hello tweets,

I thought you might enjoy this story about how modern
technology is helping us to better understand the
Slender-billed Curlew.

Controversial curlew raises slender hopes for Europe's
rarest bird

http://www.birdlife.org/news/pr/2004/10/sbc.html

05-10-2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cambridge, UK Birdwatchers from across the continent
are flocking to the east coast of England to look for
Europe's rarest bird.

A possible Slender-billed Curlew has taken up
residence at the RSPB's Minsmere Reserve on the
Suffolk coast. [1] BirdLife International estimates
the total world population of the species to now be
less than 50 birds. [2,3] However, so little is known
about this critically endangered species that the
bird's identification is refuted by some observers.
[4]

One way of solving the mystery will be to analyse the
bird's DNA. To this effect, birdwatchers are now
training their telescopes on potential curlew
droppings so that a sample can be gathered and taken
away to a laboratory. The bird is also being carefully
watched in case it drops any feathers when preening.
[5]

As well as being Europe's rarest bird, the
Slender-billed Curlew is also probably its most
enigmatic. The last nest to be found was in Siberia in
1924. The species is thought to migrate through
central and eastern Europe, before spending the winter
in north Africa. However, no birds have been seen at
the last regular wintering ground in Morocco since
1995. [6] The last confirmed sighting anywhere in the
world was in 1999. [7]

As a result, scientists at the RSPB have turned their
attention to a new method of identifying the species'
breeding grounds. Researchers will analyse the atomic
make-up of feathers from museum specimens collected
in the nineteenth century when the Slender-billed
Curlew was commoner in the hope of detecting clues
to the breeding territory.

Dr Debbie Pain, in charge of the RSPB's international
research, explained: "Any feathers grown on the
breeding grounds will lock away and reflect the area's
'signature' of elemental isotope ratios." Dr Pain
added, "This technique should allow us to narrow down
the search from an area several times larger than the
UK to something more manageable."

Although the species' likely breeding range is remote
and far away from people, it is wrong to assume it is
safe for the birds. [8] Regarded as very common in the
19th century, Slender-billed Curlews declined
dramatically during the 20th century, with hunting and
loss of wetland habitat thought to be major factors.

Dr Mike Rands, Director and Chief Executive of
BirdLife International commented: "If the Minsmere
bird proves to be a Slender-billed Curlew it will be
fantastic news the fact it is a young bird means the
species has bred somewhere in the world this year.
However, we know so little about the species that it
is hard to know which of the possible conservation
actions are most urgently needed to save it. The only
certainty is that a massive effort is required to find
and protect key sites along the species' flyways in
order to stop the Slender-billed Curlew from becoming
the first bird extinction in Europe since the Great
Auk." [9]


=====
Devorah A. N. Bennu, PhD
Independent Scholar
birdologist [at] yahoo [dot] com
public blog: http://girlscientist.blogspot.com

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