![Overview of all the Bristle-thighed Curlew movements in 2007](images/btcu/overview_2007.jpg) |
In late June, we satellite-tagged 15 Bristle-thighed Curlews on their breeding grounds in the Andreafsky Wilderness of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in western Alaska http://yukondelta.fws.gov/. We then used satellite telemetry to track the movements of the tagged birds. We found that they remained on the breeding grounds for 2–5 weeks after chicks hatched and in mid-late July they flew to sites in southwest Alaska to rest and fatten-up prior to their southbound migration. In early August the first birds left Alaska and, over the next few weeks, we tracked 11 of them as they flew to atolls and islands in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, The Republic of Kiribati, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and the Republic of Nauru.
All transmitters were off the air by late December(most by late September) as they reached the limit of their battery life. You can view maps showing the movements of individual birds on the 'maps' page. Additionally, in early December biologists Lee Tibbitts and Eric VanderWerf traveled to the Republic of the Marshall Islands to observe curlews at non-breeding sites. Lee and Eric met with local citizens, scientists, and naturalists to present the results of this year’s study and promote the conservation of curlews in the region. They also observed one of the satellite-tagged curlews (Y5) during their visit. Click here to read descriptions for their trip and see the route of their travels! |
- Most birds remained on the same islands where they first made landfall in Oceania.
- Birds tended to stay on small islands within large atolls.
- Seven of the birds went to the Marshall Islands including: D8 on Enewetok, B4 on Bikini, B0 on Rongelap, Y9 and H8 on Likiep, Y5 on Maleolap, and C7 on Mili.
- B9 ended up on Nauru before his transmitter went off the air.
- H9 had a relatively large home range (compared to the other curlews) in southern Tabiteuea in the Gilbert Islands of the Republic of Kiribati.
- And, Y0 had a relatively small home range on the tiny island of Lisianski in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Lisianski is part of the United States’ National Wildlife Refuge System.
- The transmitter on one bird (D9) turned off in mid-air during migration so we don’t know where this bird ended up. We’ll likely have to rely on observations on the breeding grounds next year to determine the fate of D9.
- On 8 December we resighted Y5 on Nawoj Island in Maleolap Atoll of the Marshall Islands. She appeared to be healthy and just finishing up feather molt. Click here for a description of the trip to find Y5.
You need Google Earth installed on your computer to view an interactive file of curlew movements. Click here to get Google Earth free. Click on the movements link below. If Google Earth doesn't automatically open, refer to the instructions at .
THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE BASED ON PRELIMINARY DATA. THEY ARE NOT FOR USE WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE USGS ALASKA SCIENCE CENTER.
Click the curlew to download the kmz file and view an interactive map. Final transmissions received 20 Dec.
Map Legend |
![Map Legend B](images/map_legend_B.gif) |
2 messages only, no accuracy estimation |
![Map Legend 0](images/map_legend_0.gif) |
>1500 m |
![Map Legend 2](images/map_legend_2.gif) |
<350 m |
![Map Legend A](images/map_legend_A.gif) |
3 Messages only, no accuracy estimation |
![Map Legend 1](images/map_legend_1.gif) |
<1000 m |
![Map Legend 3](images/map_legend_3.gif) |
<150 m |
Click on PRBO's logo to view an additional interactive map.
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