Doug Leier: Study aims to shed light on long-billed curlews in North Dakota

WEST FARGO – Like most of you, I’ve lengthy appreciated the grit of North Dakota’s native species. We are likely to suppose extra concerning the toughness of sharp-tailed grouse, northern pike and pronghorn that, like our ancestors, have managed to outlive on the prairies, versus the extra lovely, however fragile nonnative pheasant.

In the identical vein, let’s not overlook a few of the nongame species. Possibly we will admire these much more. Have you ever ever given a second thought to the long-billed curlew?

Colour me responsible, as nicely, till a current column in North Dakota OUTDOORS journal.

Most wouldn’t give a second thought, however when a species is referenced in Theodore Roosevelt’s journal and nonetheless discovered right here in the present day, it’s place in historical past is nicely deserved.

“It’s a fowl he noticed when he was right here in North Dakota, when he hung out on the Elkhorn Ranch; he known as it one of the vital conspicuous birds. It was a fowl he actually loved. And it’s a fowl that you simply most likely cannot discover in that Elkhorn Ranch space anymore,” stated Sandra Johnson, Sport and Fish Division conservation biologist. “We nonetheless have curlew inhabitants in North Dakota, however there are locations the place we’re simply not discovering them. So, that’s the place a examine will actually assist determine what’s happening with our curlews.The hope is that the examine will reveal a full life-cycle perspective on these attention-grabbing birds.

“Lengthy-billed curlews are solely in North Dakota for a few months in the course of the breeding season after which they migrate to the Texas coast or elsewhere for seven, eight, 9 months,” Johnson added. “So, it’s actually vital to study extra about whether or not we’re all doing our half to guarantee that this fowl has protected locations all alongside the best way.”

The North Dakota Sport and Fish Division has teamed with two main conservation organizations to review the actions of a conspicuous shorebird to raised acknowledge the fowl’s habitat use in southwestern North Dakota and elsewhere. Within the department-funded examine, managed by Boise State College’s Intermountain Hen Observatory and Northern Nice Plains Program of American Hen Conservancy, researchers deliberate to suit long-billed curlews that migrated in spring to North Dakota to breed, with solar-powered monitoring gadgets.

“We’re hoping to have the ability to discover some curlew nests after which have the ability to lure grownup birds and outfit them with satellite tv for pc or mobile transmitters that can provide us knowledge remotely,” stated Jay Carlisle, analysis director for Intermountain Hen Observatory. “Then we will simply be armchair biologists and acquire knowledge on their motion all year long. The primary aim is to get data on habitats and areas which might be vital to curlews, not simply whereas they’re right here in North Dakota, however throughout migration, in the course of the lengthy non-breeding season after which spring migration once more.”

So, why examine long-billed curlews, as many different species – ones that researchers know by tune or just by glancing at as they wing speedily by – share a lot of the identical panorama?

“Lengthy-billed curlews are a species of concern due to inhabitants declines, they usually’re additionally seen as an indicator species for the well being of grasslands, even agricultural lands,” Carlisle stated. “Primarily it is due to this inhabitants decline that has occurred disproportionately in numerous areas, that there’s been curiosity in understanding extra concerning the full annual cycle of long-billed curlews and ideally stitching collectively what are some limiting components, what are some threats that have an effect on populations and are they affecting completely different populations in another way? We already know that is the case, however we’re nonetheless studying an increasing number of about completely different populations.

“These birds are nice indicators of ecological well being. Their place in meals chains and their lifespan is fairly brief, to allow them to assist us see how wholesome the environment is,” he added. “These are working lands right here in North Dakota and we’re simply how we will have all of the items work collectively.”