Cross-Palaearctic population connectivity in a migratory shorebird, the Common Redshank (Tringa totanus), defies high site fidelity

Strict breeding site fidelity and natal philopatry are common characteristics even among long-distance migratory species that routinely traverse thousands of kilometres. These life-history traits are thought to impede demographic connectivity between geographically disparate populations and drive genetic differentiation. However, this hypothesis has rarely been investigated, much less on avian species that breed and migrate on continental scales. Here, we assess the population-genetic implications of such behavioural correlates on the evolutionary trajectory of a polytypic and polymorphic migratory shorebird that breeds across the Palaearctic.