Calidris Tenuirostris Research Articles

A Review of the Conservation Status of Shorebirds in Mongolia

We present the first comprehensive review of 62 migratory shorebird species in Mongolia, covering their ecological status, IUCN assessments at regional or national levels, population trends, threats, and conservation measures. Mongolia hosts a total of 62 shorebird species from twenty-two genera and seven families, with six species classified as globally threatened: the Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwing, the Endangered Siberian Sandplover, the Far Eastern Curlew, the Great Knot, and the Vulnerable Sharp-Tailed Sandpiper. Both national and global IUCN Red List assessments highlight Mongolia’s significance as a breeding and passage migrating site for globally threatened and Near-Threatened shorebirds. Species richness is higher in northern regions compared to the south, with the highest diversity found in areas with complex aquatic ecosystems. Global population trends indicate a decline in 61% of species, with 18% remaining stable, 16% of unknown status, and 5% increasing. At the national level, most species are stable (61%), 34% status is unknown, and 5% are decreasing. Anthropogenic-induced threats, including habitat loss and degradation, pollution, disturbance, and harvesting, pose significant risks to 69% of species, while natural disasters affect 11%. Additionally, 8% of species are impacted by accidental mortality and intrinsic factors, and 5% by changes in native species. Despite these threats, no specific conservation action plans exist for shorebirds in Mongolia. However, general conservation measures are in place, such as environmental and fauna protection laws, regulations on foreign trade in endangered species, and the establishment of protected areas under governmental resolutions. Mongolia also participates in international conventions like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramsar, and Migratory Species (CMS), and has developed national red lists, red books, and publications such as “A Summary Conservation Action Plan for Mongolian Birds”, “Important Bird Areas” to support conservation efforts.

Intraseasonal movements between staging sites by migrating great knots: Longer distances to alternatives decrease the probability of such moves

Distance is a key constraint for animals in moving between suitable habitats, but is this also the case in staging long-distance migrating shorebirds that habitually cover thousands of kilometers during migrations? We conducted multi-year field observations, benthic prey sampling and satellite tracking, to compare how endangered great knots Calidris tenuirostris respond to the food shortage at two similarly functioning staging sites (Gaizhou and Beijingzi) in the northern Yellow Sea, China. Food availability declined by >95 % at both sites across the study period, with the intake rates of great knots declining by 87 %. However, whereas the number of great knots declined by 91 % at Gaizhou, only a 29 % decrease was seen at Beiijngzi. Satellite tracking showed that during the time when food was poor in Gaizhou, tagged great knots crossed 20 km to suitable alternative high-quality sites where food was not scarce. From Beijingzi, tagged great knots flew at least 124 km to find a good alternative. We show that longer distances to alternative sites decreased the probability of a bird leaving. Thus, habitat degradation in staging sites induced great knots to move to alternative sites, but only if such alternatives were relatively close. As staging habitats become more isolated, the negative effects of habitat degradation will be more serious due to a distance constraint on exploratory movements. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining networks of nearby high-quality refueling sites for migratory birds to provide buffers in seasons when local food conditions are lean.

Biometric variability and sexual size dimorphism in the Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris

The Great Knot is a species from the Scolopacidae family of waders migrating within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, and studies on this species have contributed greatly to understanding of migration ecophysiology and migration strategies in long-distance migrants. In this paper, we provide the first description of biometric variability and sexual size dimorphism in Great Knots. During the study on the Kamchatka Peninsula, 683 adults and 229 juveniles were measured and sexed molecularly. In adults, the mean measurements of females were larger than in males, except for tarsus length. In juveniles, at the early stage of migration from breeding to wintering grounds, apparently growth was not complete. Sexual dimorphism was small, with only wing length being significantly longer in females than in males. All dimensions of juveniles were smaller than those of adults, especially in bill length. The most sexually dimorphic trait in both adults and juveniles was wing length, and the most effective discriminant function with wing length as a single predictor correctly identified the sex of 76% of birds in both age classes. However, molecular sexing is the method of choice for reliable sexing, especially in juveniles.

Site fidelity of migratory shorebirds facing habitat deterioration: insights from satellite tracking and mark-resighting

BackgroundSite fidelity, the tendency to return to a previously visited site, is commonly observed in migratory birds. This behaviour would be advantageous if birds returning to the same site, benefit from their previous knowledge about local resources. However, when habitat quality declines at a site over time, birds with lower site fidelity might benefit from a tendency to move to sites with better habitats. As a first step towards understanding the influence of site fidelity on how animals cope with habitat deterioration, here we describe site fidelity variation in two species of sympatric migratory shorebirds (Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica and Great Knots Calidris tenuirostris). Both species are being impacted by the rapid loss and deterioration of intertidal habitats in the Yellow Sea where they fuel up during their annual long-distance migrations.MethodsUsing satellite tracking and mark-resighting data, we measured site fidelity in the non-breeding (austral summer) and migration periods, during which both species live and co-occur in Northwest Australia and the Yellow Sea, respectively.ResultsSite fidelity was generally high in both species, with the majority of individuals using only one site during the non-breeding season and revisiting the same sites during migration. Nevertheless, Great Knots did exhibit lower site fidelity than Bar-tailed Godwits in both Northwest Australia and the Yellow Sea across data types.ConclusionsGreat Knots encountered substantial habitat deterioration just before and during our study period but show the same rate of decline in population size and individual survival as the less habitat-impacted Bar-tailed Godwits. This suggests that the lower site fidelity of Great Knots might have helped them to cope with the habitat changes. Future studies on movement patterns and their consequences under different environmental conditions by individuals with different degrees of site fidelity could help broaden our understanding of how species might react to, and recover from, local habitat deterioration.

Individuals of a group-living shorebird show smaller home range overlap when food availability is low

BackgroundGroup living animals, such as shorebirds foraging on intertidal mudflats, may use social information about where to find hidden food items. However, flocking also increases intraspecific competition for resources, which may be exacerbated by food scarcity. Therefore, although aggregation may bring benefits, it may also increase the intensity of intraspecific competition.MethodsWe examined this trade-off in adult great knots Calidris tenuirostris, a molluscivorous long-distance migrating shorebird species, using interannual variation based on 2 years with different levels of food availability during their northward migratory staging in the northern Yellow Sea, China. We estimated individual home ranges and the extent of spatial overlap of home ranges of individually tagged birds in 2012 and 2015, whilst discounting for possible differences in body size, body mass, sex and migration schedule between years.ResultsWe found that home range size was not associated with body mass, arrival date, body size, or sex of the individual. Despite a significant difference in food availability between the two study years, there was no significant change in the 50% and 95% home range size of great knots in the contrasting situations. However, there was a significantly smaller spatial overlap between individuals in the year when food was less available, suggesting that great knots operated more independently when food was scarce than when it was abundant.ConclusionsThese results suggest that minimizing intraspecific competition became more important when food was scarce. Where it is impossible to monitor all habitats en route, monitoring the local movements of shorebirds may offer a way to detect changes in habitat quality in real time.

Arriving late and lean at a stopover site is selected against in a declining migratory bird population.

Loss and/or deterioration of refuelling habitats have caused population declines in many migratory bird species but whether this results from unequal mortality among individuals varying in migration traits remains to be shown. Based on 13 years of body mass and size data of great knots (Calidris tenuirostris) at a stopover site of the Yellow Sea, combined with resightings of individuals marked at this stopover site along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, we assessed year to year changes in annual apparent survival rates, and how apparent survival differed between migration phenotypes (i.e. migration timing and fuel stores). The measurements occurred over a period of habitat loss and/or deterioration in this flyway. We found that the annual apparent survival rates of great knots rapidly declined from 2006 to 2018, late-arriving individuals with small fuel stores exhibiting the lowest apparent survival rate. There was an advancement in mean arrival date and an increase in the mean fuel load of stopping birds over the study period. Our results suggest that late-arriving individuals with small fuel loads were selected against. Thus, habitat loss and/or deterioration at staging sites may cause changes in the composition of migratory phenotypes at the population-level.

Importance of conserving a critical wintering ground for shorebirds in the Valinokkam Lagoon—a first study of the avifaunal distribution of the southeastern coast of India

Any new economic activity in a virgin area brings landscape changes, making it essential to document baseline biodiversity areas to understand the impacts on habitats. Avifaunal inventories are critical for previously undocumented areas, especially in a wintering site for shorebirds in the Central Asian Flyway, to formulate site- and species-specific conservation management tools. We present an annotated checklist of avifauna from the Valinokkam Lagoon in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. We recorded the first baseline avifaunal data for 154 species belonging to 16 orders and 46 families from August 2016 to February 2023. Order-wise, Charadriiformes dominated the study site with 47 species; followed by Passeriformes with 39 species and Pelecaniformes with 20 species. Winter visitors constituted 37.6 % (58 species) and one Passage Migrant Rosy Starling Pastor roseus. The relative abundance indicated that 94 species were C (common), 41 species were UC (uncommon), and 19 species were Ra (rare). Eleven Near Threatened (NT) species: Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, Great Stone-curlew Esacus recurvirostris, Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis and Red Knot Calidris canutus, one Endangered (EN) species Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris, and one unassessed Hanuman Plover Charadrius seebohmi according to the IUCN Red List category. This baseline data highlights the importance of Valinokkam Lagoon as an important wintering site in the Central Asian Flyway on the southeast coast of India for migratory shorebirds and the need for more conservation priorities for regional endemic birds like Hanuman Plover.
 

Structure of breeding calls in three closely related bird species (Calidris Merrem, 1804; Scolopacidae)

We studied calls of three sandpiper species to document species’ similarities and differences. We hypothesized that functionally different calls would differ in degree of divergence. We studied two nuptial calls (complex “Song” and rhythmically repeated aerial call, RRC) of males, and a general-purpose call (“alarm” trill, AT) given by parents of both sexes in the presence of humans and other potential predators, in great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (Horsfeld, 1821); surfbird, Calidris virgata (Gmelin, 1789); and red knot, Calidris canutus (Linnaeus, 1758). Calls diverged unevenly across species—RRCs and Song diverged the most and ATs the least. Vocalizations of great knot and surfbird were most similar to one another, in agreement with a recently proposed phylogeny. Despite species differences in single acoustic traits, calls were evolutionarily conservative at higher structural levels, such as rhythmic temporal delivery of RRCs and harmonic structure (e.g., the fundamental frequency was suppressed in some call types). Some acoustic qualities that differed across species were similar across call types within species (e.g., tonality in red knot calls). Trait similarity across different calls suggests that a species’ calls cannot evolve independently of one another: common mechanisms of vocal production across different calls may impede differentiation within a species’ repertoire.

Biodiversitas Burung Air di Kawasan Mangrove di Sekitar Muara Sungai Lakawali dan Sungai Ussu Kecamatan Malili, Kabupaten Luwu Timur, Sulawesi Selatan

Water bird diversity in mangrove ecosystem of the Malili District, East Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi, is rarely studied. This reseacrh aims to examine the diversity of bird species in the mangrove ecosystem, Malili District, East Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi. The study was conducted at two stations, namely mangrove forests at the Lakawali River estuary and at the Ussu River estuary. Data collection was carried out using field by field methods, observations were made with binoculars and a Nikon D5200 DSLR camera. Data analysis was performed using the Diversity Index (H’) formula according to Shannon-Winner and evenness index (E) according to Magurren. Species conservation status is determined based on Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation No. P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/ KUM.1/12/2018 and IUCN redlist. The results showed that 417 individual birds were found consisting of 5 orders, 7 families and 17 species, there was one protected species, namely great knot (Calidris tenuirostris). The diversity index (H’) in the estuary of Lakawali river is 2.48, and in the estuary of Ussu river is 2.59 which indicates the medium category. The evenness index (E) in the estuary of Lakawali river was 0.92 and in the Ussu River was 0.93 which showed that the distribution of species in both habitats was quite even.

New species for the avifauna of adjoining coastal areas of Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India

Abstract To upgrade the known avifaunal assemblages of adjoining coastal areas of Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India, opportunistic survey were carried out during January 2020 to August 2022. The survey yielded additions of 36 bird species in 10 orders and 17 families to the coastal area of Purba Medinipur district, based on photographic evidences. Among these recorded birds, 30 species were classified as Least Concern, two species were Near Threatened (Aythya nyroca, Calidris canutus), one species was Vulnerable (Aythya ferina), two species were Endangered (Calidris tenuirostris, Rynchops albicollis) and one species was Not Assessed (Porphyrio poliocephalus). Details of all the records are given here.

Roost site fidelity of the Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris on the non-breeding grounds

Roost site fidelity of the Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris on the non-breeding grounds

Twelfth Report of the Washington Bird Records Committee (2016–2018)

Since its eleventh report (Merrill et al. 2019) the Washington Bird Records Committee has reviewed 219 new reports of 80 species and 9 subspecies. Of these, 163 were accepted, an acceptance rate of 74%. Seven species and two subspecies/subspecies-groups were added to the Washington state checklist: the Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus), Swallow-tailed Gull (Creagrus furcatus), Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus), Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer), Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), Painted Redstart (Myioborus pictus), and Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea), plus an eastern subspecies of the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia melodia/atlantica group) and the White-winged Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis aikeni). In addition to the regular review of reports, the committee reconsidered species on the state list supported only by sight reports. After reviewing 25 reports of 17 species, it removed six species from the state list: the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), Little Curlew (Numenius minutus), Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Whiskered Auklet (Aethia pygmaea), Red-faced Cormorant (Urile urile), and Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus). The Washington state list now stands at 515 species.

Mismatch-induced growth reductions in a clade of Arctic-breeding shorebirds are rarely mitigated by increasing temperatures.

In seasonal environments subject to climate change, organisms typically show phenological changes. As these changes are usually stronger in organisms at lower trophic levels than those at higher trophic levels, mismatches between consumers and their prey may occur during the consumers' reproduction period. While in some species a trophic mismatch induces reductions in offspring growth, this is not always the case. This variation may be caused by the relative strength of the mismatch, or by mitigating factors like increased temperature-reducing energetic costs. We investigated the response of chick growth rate to arthropod abundance and temperature for six populations of ecologically similar shorebirds breeding in the Arctic and sub-Arctic (four subspecies of Red Knot Calidris canutus, Great Knot C. tenuirostris and Surfbird C. virgata). In general, chicks experienced growth benefits (measured as a condition index) when hatching before the seasonal peak in arthropod abundance, and growth reductions when hatching after the peak. The moment in the season at which growth reductions occurred varied between populations, likely depending on whether food was limiting growth before or after the peak. Higher temperatures led to faster growth on average, but could only compensate for increasing trophic mismatch for the population experiencing the coldest conditions. We did not find changes in the timing of peaks in arthropod availability across the study years, possibly because our series of observations was relatively short; timing of hatching displayed no change over the years either. Our results suggest that a trend in trophic mismatches may not yet be evident; however, we show Arctic-breeding shorebirds to be vulnerable to this phenomenon and vulnerability to depend on seasonal prey dynamics.

Data from: Mismatch-induced growth reductions in a clade of Arctic-breeding shorebirds are rarely mitigated by increasing temperatures

In seasonal environments subject to climate change, organisms typically show phenological changes. As these changes are usually stronger in organisms at lower trophic levels than those at higher trophic levels, mismatches between consumers and their prey may occur during the consumers' reproduction period. While in some species a trophic mismatch induced reductions in offspring growth, this is not always the case. This variation may be caused by relative strength of the mismatch, or by mitigating factors like increased temperature reducing energetic costs. We investigated the response of chick growth rate to arthropod abundance and temperature for six populations of ecologically similar shorebirds breeding in the Arctic and sub-Arctic (four subspecies of Red Knot Calidris canutus, Great Knot C. tenuirostris and Surfbird C. virgata). In general, chicks experienced growth benefits (measured as a condition index) when hatching before the seasonal peak in arthropod abundance, and growth reductions when hatching after the peak. The moment in the season at which growth reductions occurred varied between populations, likely depending on whether food was limiting growth before or after the peak. Higher temperatures led to faster growth on average, but could only compensate for increasing trophic mismatch for the population experiencing the coldest conditions. We did not find changes in the timing of peaks in arthropod availability across the study years, possibly because our series of observation was relatively short; timing of hatching displayed no change over the years either. Our results suggest that a trend in trophic mismatches may not yet be evident; however, we show Arctic-breeding shorebirds to be vulnerable to this phenomenon and vulnerability to depend on seasonal prey dynamics.

Food supplementation as a conservation intervention: A framework and a case of helping threatened shorebirds at a refuelling site

Supplemental feeding to mitigate the effects of food shortages may in some cases provide critical help to species conservation. However, supplemental feeding may have both positive and negative effects on wildlife and the environment. A scientifically designed feeding project helps to achieve conservation targets and reduces adverse effects. Here, we summarize a three-step framework for food supplementation that we used in practice: (1) determining whether supplemental feeding is required; (2) designing and implementing a practical feeding scheme; and (3) evaluating the effectiveness of food supplementation. We supplemented food for great knots (Calidris tenuirostris), an endangered migratory shorebird, at a recently impoverished refuelling site (Yalu Jiang estuary) in the Yellow Sea in spring 2018. The abundance of the staple food of great knots (Potamocorbula laevis, which had become very rare after 2012), was insufficient for the birds to refuel before the migratory flight to the breeding grounds. In our practical test, living P. laevis were collected in subtidal areas and transported to the intertidal area where great knots had been foraging in earlier years. The supplemented areas attracted 48% of all the great knots present in the 200 km2 study area. Nearly 90% of the supplemented food was consumed. Most great knots (>80%) foraged in the high-density supplementation zone where the densities of P. laevis were restored to the naturally occurring levels in 2011–2012. Here, food intake rates (mg AFDM/s) were 4.2 times those in the adjacent control zones. The framework and the feeding practice should help guide future supplemental feeding in a wide range of species.

环渤海滨海湿地鸻鹬类水鸟多样性及其环境影响因子

环渤海湿地是水鸟南北迁徙的重要驿站，尤其对于该线路上的鸻鹬鸟类具有非常重要的意义。以环渤海地区12处典型滨海湿地为研究对象，于2016-2020年每年春季开展水鸟调查，明确了鸻鹬类水鸟群落组成及其时空变化，采用结构方程模型 （Structural Equation Modeling，SEM）分析了鸻鹬类水鸟多样性与环境因子的响应关系，评估了各环境因子的影响强度。结果表明：（1）共记录到鸻鹬类水鸟7科51种，几乎全部为旅鸟。全球极危物种1种，濒危物种3种，近危物种9种。国家一级保护鸟类2种，国家二级保护鸟类8种。黑腹滨鹬（Calidris alpina）、大滨鹬（Calidris tenuirostris）、黑尾塍鹬（Limosa limosa）、灰鸻（Pluvialis squatarola）、斑尾塍鹬（Limosa lapponica）个体数量最多。（2）山东黄河三角洲、辽宁辽河口、天津北大港等河口湿地，水鸟种类多，单位面积水鸟数量较少。（3）河北沧州沿海、山东滨州贝壳堤岛及其周边区域为环渤海地区湿地集中区，水鸟种类较多。（4）综合影响强度为保护强度>食物>气候，建立自然保护地是保护水鸟多样性的最有效措施。（5）建议将河北南大港湿地和鸟类省级自然保护区提升至国家级，扩大滨州贝壳堤岛与湿地国家级自然保护区面积，对山东黄河三角洲、辽宁辽河口覆盖的各级各类自然保护地进行优化整合。研究结果能为环渤海地区鸻鹬类水鸟保护策略的制定提供相关依据。;The wetlands around the Bohai Sea are an important stop-over area for migration of the waterbirds along the East Asia-Australasia Flyway, especially for the waders. Twelve typical coastal wetland sites around the Bohai Sea area were selected to survey the waterbirds in spring from 2016 to 2020. The data was collected about the wader waterfowl community composition and changes through time and space. The structural equation model was used to analyze the response relationships between the diversity of waders and the environmental factors, and to evaluate the impact intensity of each environmental factor. The results showed that: (1) a total of 51 species of 7 families of waders have been recorded, almost all of which were migrants. These included 1 critically endangered species, 3 endangered species, and 9 near threatened species at the global level. There were 2 species of the national first-level protected birds and 8 national second-level protected birds. Dunlin (Calidris alpine), Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), and Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) had the largest number of individuals. (2) Estuary wetlands such as the Yellow River Delta in Shandong, Liaohe Estuary in Liaoning, and Beidagang in Tianjin had a large number of waterfowl species but a small number of waterfowl per unit area. (3) The coastal areas of Cangzhou, Hebei, the shell dike island of Binzhou, Shandong and its surrounding areas are wetland concentrated areas in the Bohai Rim area, where there are many species of waterbirds. (4) The comprehensive impact intensity was protection intensity > food > climate. The establishment of nature reserves is the most effective measure to protect the diversity of waterbirds. (5) It is recommended to upgrade the Hebei Nandagang Wetland and Bird Provincial Nature Reserve to the national level, expand the area of Binzhou Shell Beach Island and Wetland National Nature Reserve, and protect the various types of nature at all levels covering the Yellow River Delta in Shandong and the mouth of the Liao River in Liaoning. With the optimized integration, the research results can provide a relevant basis for the formulation of protection strategies for waders in the Bohai Rim.

Knot and Loop Security of High-Strength Suture Tape vs. High-Strength Suture Wire

To evaluate knot security, loop security, and knot size of suture tape and suture wire. The single load to failure (LTF) and cyclic loading of one arthroscopic knot (Samsung Medical Center [SMC]) and one hand-tied knot (surgeon’s knot) using two suture tapes (Broadband-[BB], Suture Tape-[ST]) and two No. 2 suture wires (MaxBraid-[MB], FiberWire-[FW]). A third tape (FiberTape-[FT]), not commonly tied arthroscopically, was included in the hand-tied group. Ten samples for each suture-knot combination were evaluated for knot security, loop security, and knot volume. Data were compared with analysis of variance and the Tukey post-hoc test and considered significant at P < 0.05. In single LTF testing, FT was stronger than any other suture-knot configuration. With surgeon’s knots, BB was stronger than MB and FW, while ST was superior to FW. With cyclic loading, BB and ST had less cyclic elongation than MB and FT in the hand-tied group. Among surgeon’s knots, loop elongation was smallest in BB. FT had the largest loop elongation among all configurations. No significant differences detected among SMC-knot configurations in single LTF, cyclic testing, and loop elongation. Measuring hand-tied knots, FW had greater knot volume than BB and ST, and MB was larger than ST. Excluding FT, surgeon’s knots were smaller than SMC-knots. Among SMC-knots, BB was bulkier than ST and MB. FT had largest knots overall. FT had the best knot security, but the poorest loop security and largest knot volume. With surgeon’s knots, BB had better knot security than both suture wires; ST also bested FW. Hand-tied BB, ST, and MB knots were stronger than their SMC-knot counterparts. BB demonstrated the best loop security among hand-tied knots; no differences were seen between surgeon’s and SMC-knots. Thinner tape designs (BB, ST) had smaller knots than wire designs when tied with surgeon’s knots, but not with SMC-knots.

An Updated Checklist of Avifauna found in and around Chilika Lake, Odisha, India

Chilika lake is one among the 467 important bird area (IBA) sites in India. The present study addresses the updated checklist ofavifauna of Chilika Lake, which is world's second largest brackish water Lake. Surveys were conducted during October 2006 and December 2016.The birds were recorded during the total count by boat, walking along the shore, block count, bird ringing, banding and satellite telemetry techniques. A total of 222 species ofavifauna of 62 orders and 20 families were recorded in and around study area. Nine (9) new bird species (River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelli, Glossy Ibis Plegadis facinellus, Indian Thick-knee Burhinus indicus, Alexandrine Parakeet Pstittacula eupatria, Chestnut-headed Beeeater Merops leschenaultia, Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii, Whiterumped Munia Lonchura striata, Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata and Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus) were recorded first time in the study area. Out of total documented species, most of them were Least concern (201) followed by Near Threatened (17), Vulnerable (2) and Endangered (2) category of the International Union of Conservation of Endangered Fauna and Flora. The endangered species recorded from the study area were Pallas's fish eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) and Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris). Prawn gharries, poaching, poisoning, illegal fishing, over fishing (operate zero size mesh net), habitat degradation and otheranthropogenic activities are the major threat to the conservation of avifauna in and around Chilika lake.

Building for Nature: Preserving Threatened Bird Habitat in Port Design

The fast economic development of the People’s Republic of China has created an increasing demand for usable land, resulting in large-scale land reclamations along the coastal zone. One of these regions is Tongzhou Bay (Jiangsu coast), a region characterized by large intertidal mudflats and deep tidal channels with potential for the development of agri-aquaculture and the construction of a deep-sea port. However, these intertidal mudflats also provide vital ecosystem services and support many wildlife species, including several endangered migratory shorebirds within the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. With increasing realization of the importance of maintaining such ecological values, a more integrated coastal development strategy is needed. This study aims to develop a sustainable integrated design for the Tongzhou Bay port, following a “Building with Nature” approach. We use a morphodynamic model to compute habitat suitability for two shorebird species (Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris and Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica). Several port configurations were developed on the basis of three design criteria: (1) create area for future port development, whilst (2) preserving existing high-value ecotopes for shorebirds and (3) enhance the natural accretion rate of such ecotopes. Simulation results showed a clear difference in siltation patterns, preservation and enhancement of preferred ecotopes. This work therefore demonstrates the potential and importance of morphological and habitat suitability modelling when designing large-scale reclamations and port constructions, especially in dynamic areas such as Tongzhou Bay.

The southern Jiangsu coast is a critical moulting site for Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea and Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer

SummaryThe extent of intertidal flats in the Yellow Sea region has declined significantly in the past few decades, resulting in severe population declines in several waterbird species. The Yellow Sea region holds the primary stopover sites for many shorebirds during their migration to and from northern breeding grounds. However, the functional roles of these sites in shorebirds’ stopover ecology remain poorly understood. Through field surveys between July and November 2015, we investigated the stopover and moult schedules of migratory shorebirds along the southern Jiangsu coast, eastern China during their southbound migration, with a focus on the ‘Critically Endangered’ Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea and ‘Endangered’ Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer. Long-term count data indicate that both species regularly occur in globally important number in southern Jiangsu coast, constituting 16.67–49.34% and 64.0–80.67% of their global population estimates respectively, and it is highly likely that most adults undergo their primary moult during this southbound migration stopover. Our results show that Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Nordmann’s Greenshank staged for an extended period of time (66 and 84 days, respectively) to complete their primary moult. On average, Spoon-billed Sandpipers and Nordmann’s Greenshanks started moulting primary feathers on 8 August ± 4.52 and 27 July ± 1.56 days respectively, and their moult durations were 72.58 ± 9.08 and 65.09 ± 2.40 days. In addition, some individuals of several other shorebird species including the ‘Endangered’ Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris, ‘Near Threatened’ Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, ‘Near Threatened’ Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata and Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii also underwent primary moult. Our work highlights the importance of the southern Jiangsu region as the primary moulting ground for these species, reinforcing that conservation of shorebird habitat including both intertidal flats and supratidal roosting sites in this region is critical to safeguard the future of some highly threatened shorebird species.