Dunlin and Golden Plover (1 Viewer)

[JTweedie]

I read this morning in Birds Britannica that Dunlin and known for shadowing Golden Plover, following their every move. It even mentions a Golden Plover flying onto a fence post and a Dunlin flying up and perching right beside it. According to the text, they shadow Golden Plover the most, but they're also known to shadow Greenshank and Dotterel. The book refers to them as "plover's page".

Has anyone seen this and got any photos, or even better video of this behaviour?

 

[Dmacaskill]

I have often seen Dunlin with Golden plover during the breeding season, on the peatlands here in Sutherland. GP are always very alert for danger and i assumed that the Dunlin were keeping close. to use their neighbours as a look out. At Forsinard, GP often leave the peatlands to feed lower down on the green in bye land in the straths, where they are often accompanied by Dunlin.

 

[JTweedie]

Thanks for the update. The book suggested that awareness of predators may have been part of the explanation. However it also suggested that the relationship is so tight as to almost be parasitism.