Space use by Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa limosa during settlement at a previous or a new nest location

Capsule Black-tailed Godwits first return to the nest location of the previous year, even when moving to a different nest location later that season.Aims To examine the use of space by Black-tailed Godwits during the two months before egg-laying to two weeks afterwards.Methods We compare the spatial distribution of sightings of eventually site-faithful birds with birds that changed nest location, and relate this to the change of the distance to their previous year's and current nest-site in the period until egg-laying. Using a log-likelihood model we establish how the differences in distance to the respective nests change over the course of the season.Results All birds were observed first near their previous year's nest-site, and remained there for most of the pre-laying period. Birds that subsequently changed nest location made the move only about five days before egg-laying and were more wide-ranging earlier on.Conclusion The return to the previous nest-site suggests that a decision to move is made only after considerable time investment near the previous nest-site. This indicates that site-faithfulness in Black-tailed Godwits is conditional on experiences after return to the nesting area.