Large groups of European golden plovers have been spotted in grassy areas around the Greater capital area over the past couple of days. According to the National Broadcasting Service, RÚV, the birds have been acting strangely, with some showing unusually aggressive behaviour.
Read more: The Icelandic spring arrived with the first European golden plover of the year
Author Guðmundur Andri Thorsson told of one encounter on his Facebook page, saying that a golden plover had laid claim to part of his driveway and was aggressively running back and forth the space, attacking those who came to close.
Read more: 5 Things you need to know about Puffins
Guðmundur A. Guðmundsson, an animal ecologist at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History and a specialist in migratory birds’ behavioural patterns, says the frosty weather has impacted the golden plover’s behaviour. Due to the cold and the snow the birds prefer to stay in grassy areas where there more is hope of finding food.
Approximately half of the golden plover European population breed is in Iceland, with around 500-700 thousand breeding pairs.
Large groups of European golden plovers have been spotted in grassy areas around the Greater capital area over the past couple of days. According to the National Broadcasting Service, RÚV, the birds have been acting strangely, with some showing unusually aggressive behaviour.
Read more: The Icelandic spring arrived with the first European golden plover of the year
Author Guðmundur Andri Thorsson told of one encounter on his Facebook page, saying that a golden plover had laid claim to part of his driveway and was aggressively running back and forth the space, attacking those who came to close.
Read more: 5 Things you need to know about Puffins
Guðmundur A. Guðmundsson, an animal ecologist at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History and a specialist in migratory birds’ behavioural patterns, says the frosty weather has impacted the golden plover’s behaviour. Due to the cold and the snow the birds prefer to stay in grassy areas where there more is hope of finding food.
Approximately half of the golden plover European population breed is in Iceland, with around 500-700 thousand breeding pairs.
