RSPB England's Sara Humphrey follows black-tailed godwit Hurricane on his migration to Portugal, and explores what can be done to protect these threatened birds.
It’s starting to feel like spring in England! Across the world, that means some incredible wild journeys are underway. For some of our most threatened breeding species, returning home to nest after a winter abroad can mean flying thousands of miles each year.
Many of England’s small population of black-tailed godwits return annually to their breeding sites in the Fens, where the Project Godwit* team have been busy managing the ideal nesting habitat for this vulnerable species. The Nene Washes is the most important site for breeding black-tailed godwits in the UK, supporting between 30-40 pairs. The species is Red Listed and Near Threatened globally, so the work of Project Godwit provides a critical role in the survival of these birds.
Black-tailed godwit chick, Hurricane, was raised at WWT Welney and released at the RSPB Nene Washes reserve in 2018. Hurricane is fitted with a tiny geolocator, so he can help us map the godwits' migratory route and thanks to the efforts of many observers in the flyway** we know he has already travelled a significant distance in his life.
In early February, Hurricane was spotted in Spain again, as he begins his journey back to the UK this breeding season!
Black-tailed godwits are a ground nesting bird and need wet grassland in which to raise young. Over the years, loss of UK wetland habitats through agricultural drainage and other land use changes means black-tailed godwits now only breed at a tiny number of sites. Even then, nests and chicks are at risk of flooding linked to our changing climate, and high levels of predation.
We’re increasing the number of wet features, such as scrapes, at the Nene and Ouse Washes breeding sites. These scrapes provide areas of moist soils where they can probe for invertebrates and taller vegetation where chicks can safely forage. We also ensure they have the right vegetation in which to nest.
Yet threats at breeding sites are not the only challenge that black-tailed godwits face. We are tracking fledglings and reviewing data to help protect their key feeding and resting sites on migration.
From the data above, you can see that Hurricane touched down near the Tagus estuary near Lisbon, in Portugal in 2020. This internationally important estuary is home to over 300,000 birds a year and is a crucial site for lots of migratory species including black-tailed godwits, black winged stilts, spoonbills and flamingos. Yet despite its international importance for birdlife, there are plans to build an airport right next to the estuary.
The work the RSPB does to protect threatened species like the black-tailed godwit stretches far beyond their time in England; we work with international partners to help ensure threatened birds have homes across the world, wherever they need them on migration.
If you want to help ensure that birds like the black-tailed godwit can overcome the threats they face here and abroad, please consider donating to our fundraising appeal
*Project Godwit is a partnership between RSPB and WWT with major funding from the EU LIFE Nature Programme, the HSBC 150th Anniversary Fund, Natural England, the Montague-Panton Animal Welfare Trust and the National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Back from the Brink Programme.
** Support from observers in the UK and the wider flyway is vital to our work on determining the local and migratory movements of black-tailed godwits. Many sightings from outside the UK are provided by fieldworkers funded by the University of Groningen and the Global Flyway Network project.
Photo credits: Photo 1: Gordon LangsburyPhoto 2: Chris Gomersall