DOCSLIB.ORG

The Biogeography of Marbled Godwit (Limosa Fedoa) Populations in North America

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Biogeography of Marbled Godwit (Limosa Fedoa) Populations in North America Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 12-2011 The Biogeography of Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) Populations in North America Bridget E. Olson Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Olson, Bridget E., "The Biogeography of Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) Populations in North America" (2011). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1119. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/1119 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BIOGEOGRAPHY OF MARBLED GODWIT (LIMOSA FEDOA) POPULATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA by Bridget E. Olson A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Biology Approved: ____________________ ____________________ Dr. Kimberly A. Sullivan Dr. David Koons Major Professor Committee Member ____________________ ____________________ Dr. Ethan White Dr. Mark McLellan Committee Member Vice President for Research and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2011 ii Copyright © Bridget Olson 2011 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT The Biogeography of Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) Populations in North America by Bridget E. Olson, Master of Science Utah State University, 2011 Major Professor: Dr. Kimberly A. Sullivan Department: Biology We equipped 28 Marbled Godwit from four locations in North America with miniature satellite transmitters to determine migration routes, strategy, and connectivity. Godwits captured in Utah (n = 13) went to breeding sites in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana and North Dakota and wintered along the Baja Peninsula and west coast of mainland Mexico. They used Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (BRMBR), Utah as a stopover during both north and southbound migration. Godwits captured on Akimiski Island, Nunavut, Canada (n = 7) migrated through the midcontinent USA and wintered at sites along the Gulf of California, Sonora, Mexico. There is overlap in use of Mexico winter and stopover areas between the birds from Akimiski Island and those captured in Utah. Godwits captured in Georgia on the Atlantic coast (n = 6) migrated to breeding grounds in North and South Dakota. Godwits wintering along the Atlantic coast breed in close proximity to those originating from Mexico wintering sites and using BRMBR as a stopover. Godwits tagged on Akimiski Island traveled significantly farther during southbound migration (3862 km) than did godwits tagged in Utah (2533 km) and Georgia iv (2204 km) (P < 0.001). Godwits tagged in Utah traveled the shortest distance to the first stopover during southbound migration (670 km) (P < 0.001). This short distance between stopovers is characteristic of a “hopping” migration strategy, which is different than the intermediate “skipping” distances traveled by godwits from Canada (1925 km) and Georgia (2204 km), to their first stopover. Utah godwits also had the shortest residency period on winter habitats (174 days) (P < 0.001). Georgia godwits had the shortest southbound migration duration (2 days) (P < 0.02), the shortest residency period at breeding habitats (56 days) (P < 0.01) and the longest residency period on the wintering grounds (303 days) (P < 0.003). (152 pages) v Public Abstract Biogeography of Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) Populations in North America The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Toward fulfillment of that mission, a priority of the USFWS is conservation and management of migratory birds. Effective conservation actions to ensure the continued existence of a species on the landscape cannot be designed without first understanding basic life history characteristics of a species. It is common in the case of migratory birds, that we lack understanding of some of their elemental biological traits. The Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoa, is one such species where we lack information and understanding of the birds ecology. The Marbled Godwit has been identified as a species of high conservation concern by USFWS and its many partners. Concern is warranted as the estimated global population is relatively small (173,500) coupled with significant loss and degradation of its breeding and wintering habitats. However, in order to assess where to focus conservation action that would provide the most benefit to the overall population first we need to learn more about its population trends and ecology. In this study, USFWS, Utah State University and many other partners propose a multi-year, $150,000 project to characterize the biogeography of Marbled Godwit populations. Using the latest technology in miniature satellite transmitters, we will determine migration routes, timing, distances, speed and duration. We will also determine the connectivity or the links between the major breeding, staging, wintering and stopover areas. Unraveling this mystery will help us identify key habitats for protection and allow us to examine the risks or threats that each subpopulation is exposed to throughout the annual cycle. The connectivity among and between disparate breeding subpopulations of North American Marbled Godwit is also the initial step in designing future studies to further understand population dynamics of the species. Bridget E. Olson vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to Adrian Farmer, mentor, colleague and friend who was the impetus for the project and whose sage advice and humor I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks for your generosity and encouragement in allowing me to take the lead and wrap up this labor of love. I would also like to thank Dr. Ken Abraham for the invitation and logistical support of the project while on Akimiski Island, Canada; Xico Vega for his generous support in Mexico and Brad Winn for making it possible to extend the project to the east coast of North America. Finally, special recognition goes to husband Peter, and boys Nathan and Jacob, for putting up with my frequent absences and absent- mindedness while continuing to always be my “rock.” Funding and services for the project was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Utah Wetlands Foundation, George S. and Delores Dore’ Eccles Foundation, The Wilson Conservation Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Microwave Telemetry, ProNatura, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and The Environmental Resources Network. Bridget E. Olson vii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………..iii PUBLIC ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………..…...v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ………………………………………………………….……vi CONTENTS……………………………………………………………………….…….vii LIST OF TABLES …………………………………………..……………….…………..x LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………………..…………xii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………………………………………..............................….....1 II. METHODS.…………………………………………………............................….7 STUDY AREAS…………………………………………………………..7 Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, USA………………..…8 Akimiski Island, Nunavut, Canada …………………………...…..9 San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico ……………………………….…..…...9 Georgia, Atlantic Coast, USA………………. ……………......…10 CAPTURE……………………..…………………………………….…..10 TELEMETRY....…………………………………………………………12 Platform Transmitting Terminal Application ……………….......13 Satellite Location Data …………………………………….........15 Transmitter Collection Efficiency.………………………………17 MIGRATION STRATEGY……………………………………….…….17 Migration Routes and Distances …………………………..….…17 Migration Phenology and Stopover Duration……………....…....18 Speed of Flight ……………………………………….….…........18 MIGRATORY CONNECTIVITY……………………………..…….…..19 DATA ANALYSES…………………………………………..……....….19 III. GENERAL RESULTS ………………………………………….……........…….21 viii Page CAPTURE.................................................................................................21 TELEMETRY..………………………………………………….…….…22 Satellite Location Data ………………………………….....…….22 Transmitter Collection Efficiency ………………………….……25 MIGRATION STRATEGY……………………………………….……..26 Migration Routes...........................................................................26 Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, USA ........…....26 Akimiski Island, Nunavut, Canada....................................32 San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico.................................................35 Georgia, Atlantic Coast, USA............................................37 Migration Distances ……………………………………………..38 Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, USA ………...40 Akimiski Island, Nunavut, Canada ……………………...43 San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico ………………………………46 Georgia, Atlantic Coast, USA…………………………...46 Migration Phenology and Stopover Duration……………………48 Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, USA ...............48 Akimiski Island, Nunavut, Canada ……………………...49 San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico…………………………….....50 Georgia, Atlantic Coast, USA …………………………...51 Speed of Flight …………………………………………….…….52 MIGRATORY CONNECTIVITY………………………………………55 IV. DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF LIFE CYCLE ACTIVITIES BY INDIVIDUALLY TAGGED BIRDS …………………......…………...……57 BEAR RIVER MIGRATORY BIRD REFUGE, UT, USA……………..57 61984A……………………………………………………….…..57 61985………………………………………………………….….59 61986………………………………………………………….….61 61987………………………………………………………….….63
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Population Analysis and Community Workshop for Far Eastern Curlew Conservation Action in Pantai Cemara, Desa Sungai Cemara – Jambi
    POPULATION ANALYSIS AND COMMUNITY WORKSHOP FOR FAR EASTERN CURLEW CONSERVATION ACTION IN PANTAI CEMARA, DESA SUNGAI CEMARA – JAMBI Final Report Small Grant Fund of the EAAFP Far Eastern Curlew Task Force Iwan Febrianto, Cipto Dwi Handono & Ragil S. Rihadini Jambi, Indonesia 2019 The aim of this project are to Identify the condition of Far Eastern Curlew Population and the remaining potential sites for Far Eastern Curlew stopover in Sumatera, Indonesia and protect the remaining stopover sites for Far Eastern Curlew by educating the government, local people and community around the sites as the effort of reducing the threat of habitat degradation, habitat loss and human disturbance at stopover area. INTRODUCTION The Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariencis) is the largest shorebird in the world and is endemic to East Asian – Australian Flyway. It is one of the Endangered migratory shorebird with estimated global population at 38.000 individual, although a more recent update now estimates the population at 32.000 (Wetland International, 2015 in BirdLife International, 2017). An analysis of monitoring data collected from around Australia and New Zealand (Studds et al. in prep. In BirdLife International, 2017) suggests that the species has declined much more rapidly than was previously thought; with an annual rate of decline of 0.058 equating to a loss of 81.7% over three generations. Habitat loss occuring as a result of development is the most significant threat currently affecting migratory shorebird along the EAAF (Melville et al. 2016 in EAAFP 2017). Loss of habitat at critical stopover sites in the Yellow Sea is suspected to be the key threat to this species and given that it is restricted to East Asian - Australasian Flyway, the declines in the non-breeding are to be representative of the global population.
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Version Target Shorebird Species List
    Draft Version Target Shorebird Species List The target species list (species to be surveyed) should not change over the course of the study, therefore determining the target species list is an important project design task. Because waterbirds, including shorebirds, can occur in very high numbers in a census area, it is often not possible to count all species without compromising the quality of the survey data. For the basic shorebird census program (protocol 1), we recommend counting all shorebirds (sub-Order Charadrii), all raptors (hawks, falcons, owls, etc.), Common Ravens, and American Crows. This list of species is available on our field data forms, which can be downloaded from this site, and as a drop-down list on our online data entry form. If a very rare species occurs on a shorebird area survey, the species will need to be submitted with good documentation as a narrative note with the survey data. Project goals that could preclude counting all species include surveys designed to search for color-marked birds or post- breeding season counts of age-classed bird to obtain age ratios for a species. When conducting a census, you should identify as many of the shorebirds as possible to species; sometimes, however, this is not possible. For example, dowitchers often cannot be separated under censuses conditions, and at a distance or under poor lighting, it may not be possible to distinguish some species such as small Calidris sandpipers. We have provided codes for species combinations that commonly are reported on censuses. Combined codes are still species-specific and you should use the code that provides as much information as possible about the potential species combination you designate.
    [Show full text]
  • Initial Study/Environmental Assessment: Kent Island Restoration at Bolinas Lagoon
    DRAFT INITIAL STUDY/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: KENT ISLAND RESTORATION AT BOLINAS LAGOON Marin County Open Space District and US Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District August 2012 DRAFT INITIAL STUDY/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: KENT ISLAND RESTORATION AT BOLINAS LAGOON PREPARED FOR Marin County Open Space District Marin County Civic Center 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 260 San Rafael, CA 94903 (415) 499-6387 and US Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District 1455 Market St San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 503-6703 PREPARED BY Carmen Ecological Consulting Grassetti Environmental Consulting Peter R. Baye, Coastal Ecologist, Botanist August 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose of this Document ............................................................................................................1 1.2 Document Structure ..............................................................................................................1 2.0 PROPOSED PROJECT AND ALTERNATIVES .......................................................................3 2.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................3 2.2 Environmental Setting ..............................................................................................................3 2.3 Purpose and Need ..............................................................................................................6
    [Show full text]
  • List of Shorebird Profiles
    List of Shorebird Profiles Pacific Central Atlantic Species Page Flyway Flyway Flyway American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) •513 American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) •••499 Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) •488 Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) •••501 Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)•490 Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis) •511 Dowitcher (Limnodromus spp.)•••485 Dunlin (Calidris alpina)•••483 Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemestica)••475 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)•••492 Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) ••503 Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)••505 Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva) •497 Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa)••473 Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)•••479 Sanderling (Calidris alba)•••477 Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)••494 Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia)•••507 Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)•509 Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) •••481 Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) ••515 All illustrations in these profiles are copyrighted © George C. West, and used with permission. To view his work go to http://www.birchwoodstudio.com. S H O R E B I R D S M 472 I Explore the World with Shorebirds! S A T R ER G S RO CHOOLS P Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Description The Red Knot is a chunky, medium sized shorebird that measures about 10 inches from bill to tail. When in its breeding plumage, the edges of its head and the underside of its neck and belly are orangish. The bird’s upper body is streaked a dark brown. It has a brownish gray tail and yellow green legs and feet. In the winter, the Red Knot carries a plain, grayish plumage that has very few distinctive features. Call Its call is a low, two-note whistle that sometimes includes a churring “knot” sound that is what inspired its name.
    [Show full text]
  • Revised July 11, 2000
    Revised January 29, 2013 U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan Upper Mississippi Valley/ Great Lakes Regional Shorebird Conservation Plan Version 1.0 Prepared by1: Ferenc de Szalay, Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio Doug Helmers, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Columbia, Missouri Dale Humburg, Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri Stephen J. Lewis, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, Minnesota Barbara Pardo, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, Minnesota Mark Shieldcastle, Ohio Division of Wildlife, Oak Harbor, Ohio May, 2000 1 Authors are listed alphabetically. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE UMVGL REGION ................................................................................ 2 Physical Description ............................................................................................................... 2 Bird Conservation Regions ..................................................................................................... 2 Shorebird Habitats in the UMVGL ......................................................................................... 3 Human Impacts on Shorebird habitat in the UMVGL Region ............................................... 4 SHOREBIRD SPECIES
    [Show full text]
  • List of Species Likely to Benefit from Marine Protected Areas in The
    Appendix C: Species Likely to Benefit from MPAs andSpecial-Status Species This appendix contains two sections: C.1 Species likely to benefit from marine protected areas in the MLPA South Coast Study Region C.2 Special status species likely to occur in the MLPA South Coast Study Region C.1 Species Likely to Benefit From MPAs The Marine Life Protection Act requires that species likely to benefit from MPAs be identified; identification of these species will contribute to the identification of habitat areas that will support achieving the goals of the MLPA. The California Marine Life Protection Act Master Plan for Marine Protected Areas (DFG 2008) includes a broad list of species likely to benefit from protection within MPAs. The master plan also indicates that regional lists will be developed by the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team (SAT) for each study region described in the master plan. A list of species likely to benefit for the MLPA South Coast Study Region (Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to the California/Mexico border in San Diego County) has been compiled and approved by the SAT. The SAT used a scoring system to develop the list of species likely to benefit. This scoring system was developed to provide a metric that is more useful when comparing species than a simple on/off the list metric. Each species was scored using “1” to indicate a criterion was met or “0” to indicate a criterion was not met. Species on the list meet the following filtering criteria: they occur in the study region, they must score a “1” for either
    [Show full text]
  • Pacific Ocean
    124° 123° 122° 121° 42° 42° 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 ° 32 41° 41 31 29 30 27 28 26 25 24 23 22 21 ° ° 40 20 40 19 18 17 16 15 PACIFIC OCEAN 14 13 ° ° 39 12 39 11 10 9 8 6 7 4 5 20 0 20 3 MILES 1 2 38° 38° 124° 123° 122° 121° Prepared for: Office of HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE OIL SPILL PREVENTION and RESPONSE and ASSESSMENT DIVISION California Department Of Fish and Game National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sacramento, California Seattle, Washington Prepared by: RESEARCH PLANNING, INC. Columbia, SC 29202 ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY INDEX MAP 123°00’00" 122°52’30" 38°07’30" 38°07’30" TOMALES BAY STATE PARK P O I N T R E Y E S N A T I O N A L S E A S H O R E ESTERO DE LIMANTOUR RESERVE POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE 38°00’00" 38°00’00" POINT REYES HEADLAND RESERVE GULF OF THE FARALLONES NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 123°00’00" 122°52’30" ATMOSPH ND ER A IC IC A N D A M E I Prepared for C N O I S L T R A A N T O I I O T N A N U . E S. RC DE E PA MM RTMENT OF CO Office of HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE OIL SPILL PREVENTION and RESPONSE and ASSESSMENT DIVISION California Department of Fish and Game National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1.50 1KILOMETER 1.50 1MILE PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 1994 DRAKES BAY, CALIF.
    [Show full text]
  • First Record of Long-Billed Curlew Numenius Americanus in Peru and Other Observations of Nearctic Waders at the Virilla Estuary Nathan R
    Cotinga 26 First record of Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus in Peru and other observations of Nearctic waders at the Virilla estuary Nathan R. Senner Received 6 February 2006; final revision accepted 21 March 2006 Cotinga 26(2006): 39–42 Hay poca información sobre las rutas de migración y el uso de los sitios de la costa peruana por chorlos nearcticos. En el fin de agosto 2004 yo reconocí el estuario de Virilla en el dpto. Piura en el noroeste de Peru para identificar los sitios de descanso para los Limosa haemastica en su ruta de migración al sur y aprender más sobre la migración de chorlos nearcticos en Peru. En Virilla yo observí más de 2.000 individuales de 23 especios de chorlos nearcticos y el primer registro de Numenius americanus de Peru, la concentración más grande de Limosa fedoa en Peru, y una concentración excepcional de Limosa haemastica. La combinación de esas observaciones y los resultados de un estudio anterior en el invierno boreal sugiere la posibilidad que Virilla sea muy importante para chorlos nearcticos en Peru. Las observaciones, también, demuestren la necesidad hacer más estudios en la costa peruana durante el año entero, no solemente durante el punto máximo de la migración de chorlos entre septiembre y noviembre. Shorebirds are poorly known in Peru away from bordered for a few hundred metres by sand and established study sites such as Paracas reserve, gravel before low bluffs rise c.30 m. Very little dpto. Ica, and those close to metropolitan areas vegetation grows here, although cows, goats and frequented by visiting birdwatchers and tour pigs owned by Parachique residents graze the area.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Chapter
    Chapter 13 The Muskrats of North America Other Than Ondatra zibethicus zibethicus THE FIFTEEN RECOGNIZED FORMS of muskrats having North American ranges outside of the range of 0. z. zibethicus show many differences as to population status, habitats, and geographical distribution. Of these other muskrats, 0. z. cinnamominus - the subspecies with which, next to zibethicus, I have had the most experience - can be notable for its low densities over tremendous areas of the arid and semiarid Great Plains; it may hardly be represented at all for stretches of hundreds of miles, yet seldom does it fail nominally to hold essentially its regular range, and it often reaches typical muskrat abundance m suitable marsh or stream habitats. "\\!estward from the range of cinnamominus extend the ranges of the evidently closely related mergens, occipitalis, and osoyoosensis. The one of these having the smallest range, occipitalis, &hows some behavior differences, whereas the widely distributed osoyoosensis is probably as versatile with respect to habitats and climate as any musk­ rat subspecies, including zibethicus. It is true that zibethicus in northern Ontario and osoyoosensis at high altitudes in western United States illustrate muskrat adaptability to long cold winters and marginal habitats as well as do any of what may be called the true northern muskrats - obscurus, aquilonius, a/bus, zalophus, and spatulatus. Nevertheless, much may still be learned from this latter group about what constitutes habitability of northern muskrat range and what muskrats can there endure in the way of edge-of-range phenomena. The subspecies macrodon, rivalicius, ripensis, bernardi, goldmani, and pallidus are all natives of warm climates and all have restricted geographic ranges.
    [Show full text]
  • Gjoa Haven © Nunavut Tourism
    NUNAVUT COASTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY ᐊᕙᑎᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ Department of Environment Avatiliqiyikkut Ministère de l’Environnement Gjoa Haven © Nunavut Tourism ᐊᕙᑎᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ Department of Environment Avatiliqiyikkut NUNAVUT COASTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY • Gjoa Haven INVENTORY RESOURCE COASTAL NUNAVUT Ministère de l’Environnement Nunavut Coastal Resource Inventory – Gjoa Haven 2011 Department of Environment Fisheries and Sealing Division Box 1000 Station 1310 Iqaluit, Nunavut, X0A 0H0 GJOA HAVEN Inventory deliverables include: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • A final report summarizing all of the activities This report is derived from the Hamlet of Gjoa Haven undertaken as part of this project; and represents one component of the Nunavut Coastal Resource Inventory (NCRI). “Coastal inventory”, as used • Provision of the coastal resource inventory in a GIS here, refers to the collection of information on coastal database; resources and activities gained from community interviews, research, reports, maps, and other resources. This data is • Large-format resource inventory maps for the Hamlet presented in a series of maps. of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut; and Coastal resource inventories have been conducted in • Key recommendations on both the use of this study as many jurisdictions throughout Canada, notably along the well as future initiatives. Atlantic and Pacific coasts. These inventories have been used as a means of gathering reliable information on During the course of this project, Gjoa Haven was visited on coastal resources to facilitate their strategic assessment, two occasions:
    [Show full text]
  • Black-Tailed Godwits in West African Winter Staging Areas
    Alterra is part of the international expertise organisation Wageningen UR (University & Research centre). Our mission is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. Within Wageningen UR, nine research institutes – both specialised and applied – have joined forces with Wageningen University and Van Hall Larenstein University of Black-tailed Godwits in West African winter Applied Sciences to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With approximately 40 locations (in the Netherlands, Brazil and China), 6,500 members of staff and 10,000 students, Wageningen UR is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. The integral approach to problems and the cooperation between the exact sciences and the technological and social disciplines are at the heart of the staging areas Wageningen Approach. Alterra is the research institute for our green living environment. We offer a combination of practical and scientific Habitat use and hunting-related mortality research in a multitude of disciplines related to the green world around us and the sustainable use of our living environment, such as flora and fauna, soil, water, the environment, geo-information and remote sensing, landscape and spatial planning, man and society. Alterra Report 2058 ISSN 1566-7197 More information: www.alterra.wur.nl/uk David Kleijn, Jan van der Kamp, Hamilton Monteiro, Idrissa Ndiaye, Eddy Wymenga and Leo Zwarts Black-tailed Godwits in West African winter staging areas Commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Food safety, Direction Nature Conservation. Carried out in the framework of project BO-10-003-002.
    [Show full text]
  • Migratory Shorebird Guild
    Migratory Shorebird Guild Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Sanderling Calidris alba Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus Red Knot Calidris canutus Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Wimbrel Numenius phaeopus White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago gallinago delicata Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia American Avocet Recurvirostra Americana Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Dunlin Calidris alpina Contributors: Felicia Sanders and Thomas M. Murphy DESCRIPTION Photograph by SC DNR Taxonomy and Basic Description The migratory shorebird guild is composed of birds in the Charadrii suborder. Migrants in South Carolina represent three families: Scolopacidae (sandpipers), Charadriidae (plovers) and Recurvirostridae (avocets). Sandpipers are the most diverse family of shorebirds. Their tactile foraging strategy encompasses probing in soft mud or sand for invertebrates. Plovers are medium size birds, with relatively short, thick bills and employ a distinctive foraging strategy. They stand, looking for prey and then run to feed on detected invertebrates. Avocets are large shorebirds with long recurved bills and partial webbing between the toes. They feed employing both tactile and visual methods. Shorebirds are characterized by long legs for wading and wings designed for quick flight and transcontinental migrations. Migrations can span continents; for example, red knots migrate from the Canadian arctic to the southern tip of South America.
    [Show full text]