Phase II of this project leverages the local support of partners to track the movement of birds at different scales

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 9 Headquarters awarded a $693,900 Project Grant to Pronatura Noroeste, a non-profit organization and foundation, under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation program (CFDA 15.635). The 2-year project leverages local partnerships to track migratory bird movements at different geographic scales. Key activities include:

1. Strengthening capacities and expanding the Motus wildlife tracking network to better understand the connectivity and migratory parameters of 11 waterbird species of conservation concern across the hemisphere.

2. Implementing long-term comprehensive surveys at 20 priority wetlands in northwest Mexico to determine the population status and trends of over three dozen waterbird species at the regional scale.

3. Using biologgers and complementary tracking technology to describe fine-scale movements of focal bird species at the local level.

The collective data generated through these multi-scale monitoring efforts will support an ongoing conservation research agenda focused on the use and value of artificial wetlands, effects of sea level rise on shorebirds, and filling knowledge gaps on the migratory ecology of waterbirds.

At the hemispheric scale, partners will continue to strengthen capacities, use, and expand the newly created motus wildlife tracking network to elucidate the connectivity and migratory parameters of 11 species of waterbirds of conservation concern. At the regional scale, partners will implement their long-term comprehensive surveys at 20 priority wetlands in NW mexico to determine the population status and trends of more than three dozen species of waterbirds. At the local scale, partners will use biologgers and CTT nodesa technology that complements the motus network and allows scientists to describe the fine-scale movement of focal species. The information gathered by this collective of scientists and conservationists will support an ongoing research and conservation agenda that includes 10 projects that address the following work streams: (1) the use and value of artificial wetlands as alternative habitat for shorebirds, (2) the effects of sea level rise on shorebirds, and (3) filling gaps of knowledge about the migratory ecology of waterbirds.