Game and Fish partners with conservation groups to study long-billed curlews in southwest ND

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – The North Dakota Sport and Fish Division has teamed up with two main conservation organizations to check the actions of a conspicuous shorebird to higher acknowledge the fowl’s habitat use in southwestern North Dakota and elsewhere.

“We’re right here searching for long-billed curlews, the most important shorebird in North America, hoping to have the ability to discover some nests after which, due to this fact, be capable of entice grownup birds and ideally outfit them with satellite tv for pc or mobile transmitters that may give us information remotely,” mentioned Jay Carlisle with the Intermountain Chicken Conservatory.

Biologists deployed 5 transmitters on long-billed curlews in North Dakota.

“The North Dakota Sport and Fish Division is offering funding for this undertaking, each by our State Wildlife Grants Program, but additionally our nongame fund, the Watchable Wildlife tax checkoff monies,” mentioned Sandy Johnson, Sport and Fish conservation biologist.

Curlews are simply acknowledged by their dimension and their lengthy curved invoice.

“It’s concerning the dimension of a sharptail, however on stilts. And with that, sieve-like invoice, is basically well-known, folks acknowledge that fairly a bit,” mentioned Kevin Ellison with the American Chicken Conservancy.

Lengthy-billed curlews are on the North Dakota species of conservation precedence checklist as a result of their inhabitants has declined.

“And so they’re additionally seen as an indicator species for the well being of grasslands, however even agricultural lands. And so, primarily it’s 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 issue, what are some threats that have an effect on populations and is that affecting totally different populations in another way?” mentioned Carlisle.

Information collected will present invaluable info on habitats these birds are utilizing.

“The long-billed curlews are solely right here for a few months after which they migrate after which they’re on the Texas coast or coastal states for seven, eight, 9 months. So it’s actually essential to study extra about, , are all of us doing our half to be sure that this fowl has protected locations all alongside the way in which?” mentioned Johnson.

The long-billed curlew examine wouldn’t be doable with out the cooperation from non-public landowners.

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