Migration of Long-billed Curlews from the Intermountain West
A project of Intermountain Bird Observatory in conjunction with the partners and sponsors detailed below.
Subscribe to receive daily project updates
| Name | Species | Life Stage | Release Date | Last Location | Days Transmitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA - Frank (ACEC) | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2014-04-30 | 2019-08-17 | 1935 |
| AE - Emmett (ACEC) | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2013-06-04 | 2017-01-19 | 1325 |
| AH - Henrietta (TNC Flat Ranch) | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2014-05-28 | 2019-10-19 | 1970 |
| AJ - National Elk Refuge | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2014-05-27 | 2018-05-30 | 1464 |
| AN - Goldie | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2014-05-24 | 2017-12-30 | 1316 |
| AY - Valkyrie (ACEC) | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2015-05-05 | 2026-08-13 | 4118 |
| CC - Bethine (ACEC) | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2014-05-02 | 2017-04-13 | 1077 |
| CP - Gem (ACEC) | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2015-05-02 | 2015-12-28 | 240 |
| EM - Thor (ACEC) | Long-billed Curlew | Adult | 2015-05-04 | 2019-11-18 | 1659 |
Click on an animal's name for maps and more information.
Introduction
We would like to thank the McDanel Land Foundation, the Page Family Foundation, and the > 60 people who donated to our RocketHub campaign! Their support helped make this project a reality!
The Long-billed Curlew is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Idaho, and is a species of concern with the BLM, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Environment Canada. Our knowledge about what curlews do once they leave Idaho is extremely poor, hampering our ability to explain population declines. Some basic questions that we still lack information about include:
-What migratory routes do they take to reach their wintering grounds?
-When do Idaho curlews arrive on their wintering grounds and where do they go?
-What specific habitats do they require during migration and winter?
This information is needed to form conservation partnerships and initiate a plan to conserve curlews across Canada, the US and Mexico!
Curlews are declining throughout their range and factors including habitat loss and degradation, environmental toxins, and human disturbance could be responsible. Some threats are likely occurring on breeding grounds but others may be happening during migration and/or in wintering areas on the Pacific or Gulf coasts, or northern Mexico.
Satellite transmitters on Long-billed Curlews can provide valuable insights into the speciesâ migratory routes, migratory timing, and habitat requirements and will allow scientists to develop conservation plans to save the Long-billed Curlew.
In May-June of 2013 and 2014 the Intermountain Bird Observatory and their partners attached solar PPTs to breeding Long-billed Curlews in Idaho. We are tracking adults captured at nest sites in southwestern Idaho, eastern Idaho, western Wyoming and southwest Montana.
Please see the links above for information on each individual bird.
Project Partners
The Center for Conservation Biology (CCB), a research group within The College of William and Mary and the Virginia Commonwealth University, has been an invaluable partner for this project. CCB research biologist Fletcher Smith made a trip out to Idaho to train Idaho Bird Observatory staff in how to attach transmitter equipment and utilize the tracking and analysis tools. Additionally, CCB staff has also given a lot of in-kind support in getting this project underway. We look forward to continuing this constructive partnership into the future.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also served as partner, as they have provided substantial funding for this project. We would like to recognize the support of Terry Rich and Brad Andres specifically.
We also thank MPG Ranch and The Nature Conservancy.
