Do dogs disturb Dotterel in the Cairngorm mountains?

Several factors have been suggested for the recent decline of Dotterel breeding in Scotland, including disturbance from people and dogs. We studied the potential interactions between dogs and Dotterel, focussing on four mountains within Dotterel range in the Cairngorms National Park. We estimated that dogs mostly stayed within 7–35 m of their owners. We found that only 4–9% of people were accompanied by dogs, and that the majority of these dogs were on the lead or under close control. There was no evidence that breeding Dotterel were influenced by the location of paths. We speculate that dog owners in the Cairngorms are inclined to keep their dogs on the lead or under close control. The continued good behaviour of dog owners in Dotterel habitat should be
acknowledged and encouraged. Even small numbers of dogs off the lead and not under control could pose a significant risk of disturbance. Breeding Dotterel are experiencing a sustained decline in Scotland and anything that can be done to minimise negative impacts on availability of breeding territory or disturbance of birds should be a priority