did not use agricultural land in proportion to land availability which indicates that they select between land types. The presence of plovers differed among seasons and types of agricultural land but plovers where more likely to be found within study sites during spring and within highly cultivated land. The most common behavior of plovers during migration was feeding and roosting, where feeding was more commonly observed during spring. Intake rates were higher in coastal habitats than within agricultural land and selection of land types is best explained with intake rates. Coastal habitat is more important in autumn which indicates that agricultural land is more important during spring. This information enhances our knowledge about habitat selection and the ecology of plovers during migration and can be used to further enhance the protection of the Icelandic Golden plover population.