Migration pattern of Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea on the south-western coastline of the Iberian Peninsula

In the Bay of Cádiz, in south-western Iberian Peninsula, counts of Curlew Sandpiper over a four-year period showed peaks of migration in August and April; few birds used this site as their nonbreeding area. Numbers on northward and southward passage were similar. On southward passage, adult arrival took place between end July and early August; most had departed before the end of this month. In contrast, juveniles arrived at the end of August and at the beginning of September; passage was complete during October. In 1988, a particularly strong passage of juveniles on southward migration, observed in central and northern Europe, was not noticeable in Cádiz Bay.