Maintaining migratory species that depend on many countries scattered over large geographic areas is one of the great conservation challenges of our time. Success depends on 1) identifying the network of critical sites and 2) managing site-specific threats. Prior to the development of size-appropriate satellite telemetry, very little was known about migration pathways or connectivity for Whimbrels using the Western Atlantic Flyway. Since 2008, Bryan Watts and his research team have deployed 50 satellite transmitters on Whimbrels throughout the flyway to identify migratory routes and critical staging areas, and to link specific breeding and winter territories. The extreme flight capability of this species allows for the reliance on relatively few staging sites making these sites of high conservation value. The tracking effort has:
- illuminated the annual cycle of this declining population
- identified unknown migratory pathways
- suggested some possible causes of ongoing declines
Watts and his team have used this information to build a prioritized blueprint for conservation. The clear, emergent message of this work is that Whimbrels connect many locations and cultures throughout the Western Hemisphere and that their recovery depends on our ability to bring this community of cultures together around a single goal.