The Birdfair/RSPB Research Fund for Endangered Birds has just announced its latest awards, and Birds Korea has been awarded a grant to finance studies of staging Spoon-billed Sandpipers Eurhynorhynchus pygmeus in the Republic of Korea.
The main research aims that Birds Korea put forward when applying were:
1) To identify main prey items and feeding preferences of Spoon-billed Sandpiper during migration;
2) To improve understanding of intra-estuary use by Spoon-billed Sandpiper, and of use of different sites during migration;
3) To identify optimal conditions, enabling (a) identification of other sites that might be used by the species; (b) to help determine whether barraging of estuaries and reclamation is a leading factor in the species’ decline.
From Dr Paul Donald, Principal Conservation Scientist, RSPB:
The Birdfair/RSPB Research Fund for Endangered Birds has just announced its 2011 awards.
We awarded nine grants this year, totalling $13,500, from a total of 23 applications received. These supported the following projects:
-
Nial Moores and Birds Korea – feeding studies of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Korea
Darcy Ogada and the Raptor Working Group of Nature Kenya – studies of Hooded Vulture in western Kenya
Omar Fadil and Nature Iraq – studies of migrating Sociable Lapwings in Iraq (co-funded with Swarovski Optik)
Juan Carlos Luna and Fundacion ProAves – studies of Santa Marta Wren in Colombia
Liu Yang – towards the discovery of the Large-billed Reed Warbler in China
Nickson Otieno and National Museums of Kenya – a survey of Turner’s Eremomela in Kakamega Forest, western Kenya
Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds – surveys of migrant Sociable Lapwings in Uzbekistan (co-funded with Swarovski Optik)
Oscar Gonazales and Grupo Aves del Peru – ecological studies of Golden-backed Mountain Tanager in Peru
Tao Xudong and Yangtze Waterbird Monitoring Network – surveys of wintering Baer’s Pochards in China