International Shorebird Banding Project

Read more about WASA's inaugural project, the International Shorebird Banding Project.

Introduction

Red Knot captured by ISBP tean in Delaware Bay is colour banded before release.

Foto:M.Dennison

The first research project to be part of WASA is the International Shorebird Banding Project which is being led by Professor Allan Baker, Canada and Patricia M. González, Argentina. This project is colour-banding Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa), Sanderlings (Calidris alba) and Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) along the Atlantic coast of the Americas in an effort to establish their migratory strategies.

The primary goals of this project are to:

• Assess the population sizes for the three species, especially Red Knots, from colour band resightings
• Find arctic breeding areas for Red Knot and estimate annual rates of recruitment for the population
• Monitor the patterns of moult and fat deposition in migrating flocks
• Establish the primary stopover sites for these shorebird species on the Flyway

Geographic Locations

The project is working with local scientists, wildlife managers, students and volunteers in four main locations on the flyway:
In the Canadian Arctic, a team has spent last two summers searching for breeding Red Knots in and around Southampton Island, Northwest Territories. They recently reported finding a colour-banded Knot at a nest. Read more....
In Delaware Bay, United States, project members and volunteers have been colour banding shorebirds on both sides of the bay in May and June each year since 1995.
In Brazil, expeditions have been to the estuaries in southern Brazil which are important stopovers for Red Knots and Turnstones in particular.
In Argentina, the project works in collaboration with the Fundación Inalafquen to study shorebirds. Two key areas are Tierra del Fuego, the main wintering area, and San Antonio Oeste which is an important early stopover for Red Knots and Ruddy Turnstones migrating north in March.

Banding Techniques

Cannon net firing over resting shorebirds at Rio Grande, southern Argentina

Foto:M.K.Peck

Cannon-netting is the main live capture technique used. Mist-netting is sometimes used. Small flocks are netted and the birds are held briefly in holding containers on site.

Captured birds are banded with a uniquely numbered metal band. Study species are also banded with colour flags and bands. Read more....

In addition to banding, birds are measured and weighed, and scored for wing moult and body condition.

Participating Groups and Institutions

The following Institutions have participated in the project:

• Royal Ontario Museum, Canada
• Fundación Inalafquen, Argentina
• CEMAVE, Brazil
• US Fish and Wildlife Service, USA
• Wash Wader Ringing Group, UK
• British Trust for Ornithology, UK
• Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Durham, UK
• Netherland Institute for Sea Research, Netherlands
• Victoria Wader Study Group, Australia
• New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife, Endangered Non-Game Species Program, USA
• Delaware Coastal Program, USA
• Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, USA
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Estuarine Research Reserve Program, USA

Funding and Support

The project has been operated by funds and support in kind from the following groups and institutions:

• Royal Ontario Museum, Canada
• US Fish and Wildlife Service, USA
• New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife, Endangered Non-Game Species Program, USA
• Delaware Coastal Program, USA
• Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, USA
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Estuarine Research Reserve Program, USA

Contacts

The project leaders are:
Professor Allan J. Baker
Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen's Park
Toronto, Canada
M5S 2C6

Patricia M. González
Fundación Inalafquen
CC 84 - 8520
San Antonio Oeste
Río Negro
Argentina
Email: patriciag@canaldig.com.ar

© 2000 Association des oiseaux du littoral de l'Atlantique ouest