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Tracking Whimbrel: Journey with these shorebirds on their non-stop flight from Cape Cod to South America
From July through late September, Whimbrels migrate southward from their sub-Arctic tundra breeding grounds to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While on the Cape, this large shorebird spends up to several weeks in the saltmarshes feeding on fiddler crabs—an important staple of their diet. After replenishing their energy reserves, building fat reserves and flight muscles, these Whimbrels will make a non-stop, trans-oceanic flight to their wintering grounds in the Caribbean Islands or all the way to the north coast of South America. These Whimbrels need to overcome many challenges on their long journey, ranging from natural predators to a myriad of human-made threats. Join us for a webinar on Thursday, January 14, with Manomet’s Alan Kneidel and Brad Winn, Mark Faherty, staff...
Make A Difference
With the unequivocal warming of our climate and alarming threats to Earth’s biodiversity, science has never been more important, and neither has your support for Manomet and our work. For more than 50 years, Manomet has been using science to make our world a better, more resilient place. It’s why we’re in the Arctic researching shorebird decline and working with partners throughout the Americas to protect their habitat. It’s why we’ve operated our banding lab since 1969, collecting 50 years of valuable migration data used by scientists around the world. It’s why you’ll find Manomet in Maine’s small towns working to restore fisheries, and in rural communities throughout North America helping to prepare forests for the effects of climate change....
Whimbrel Migration: Summer 2020 Update
Whimbrel migration is in full swing! From July through late September, Whimbrel migrate southward from their Arctic and sub-Arctic breeding grounds and some spend up to a month with us along our coast. While in Massachusetts, Whimbrel spend almost all of their time in the saltmarshes feeding on fiddler crabs—an important staple in their diet. After replenishing their energy reserves, Whimbrel in Massachusetts will typically make a non-stop, trans-oceanic flight to their wintering grounds in the Caribbean Islands or all the way to the north coast of South America. Manomet’s Shorebird Recovery team is excited to share an update on what “our” satellite-transmittered Whimbrel have been up to over the last few months. These birds’ stories continue to help us...
Webinars
Want to learn from Manomet's staff and partners? Watch one of our webinars! Our scientists and experts explain the mysteries of why birds migrate, the importance of river herring in coastal food webs, and so much more. Attend future webinars listed under "Upcoming Virtual Programming", or catch up with recordings of previous webinars! Stay up-to-date with Manomet's events and conservation news stories by joining Manomet's e-news.
Connecting Art to Science: A lens on shorebird conservation
Thank you for joining us in Concord for our event, “Connecting Science to Art: A Lens on Shorebird Conservation.” We are pleased to be able to offer you an extended opportunity to purchase the photos that were on display that evening. This is a rare chance to purchase the beautiful photographs taken by our scientists Brad Winn, Shiloh Schulte, and Alan Kneidel and to directly support the work of Manomet’s Shorebird Recovery Program. Orders will only be accepted through Wednesday, November 27, and finished prints will be available for pickup at our printing partner, Pitch Black Editions in Concord, the second week of December. You may also arrange for shipping if you'd prefer. You will receive an email once your order is...
Tracking Whimbrels for Conservation Action
Many populations of large, migratory shorebirds, including Whimbrels and other curlew, are experiencing significant declines at a global scale. These declines can be attributed to individual threats such as unregulated hunting on their wintering grounds, but most declines are the result of cumulative threats throughout the migratory life of each bird. Our local curlew, the one that frequents eastern Massachusetts in the late summer and fall, is called the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus). Manomet is studying Whimbrel migrations to help understand where and when conservation actions are needed to improve the life-supporting conditions on the ground for this and all shorebirds. From July through late September, Whimbrels migrate southward from their Arctic and sub-Arctic breeding grounds and some spend up to...
A reflection for World Curlew Day
When I plug my pen drive into the car radio, often the first thing I hear is the haunting “cour-lee” of a Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris. This flight call is doubly haunting: It’s the only known recording of the species; and it’s a species I will never have the chance to hear in real life. The last accepted record of the species was in Hungary in 2001, and it is increasingly considered to be globally extinct. Unfortunately the Slender-billed Curlew is not alone in slipping away before our eyes. Of the eight species of curlew Numenius in the world, five are considered globally at risk of extinction according to the IUCN Red List. And within the Americas, the four regularly...
Understanding Whimbrel Declines
Shorebirds are some of the most migratory animals on the planet. Even the smallest shorebirds have the capacity to fly nonstop over countries and oceans for thousands of miles. The data that Manomet scientists and our colleagues collect show that shorebirds are undergoing some of the most significant declines of any bird group globally. Some shorebird species—including Red Knot, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and Whimbrel—have declined more than 70% in the last 30 years. Whimbrels (a member of the Curlew family) are one of the most wide-ranging shorebirds in the world and are easy to recognize by their distinctive down-curved bill—the perfect shape to barrel into the burrows of their favorite crustaceans. Finding out exactly how, when, and where Whimbrels move during...
Migratory Ecology of Whimbrels on Cape Cod and Beyond
Alan Kneidel, Staff Biologist, will be presenting on Manomet’s research to uncover habitat needs and migratory pathways of large shorebirds called Whimbrels. He’ll provide an overview on Whimbrel ecology, Manomet’s fieldwork in Cape Cod (and beyond), and how we plan to expand the scope of the project in the coming years so as to fully understand the resource needs of these birds. This study is the first to track Whimbrels during their first year of life. Many shorebird populations are declining. To understand what threats are impacting survival, Manomet is conducting research to uncover habitat needs and migratory pathways of large shorebirds called Whimbrels. Whimbrels breed on the tundra of Arctic and sub-Arctic North America and some migrate to the...
Celebrating Georgia’s coast as a landscape for shorebirds and WHSRN’s 100th site!
With a backdrop of flags representing 17 countries from across North and South America, 150 people gathered at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Townsend, GA, to celebrate the designation of Georgia’s coast as a landscape of hemispheric importance for shorebirds. Each flag represented a country recognized by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) as a critical site for the survival of threatened shorebirds. The designation of Georgia’s barrier islands marked WHSRN’s 100th site, a prestigious award that brought in visitors from as far north as Alaska and as far south as Paraguay. Attendees at the event included Manomet and WHSRN staff, Manomet Trustees and Councilors, local birders and bird organizations like the Georgia Shorebird Alliance and partners One...