Shorebirds Are Champion Long-Distance Migrants
Shorebirds complete astounding pole-to-pole migrations each year, facing multiple threats to their survival along the way. Fourteen species breed on Alaska’s North Slope, which includes the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska, where drilling is already underway. Six species are designated as high priority in the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan. One species, the American Golden-Plover, flies non-stop from eastern Canada to South America, covering over 2,500 miles in two days during their annual migration from arctic breeding sites to wintering grounds. Shorebirds need our help to protect critical breeding and migration sites, birds, and underscore the need for their protection. conservation activities can be targeted where they are most needed.
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American Golden-Plovers, an arctic breeding shorebird in significant decline, nest on the tundra and defend their nests with vigorous distraction displays. Photo by Brad Winn. |
The coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to a diversity of wildlife, including 14 species of shorebirds, many of which are declining. Photo by Stephen Brown. |
Manomet’s Arctic Shorebird Project
Manomet is leading a project to improve conservation of arctic breeding shorebirds by filling in the huge information gaps about habitat requirements and developing habitat protection and management protocols on the North Slope. We are working in close cooperation with research, government, industry, and conservation groups. We have three major projects underway, each of which is described more fully below. First, we are working with Subhankar Banerjee, author of the immensely popular book Seasons of Life and Land, on a new book about the birds of the Arctic Refuge. This book will help make the case for protection of the coastal plain by showcasing the bird habitat values of this remote wilderness for the general public. Second, we are collaborating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete the first study of breeding shorebird and waterbird distribution throughout the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain. This study will show which habitats within the Refuge are most important for breeding birds. Finally, we are playing a lead role in the development of a new shorebird monitoring effort called the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring, or PRISM. The Arctic surveys will determine the actual population status of the shorebird species currently thought to be in serious decline. The overall goal of PRISM is to determine shorebird population size and trends, so that conservation activities can be targeted where they are most needed.
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Red Phalaropes nest in arctic wetlands, but spend the winter as open ocean birds. Photo by Stephen Brown. |
Shorebirds must reproduce successfully in the arctic to sustain populations, but face increasing risks from habitat disturbance, predators, and global climate change. Photo by Brad Winn. |
Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, with Subhankar Banerjee
Most of the debate about the future of the Refuge focuses on the large mammals using the area, including polar bears and caribou. Many people who love birds are unaware of the importance of the breeding habitats in the Refuge. This book, a joint project with Subhankar Banerjee, will bring stunning images of the birds of the Refuge, along with their stories of migration and survival, to the general public. The book will cover all the groups of birds, showcase the value of Arctic Refuge habitats for breeding birds, and strengthen the case for protection of the Refuge coastal plain.
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Shorebird Distribution in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
When the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established, efforts were made to study the wildlife impacts of oil development, but very little is known about the shorebirds and other waterbirds using the Refuge. Our goal is to develop a habitat map and complete a survey of shorebird and waterbird habitats throughout the coastal plain. We are working in close collaboration with Arctic Refuge staff and US Fish and Wildlife Service biologists to provide the first complete survey of breeding habitats, showing what species are using each type of habitat. This work will help protect these critical areas from disturbance, and underscore the value of coastal plain habitats for a wide variety of birds.
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The Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM)
This new program is a cooperative effort spearheaded by the U.S. Geological Survey to meet the monitoring goals of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, which Manomet coordinated. The overall goal is to determine the current population size and trend of each species of shorebird. Because the arctic is vast, we use a helicopter to survey remote locations where shorebirds nest. Manomet is a key field partner in conducting the Arctic surveys.
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Please join us in supporting the conservation of arctic shorebirds. Your contribution will support our staff, transportation, and equipment necessary to work in the Arctic. This work is urgently needed to protect shorebirds throughout this increasingly threatened region. Stephen Brown, Director of Manomet’s Shorebird Conservation and Research Program, can provide more information about our projects and goals.
