Support the Tawny-Throated Dotterel

This winter the BBC is teaming up with Manomet Conservation Sciences to support research on the Tawny-Throated Dotterel in Peru. A team of scientists there is in need of optical equipment to support field work on this colorful shorebird. We seek both financial support and, if appropriate, donations of gently used, high quality binoculars.

What We Are Asking

The work underway will help document year round abundance and population trends in this region of Peru. Data collected during the study will help evaluate whether this location should receive designation as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) site of regional importance.

We ask BBC members and friends to lend their support to the research team by donating funds to purchase binoculars and related equipment for the research team. Another option is donating unwanted, high quality binoculars in good repair.

To donate funds please head over to the donation page linked from our home page. You will find a space on the form to designate funds for the Dotterel project.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

If you think you might have a pair of binoculars to donate, contact us at president@brooklinebirdclub.org. Please tell us about the equipment. Include manufacturer, model, power (e.g., 8×42 or 7×35), approximate age of the binoculars, whether they have been heavily used, and their current condition.Upcoming Webinar

Upcoming Webinar

Manomet and the research team will present a webinar on their work sometime in April. Stay tuned for more details.

More about the Project and Research Team

Mariamercedes Antezana Aponte, a biologist from Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, and Jesús Juan Escobar Aristizábal, a Bachelor of Ecotourism Engineering from Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, are investigating the population dynamics of the Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) in Lachay National Reserve. This area has lacked long-term studies on this species in Peru. 

Their project, titled “Abundance and Seasonality of the Tawny-throated Dotterel in Lachay National Reserve,” involves biweekly censuses over a year to document abundance and seasonal variations. They will also analyze the impact of environmental variables and threats on the population. This work will provide the foundation for a long-term monitoring program and potentially recognize Lachay as a WHSRN site of regional importance.

The Manomet Small Grants for Conservation of Neotropical Shorebirds scheme was created to support early-career conservationists and researchers in Latin America and the Caribbean who are committed to advancing shorebird conservation. The Small Grants seek to generate tangible benefits for Neotropical shorebird species and populations, with special emphasis on sites within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) and those that could qualify for this designation. The program also aims to strengthen the technical capacity of young professionals starting their careers in conservation across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Tawny-throated Dotterel project is one of the projects supported through the Manomet Small Grants. This project is led by Mariamercedes Antezana Aponte, a biologist from Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, and Jesús Juan Escobar Aristizábal, a Bachelor of Ecotourism Engineering from Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal. They are investigating the population dynamics of the Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis) in Lachay National Reserve. This area has lacked long-term studies on this species in Peru.

Their project, titled “Abundance and Seasonality of the Tawny-throated Dotterel in Lachay National Reserve,” involves biweekly censuses over a year to document abundance and seasonal variations. They will also analyze the impact of environmental variables and threats on the population. This work will provide the foundation for a long-term monitoring program and potentially recognize Lachay as a WHSRN site of regional importance.

Learn more about the project in this Instagram post (in Spanish).

Thank you for your support!