|Habitat and Ecology: Behaviour This species is fully migratory,
the main routes of migration being along Arctic coastlines (Snow
and Perrins 1998). It arrives on the breeding grounds in early-
June (Madge and Burn 1988, Scott and Rose 1996) where it may
breed in small, loose colonies (Madge and Burn 1988, del Hoyo et
al. 1992, Snow and Perrins 1998) or dispersed in single pairs
(Snow and Perrins 1998) (especially in the high Arctic where the
habitat is unsuitable for large groups) (Kear 2005a). There is a
high degree of synchrony in egg laying and hatching (Johnsgard
1978), with the adults moulting c.10 days after the young hatch
(mid-July to mid-August (Scott and Rose 1996)) during which they
become flightless for c.21-30 days (Johnsgard 1978, Scott and
Rose 1996). Most individuals moult near the breeding grounds
(Scott and Rose 1996) although immatures, unsuccessful breeders
(Johnsgard 1978) and some more southerly breeding groups (Flint
et al. 1984) may undertake pre-moult migrations (Johnsgard 1978)
and f