Conservation groups have appealed to dog owners to ensure their pets do not interfere with rare birds, which have been spotted feeding on a beach in Salthill, Galway.
Bar-tailed Godwits have been photographed on Grattan Beach, but there are concerns that their visits to Irish shores may be unwittingly interrupted by animals being walked in the same area.
The birds are only active at low tide and so have a limited time to feed.
They arrive from the Arctic on what is described as "one of the avian world’s most extraordinary migratory journeys".
One of the species has been previously tracked flying from Alaska to Tasmania over 11 days, the longest continuous journey ever recorded for a landbird. They have long beaks and legs, with black and white stripes on their wings.
Galway Atlantaquaria says the birds are an incredible sight to behold and that their time here provides them with a vital refuelling opportunity, on their migration.
But the facility is worried that dogs running along the shores of Galway Bay could disrupt this.
It has appealed to the public to be mindful of the birds and to ensure pets are restricted so that the species can avail of the food available to them on Grattan Beach.
Spokesperson Garry Kendellen said the birds’ movements here needed to be protected from interruption, and he asked people to respect their "chill time" in Ireland, by being mindful of their feeding habits and requirements.
Mr Kendellen said the beach in Salthill was a very special habitat in this regard and appealed to those availing of the amenity not to disturb the limited window of feeding time for the city’s winged winter visitors.
Birdwatch Ireland says the Bar-tailed Godwit is on a 'red list’ of wintering birds that visit Ireland indicating high conservation concerns.
