Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.1.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # TeamPiersma Uniting for Birds: Protecting Habitats, Preserving Migration. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://teampiersma.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Blog](https://teampiersma.org/blog/) - [World Migratory Bird Day 2025: Addressing the Challenges Amidst Global Turmoil](https://teampiersma.org/world-migratory-bird-day-2025-addressing-the-challenges-amidst-global-turmoil/) - Explore the impacts of global disruptions on migratory birds and the collective efforts needed to ensure their conservation during World Migratory Bird Day 2025. - [Which Is The Top Trusted Online Casino?](https://teampiersma.org/which-is-the-top-trusted-online-casino/) - Explore the leading trusted online casinos in the United States. 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Bird-borne diseases have been a topic of concern for many years, especially in regions where humans - [What Birds Eat Safflower Seeds](https://teampiersma.org/what-birds-eat-safflower-seeds/) - Safflower seeds have become a popular choice among bird enthusiasts looking to enhance their backyard bird feeding routines. These seeds are favored for their high nutritional value and ability to attract a variety of bird species, making them an excellent addition to any bird feeder setup. Understanding what birds eat safflower seeds can significantly improve - [What Is The Dumbest Bird](https://teampiersma.org/what-is-the-dumbest-bird/) - When individuals wonder “what is the dumbest bird”, they often approach avian intelligence with an overly simplistic lens. In reality, birds are part of an expansive and diverse class of animals, each equipped with different cognitive tools shaped by their environments, evolutionary paths, and survival strategies. Intelligence in the animal kingdom does not conform neatly - [How To Help A Bird With A Broken Wing](https://teampiersma.org/how-to-help-a-bird-with-a-broken-wing/) - Encountering a bird that appears to be injured can be a deeply concerning experience. Many people are unsure about the right steps to take and worry that any action they attempt might cause further harm. Yet, understanding the subtle indicators of a bird’s distress is often the first and most crucial step toward ensuring its - [How To Attract Birds To Bird Feeder](https://teampiersma.org/how-to-attract-birds-to-bird-feeder/) - Understanding the feeding preferences of various bird species is essential for creating a welcoming environment at your feeder. Different birds are drawn to specific types of food, feeder designs, and even locations, making it vital to tailor your approach to meet their needs. For instance, finches and chickadees are often attracted to tube feeders - [What Does It Mean When A Brown Bird Flies In Your House](https://teampiersma.org/what-does-it-mean-when-a-brown-bird-flies-in-your-house/) - Birds have long been considered symbols of profound spiritual significance, often viewed as messengers from the divine or indicators of meaningful life changes. Across various cultures and traditions, the presence of a bird, particularly inside a home, has sparked curiosity and reflection. Whether seen as omens, guides, or protectors, birds hold a unique place in - [What Does It Mean When A Bird Poops On You Spiritual Meaning](https://teampiersma.org/what-does-it-mean-when-a-bird-poops-on-you-spiritual-meaning/) - Birds have long been viewed as spiritual messengers in various cultures worldwide. 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Providing the right diet, along with proper care, lays the foundation for a healthy and thriving - [What Is The State Bird Of Georgia](https://teampiersma.org/what-is-the-state-bird-of-georgia/) - The state of Georgia is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, but one symbol stands out as a representative of its vibrant natural heritage: the Brown Thrasher. Known for its striking appearance and melodious songs, the Brown Thrasher holds the distinguished title of Georgia’s official state bird. But what is the state - [What Is The Rarest Bird In The World](https://teampiersma.org/what-is-the-rarest-bird-in-the-world/) - Bird rarity is a fascinating yet concerning concept that underscores the fragility of global biodiversity. A bird is typically classified as rare when its population size is critically low, its geographic range is severely restricted, or it faces significant threats such as habitat destruction or climate change. 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People frequently wonder, what does it mean when you see a yellow bird, - [What is a hancock bird?](https://teampiersma.org/what-is-a-hancock-bird/) - The term "Hancock Bird" may spark curiosity for those unfamiliar with its origins and significance. While not as widely known as other birds, the Hancock Bird holds a place of interest in various circles, from enthusiasts of bird symbolism to nature enthusiasts intrigued by rare or mythical creatures. For some, the Hancock Bird may refer - [What does it mean when a bird hits your car while driving?](https://teampiersma.org/what-does-it-mean-when-a-bird-hits-your-car-while-driving/) - Bird-vehicle collisions are a surprisingly common occurrence that can take drivers off guard and even lead to moments of anxiety or concern. Birds often swoop across roadways or make sudden flights that put them in the path of oncoming vehicles. 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Unlike other birds, which may carry more specific meanings based on their species, white birds as a group tend to - [Phumudzo Manenzhe](https://teampiersma.org/phumudmanenzhe-the-prolific-south-african-striker/) - Phumudzo Manenzhe is a citizen of South Africa, born on the Seventeenth (17th) of January 1984. He is presently about 38 years old. In height, Manenzhe is about 1.89 m tall. Manenzhe was an old footballer who capitalized on the position of an attacker for the FC Aziz Kara. FC Aziz Kara is a soccer - [The relationship between bird migration and the spread of disease: mechanism of transmission and research review](https://teampiersma.org/relationship-between-bird-migration/) - Bird migration is a fascinating natural phenomenon, crucial for ecological balance and biodiversity. 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These - [A list of cities that are already beginning to sink unnoticed has been published](https://teampiersma.org/a-list-of-cities/) - In a new study, scientists have found that vast coastal cities in South and Southeast Asia are quietly sinking faster than anywhere else in the world. As a result, tens of millions of people become more vulnerable to rising sea levels. According to a study by Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU) published in the journal - [Remains of the world's first flying "dragon" found](https://teampiersma.org/remains-of-the-worlds-first-flying-dragon-found/) - Experts have figured out how a planning reptile moved by reconstructing its skeleton. The results are published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. While most ancient reptiles crawled, ran, and jumped, one creature preferred to fly through the air, or rather, to glide. In a new study, scientists have figured out exactly how. It turned - [Environmental problems in the modern world](https://teampiersma.org/environmental-problems/) - Man has been destroying nature since the earliest days of his existence. As human civilization grew more complex, so did the state of the environment on our planet. The gene pool is rapidly deteriorating. For several centuries now, the number of plant and animal species has been inexorably declining at a rapid rate. We have - [Environmental pollution causes one in six deaths worldwide](https://teampiersma.org/environmental-pollution-causes/) - Despite a decrease in the number of deaths due to domestic pollution, the number of deaths due to industrial pollution has increased by one and a half times. About 9 million people die each year from air, soil and water pollution, according to a study on global mortality and pollution published in The Lancet Planetary - [Monkeypox outbreak linked to climate change](https://teampiersma.org/monkeypox-outbreak-linked-to-climate-change/) - The WHO said that in the era of global warming, such diseases will spread more often and faster. Diseases characteristic of animals are transmitted to humans when animals and humans change their behavior in search of food due to climate change, said Michael Ryan, director of the WHO emergency program. Because of this, the likelihood - [Humans caused the extinction of hundreds of bird species](https://teampiersma.org/humans-caused/) - Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science have published new data showing that a large number of bird species became extinct primarily because of humans, Tengrinews.kz reported with reference to The Jerusalem Post. According to the study, published in the Journal of Biogeography, about 10-20 percent of all bird species have become extinct - [How the climate crisis affects people](https://teampiersma.org/how-the-climate-crisis-affects-people/) - The destabilization of the climate has led to an increase in mortality and morbidity. For example, due to the expansion of the range of various insects, including ticks, the incidence of the diseases they carry has increased. Also, due to pollution from more frequent natural disasters, people are more likely to catch food- and water-borne - [Record-breaking routes of the birds](https://teampiersma.org/record-breaking-routes-of-the-birds/) - Once you observe birds, you want to learn as much as you can about them. It is especially interesting to look into the mysteries of migratory birds that migrate seasonally. Every year birds travel enormous distances in a short period of time, sticking to fixed routes, and arrive at the same nesting and wintering grounds. - [Top of the rarest and most endangered birds on the planet](https://teampiersma.org/top-birds-on-the-planet/) - Birds in the environment are at great risk around the world. The main threats to bird species extinction are human activities, overhunting, deforestation, pollution, and transformations of the earth's landscape. Nearly 13% of all birds on the planet are on the brink of extinction. Because of their small numbers, some birds are considered rare. In - [Changing the gene pool of populations: how evolution works](https://teampiersma.org/changing-the-gene-pool-of-populations-how-evolution-works/) - There are about 8.7 million species of living organisms on our planet, resulting from a long evolutionary process. Each of them carries a unique gene pool - a set of gene variations occurring within a single population. But environmental degradation leads to the depletion of the gene pool and the extinction of many species. Causes - [Atlantic Flyway](https://teampiersma.org/atlantic-flyway/) - The main north-south flyway for migratory birds in North America The Atlantic Flyway is the primary north-south flyway for migratory birds in North America. The route usually begins in Greenland, then follows the Atlantic coast of Canada, then travels south along the Atlantic coast south to the tropical regions of South America and the Caribbean. - [Statistics on deforestation worldwide and in Russia](https://teampiersma.org/statistics-on-deforestation-worldwide/) - Deforestation is a global problem. It is relevant not only not only for Russia, but for a number of other countries as well. According to deforestation statistics, about 200,000 km2 of forests are cut down around the world each year. This leads to the death of tens of thousands of animals. If we consider the - [Australia to allocate $700 million to protect the Great Barrier Reef](https://teampiersma.org/australia-protect-barrier-reef/) - Australia will allocate an additional one billion dollars (about $700 million) to save the endangered Great Barrier Reef, on which 64,000 jobs depend, the government announced Friday. The new plan calls for an increase in investment to three billion Australian dollars ($2.1 billion) by 2050. According to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the funds will - [The Dead Sea is receding, leaving giant craters](https://teampiersma.org/dead-sea/) - Every year the water recedes about a meter, leaving behind a desert landscape: salt-white earth with huge craters. One of the most beautiful and amazing places on Earth, the salt lake, located in the lowest land area of our planet, may disappear. 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India ranks among the top 10 countries in terms - [Benthic Invertebrate Mapping Anna Plains and Roebuck Bay](https://teampiersma.org/home/east-asian-australasian-flyway/benthic-invertebrate-mapping/) - Since 1997, in 3-10 year intervals, we map the benthic animals of the northern mudflats of Roebuck Bay and Eighty Mile Beach in NW Australia. In both areas we sample on a 200 m grid. At Roebuck Bay that amounts to >500 samplings stations; at Eighty Mile Beach, we sample >816 stations along ca. 75 - [East Asian – Australasian Flyway](https://teampiersma.org/category/east-asian-australasian-flyway/) - Impressions of 2019 Yellow Sea and Bohai Wetlands International Conference (Yancheng, China) Posted on September 30, 2019 Photo blog by Theunis Piersma on the Yellow Sea and Bohai Wetlands International Conference, 26-30 September, in Yancheng, China Bill Sutherland: “Make the Yellow Sea one of the best places in the world to do coastal research” Sutherland - [Are cultivated shellfish plots a net benefit or cost for the fragile shorebirds of Yalu Jiang?](https://teampiersma.org/2017/05/02/are-cultivated-shellfish-plots-a-net-benefit-or-cost-for-the-fragile-shorebirds-of-yalu-jiang/) - Report by Jan van Gils (Royal NIOZ Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, The Netherlands) and Jort van Gils – 25 April 2017: Every spring, many but a declining number of shorebirds make use of Yalu Jiang as a stopover on their way from Australia and New Zealand to their Siberian and Alaskan breeding grounds (mainly - [East Asian – Australasian Flyway](https://teampiersma.org/category/east-asian-australasian-flyway/) - Impressions of 2019 Yellow Sea and Bohai Wetlands International Conference (Yancheng, China) Posted on September 30, 2019 Photo blog by Theunis Piersma on the Yellow Sea and Bohai Wetlands International Conference, 26-30 September, in Yancheng, China Bill Sutherland: “Make the Yellow Sea one of the best places in the world to do coastal research” Sutherland - [Black-tailed Godwits signal drought resistant meadows in the hot summer of 2018](https://teampiersma.org/2018/09/02/black-tailed-godwits-signal-drought-resistant-meadows-in-the-hot-summer-of-2018/) - Ruth Howison, Jos Hooijmeijer and Theunis Piersma report: The Netherlands is home to over 85% of the northwest European breeding population of the continental subspecies of Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa limosa (Fig. 1). Black-tailed Godwits are an iconic meadow bird and the national bird species of The Netherlands. The Dutch population originated in the wet - [Global Flyway Network](https://teampiersma.org/global-flyway-network-gfn/) - The Global Flyway Network (GFN) is a partnership between researchers worldwide who are devoted to long term – usually demographic – work on long distance migrating shorebirds. In 2006, Prof. Dr Theunis Piersma and Prof. Dr Allan J. Baker procured international funding through BirdLife Netherlands to establish the non-profit network to better understand and help - [Research on Red Knots Calidris canutus islandica and C. c. canutus](https://teampiersma.org/home/east-atlantic-flyway/research-on-red-knots-calidris-canutus-islandica-and-c-c-canutus/) - Thesis: On 2 June 2017 Thomas Oudman has defended his thesis about the ecology of Red Knots at Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania. See NIOZ blog in Dutch. The complete list of theses on Red Knots you find below. Thomas Oudman Overview of our research on Red Knots In 1998 the shorebird group of the Royal Netherlands - [Petra de Goeij](https://teampiersma.org/about/petra-de-goeij/) - Since 2011 I work as a technician for the Spoonbill project of METAWAD, based at the Conservation Ecology Group of the University of Groningen, and the Royal NIOZ on Texel. I was trained as a biologist at the University of Amsterdam where I did my Masters on the feeding ecology of Spoonbills. After that I - [Coastal China Field Updates](https://teampiersma.org/category/east-asian-australasian-flyway/coastal-china-field-updates/) - Great Knot 7YRYB was seen again Posted on May 11, 2018 A report from David Chan (volunteer for Coastal China Survey) on 12/5/2018: It was a sunny day after a few days of rain and disappointment. Not many Great Knots were seen on the mudflats at Lianyungang for the past few days. Hebo brought us - [Satellite-tagging on the edge – 1st report 2018: Connecting NW Australian Red Knots to their staging sites](https://teampiersma.org/2018/05/24/satellite-tagging-on-the-edge-1st-report-2018-connecting-nw-australian-red-knots-to-asian-and-yellow-sea-staging-sites/) - Eva Kok (Royal NIOZ and PhD student at the University of Groningen) reports about satellite-tagging Red Knots in two major wintering areas of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway in NW Australia: Roebuck Bay and Eighty Mile Beach. In February 2018, she worked there together with team leader Chris Hassell (GNF Australia) and PhD student Drew Bingrun - [Eva Kok](https://teampiersma.org/about/eva-kok/) - I am a PhD student at the University of Groningen and Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ). I am based at the Coastal Systems group at NIOZ where I work under the supervision of Theunis Piersma. In my project I focus on the role of development in shaping of individuals in Red Knots Calidris - [Emma Penning](https://teampiersma.org/about/emma-penning/) - I am a PhD student at the University of Groningen and I am based at the Coastal Systems group of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ). I have worked under the supervision of Theunis Piersma since the start of my masters. I work in the research project Conservation of the Dynamic Island of - [News from the field – Spring 2017: Satellite-tagged Great Knot spotted!](https://teampiersma.org/2017/05/02/news-from-the-field-spring-2017-satellite-tagged-great-knot-spotted/) - Ginny (Ying Chi) Chan from Royal NIOZ Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and University of Groningen, The Netherlands, reports – observations from 9 April 2017: On our quest to visit sites where the Great Knots (carrying 5 gr solar-powered satellite transmitters) are directing us, we ended up in Raoping, Guangdong, China. The Raoping site features - [David Melville](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/david-melville/) - Global Flyway Network associate | New Zealand & China. I have been studying waders and undertaking wetland conservation management in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway since 1974. This has included work in Australia, Thailand, India, Republic of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Alaska, but mostly Hong Kong (where I worked for WWF Hong Kong - [Jesse Conklin](https://teampiersma.org/about/jesse-conklin/) - I am a guest researcher, through Global Flyway Network (GFN), in the Conservation Ecology Group at the University of Groningen (RUG). Inspired by the epic migratory journeys of many shorebirds, my research initially focused on how individuals manage to fit these migrations into their busy annual routines. More recently, my work has expanded to explore - [Excessive spring snowfall results in a non-breeding year for shorebirds in NE Greenland](https://teampiersma.org/2018/07/03/excessive-spring-snowfall-results-in-a-non-breeding-year-for-shorebirds-in-ne-greenland/) - Jeroen Reneerkens of the University of Groningen studies breeding Sanderlings, for the first time in 2003 and since 2007 annually. He works from the Danish Zackenberg Research Station (74°28’N 20°34’W) in NE Greenland that was established in 1996, and is the research base for various experts monitoring the biotic and abiotic environment of NE Greenland. - [An update on the progress of the exceptionally snow-rich breeding season in northeast Greenland](https://teampiersma.org/2018/07/23/an-update-on-the-progress-of-the-exceptionally-snow-rich-breeding-season-in-northeast-greenland/) - On 20 July 2018, Jeroen Reneerkens reported: I recently wrote about the excessive amount of snow in northeast Greenland and how shorebirds are struggling to reproduce, and some risk-takers to survive, this year. My blog received a lot of attention: it was also posted on the popular birding webpage Birdguides, Scientific American wrote an article - [Jeroen Reneerkens](https://teampiersma.org/about/jeroen-reneerkens/) - As a post-doctoral researcher in the Conservation Ecology Group at the University of Groningen (RUG) I have the privilege to study the ecology and evolution of Sanderling migration. While I have been fascinated by bird migration since I was a kid, my real interest and focus on shorebirds came during my MSc-projects on the brooding - [Record numbers of Sanderlings on remote Wadden Sea island](https://teampiersma.org/2017/08/02/record-numbers-of-sanderlings-on-remote-wadden-sea-island/) - More in Dutch here: NOS Nieuws August-September 2017. Emma Penning reports that currently (1 August 2017) over 21,000 Sanderlings roost on the Wadden Sea islet Griend, on sand banks actively created to allow Griend to “wander” again. This is twice the Dutch wintering population (ca. 9,000), and as high as the British wintering population of - [Author: Team Piersma](https://teampiersma.org/author/teampiersma/) - Waddenwetenschap – in Het Waddengebied bij nader inzien Posted on January 28, 2020 Net verschenen “Het Waddengebied bij nader inzien” onder redactie van Bas Eenhoorn, in samenwerking met de Wadden Academie. De motovatie van Eenhoorn voor deze bloemlezing is dat het veel beter moet met het beheer van de Waddenzee, omdat het nu niet goed - [Dmitry Dorofeev](https://teampiersma.org/about/dmitry-dorofeev/) - I am researcher in All-Russian Research Institute for Environmental Protection and PhD student in Moscow State University. My research is supported by the Global Flyway Network, through the Royal NIOZ Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and the University of Groningen. Several years ago I was involved in the Beluga Whale Project in Khairusova-Belogolovaya estuary in - [News from Kamchatka, June-July 2017: learn about “Green”](https://teampiersma.org/2017/07/11/news-from-kamchatka-june-july-2017-learn-about-green/) - The Global Flyway Network Great Knots wearing satellite transmitters that were issued in NW Australia, have started their southward migration back to Australia! Two Great Knots choose to stage at Shchastya Bay, and two in estuaries in W Kamchatka. Very excitingly, one Great Knot, nick-named “Green” has been photographed by our team member Dmitry Dorofeev - [Impressions of 2019 Yellow Sea and Bohai Wetlands International Conference (Yancheng, China)](https://teampiersma.org/2019/09/30/impressions-of-2019-yellow-sea-and-bohai-wetlands-international-conference-yancheng-china/) - Photo blog by Theunis Piersma on the Yellow Sea and Bohai Wetlands International Conference, 26-30 September, in Yancheng, China Bill Sutherland: “Make the Yellow Sea one of the best places in the world to do coastal research” Sutherland pleas for a local research community in a global setting: “show leadership in global collaborations and create - [Shorebird northward migration through Bohai Bay, China](https://teampiersma.org/shorebird-northward-migration-through-bohai-bay-china/) - REPORT ON THE TENTH FIELD SEASON APRIL – JUNE 2019 Posted on September 24, 2019 Again in 2019, during the spring migration season the GFN team worked in Bohai Bay, China, to study Red Knots and Great Knots on northward migration. This year the team consisted of Chris Hassell, Adrian Boyle, Matt Slaymaker and Nigel - [Bohai 2019 Update 1: 20 April](https://teampiersma.org/bohai-2019-update-1-20-april/) - The GFN team is in Bohai Bay, China, to study Red Knots and Great Knots on northward migration. The team, Chris Hassell together with Adrian Boyle, veteran of 11 Bohai seasons, and Matt Slaymaker, posts regular updates on the Australian Global Flyway Network website. Here is the first of this season. The team reports: It - [AWSG Satellite Tracking Project 2019 – UPDATE #2](https://teampiersma.org/awsg-satellite-tracking-project-2019-update-2/) - This is a guest blog from the Australian Wader Studies Group (AWSG), edition March 2019. In February 2019, for the first time in history, satellite tags were deployed on Oriental Pratincoles (during the non-breeding season in NW Australia). So everything you read here is brand new! Below you also find an update about the Little - [AWSG Satellite Tracking Project 2019 – UPDATE #3+4](https://teampiersma.org/awsg-satellite-tracking-project-2019-update-34/) - This is a guest blog from the Australian Wader Studies Group (AWSG), edition March 2019. In February 2019, the AWSG deployed Oriental Pratincoles with satellite tags, for the first time in history. Here we post regular updates on their whereabouts, and on the movements on Little Curlews and Whimbrels that where also issued satellite-tags in - [Bohai 2019 Update 2: 27 April](https://teampiersma.org/bohai-2019-update-2-27-april/) - The GFN team is in Bohai Bay, China, to study Red Knots and Great Knots on northward migration. The team, Chris Hassell together with Adrian Boyle, veteran of 11 Bohai seasons, and Matt Slaymaker, posts regular updates on the Australian Global Flyway Network website. Here is the second of this season. The team reports: It - [Bohai 2019 Update 3: 10 May](https://teampiersma.org/bohai-2019-update-3-10-may/) - The GFN team is in Bohai Bay, China, to study Red Knots and Great Knots on northward migration. The team (Chris Hassell, Adrian Boyle, and Matt Slaymaker) posts regular updates on the Australian Global Flyway Network website. Here is the latest update, with as highlight the visit of the New Zealand Ambassador to China, Clare - [Bohai 2019 Update 4: 21 May](https://teampiersma.org/bohai-2019-update-4-21-may/) - The GFN team is in Bohai Bay, China, to study Red Knots and Great Knots on northward migration. Chris Hassell, Adrian Boyle, and Matt Slaymaker post regular updates on the Australian Global Flyway Network website. Here is the latest. As of the 18th of May, the GFN team had recorded 106 Red Knots, 51 Great - [Bohai 2019 Update 5: 30 May](https://teampiersma.org/bohai-2019-update-5-30-may/) - The GFN team is in Bohai Bay, China, to study Red Knots and Great Knots on northward migration. Chris Hassell, Adrian Boyle, and Matt Slaymaker post regular updates on the Australian Global Flyway Network website. Here is the latest. GFN now assist Beijing Normal University (BNU) with counts and we choose the most suitable tides - [Waddenwetenschap – in Het Waddengebied bij nader inzien](https://teampiersma.org/waddenwetenschap-in-het-waddengebied-bij-nader-inzien/) - Net verschenen “Het Waddengebied bij nader inzien” onder redactie van Bas Eenhoorn, in samenwerking met de Wadden Academie. De motovatie van Eenhoorn voor deze bloemlezing is dat het veel beter moet met het beheer van de Waddenzee, omdat het nu niet goed gaat en de natuurwaarden nog steeds ondermijnd worden. Theunis schreef een hoofdstuk. De ## Pages - [Home](https://teampiersma.org/) - Habitat Protection Protect vital habitats to support bird breeding, feeding, and migration. Safeguard wetlands, forests, and other environments from development and pollution. Research and Monitoring Track bird populations and ecological changes to guide conservation strategies. Research helps measure the impact and effectiveness of our efforts. Community Outreach Raise awareness and collaborate globally to conserve migratory - [About Us](https://teampiersma.org/about/) - About Team Piersma Team Piersma is a group of researchers working with Prof. Dr Theunis Piersma under the umbrella of Global Flyway Network, a foundation under Dutch law. Their home bases are the University of Groningen, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and associated institutes along the flyways where the team conducts studies on - [Contact](https://teampiersma.org/contact/) - Stay Connected Stay informed and engaged with our latest updates and initiatives. Fill out our contact form to receive news and developments directly from us. We value your support and interest in our mission! 1-800-153-2447 info@globalflyways.org 6789 Conservation Blvd, Denver, CO - [Global Flyway Network](https://teampiersma.org/) - Thanks to our Sponsors Each company's contribution to our common work - invaluable. Habitat Protection: Ensure the protection of critical habitats needed for breeding, feeding, and migration. This involves preserving wetlands, forests, and other natural environments from development and pollution. Research and Monitoring: Conduct ongoing research to monitor bird populations, understand their ecology, and identify - [Migration of the Bar-tailed Godwit Y5RBRL](https://teampiersma.org/2017/08/23/migration-of-the-bar-tailed-godwit-y5rbrl/) - (Ying Chi) Chan, Theunis Piersma and Chris Hassell from Royal NIOZ Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, University of Groningen, The Netherlands and Global Flyway Network Australia, report: This is a story about the ten thousand kilometer journey of a Bar-tailed Godwit, travelling between the tropics and the Arctic, between pristine and industrial environments, and between - [First 2-g satellite tagged Red Knots are in the air: update 25 April 2017](https://teampiersma.org/2017/04/25/first-2-g-satellite-tagged-red-knots-are-in-the-air-update-25-april-2017/) - The first Red Knot carrying a featherlite 2 gram solar satellite transmitter has started its migration from 80 Mile Beach in NW Australia on 21 April! The flight path of this bird is represented by the brown track. Lee Tibbitts who skillfully ‘translates’ the data reports from the ARGOS satellites in maps with tracks, reported - [Overview of Kamchatka field season 2017: timing of post-breeding migration suggests Arabian Gulf Great Knot “EI” had a successful breeding season, and many other stories](https://teampiersma.org/2017/09/12/overview-of-kamchatka-field-season-2017-timing-of-post-breeding-migration-suggests-arabian-gulf-great-knot-ei-had-a-successful-breeding-season-and-many-other-stories/) - Dmitry Dorofeev reports: (Continue reading in Russian: Исследование куликов в эстуарии рек Хайрюзова-Белоголовая) In the middle of August we finished our field season of 2017 and returned from Khairusova-Belogolovaya estuary in Western Kamchatka. Unfortunately this year we could not involve foreign volunteers. The funds for the expedition were only secured at the end of May - [José Mª Abad “Pipe”](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/jose-ma-abad-pipe/) - Researcher and technician at the University of Extremadura as part of different research projects led by Jose Antonio Masero. The main focus of my work as a researcher is ecophysiology, migration and the role of anthropogenic habitats in the life cycle of shorebirds. Black-tailed Godwit has been the main focal species, for this work, a species - [Science and Art](https://teampiersma.org/home/science-and-art/) - (Above artwork by Janet Essley. Embarking on migration on a full moon / Australian Aboriginal acrylic painting style. Collection: A Cultural Cartography of a Migratory Bird’s Annual Journey) On this page you will find information about art projects in which our researchers are involved. NEW: Launch of The Red Knots Project In July 2018, Janet Essley - [Publications](https://teampiersma.org/home/publications/) - What’s up? Publications relevant for current issues Gruttomonitor 2012 – 2019 De vinger aan de pols van de grutto populatie met een actueel overzicht van de demografische parameters op basis van langjarig veldonderzoek in Súdwest Fryslân. By Egbert van der Velde, Rosemarie Kentie, Theunis Piersma, Eldar Rakhimberdiev, Jos Hooijmeijer van der Velde et al-Gruttomonitor 2012-2019Download Lissabon airport - [Sponsors](https://teampiersma.org/sponsors/) - Our work is funded by a range of organisations, foundations and private donors. The researchers of TeamPiersma are tremendously grateful to all of our sponsors! Our sponsors make it possible for us to conduct cutting-edge scientific research at the organizations where we are based, the University or Groningen (RuG) and the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute - [Thomas Lameris](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/thomas-lameris/) - As an ecologist my main interest is how birds can adapt to indirect anthropogenic changes, such as human-induced climate warming and habitat changes following a shift in land-use. Currently, my main topic of investigation are the causes and consequences of mistimed reproduction under climate warming in migratory birds. I am based as a post-doc at - [Rosemarie Kentie](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/rosemarie-kentie/) - Currently I am a Newton International Fellow of the Royal Society, based at the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford, in the group of Prof Tim Coulson. I am still working with the Black-tailed Godwit dataset of Team Piersma. Here in Oxford I learn how to construct Integral Projection Models (IPM). One of my present aims is - [Bart Kempenaers](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/bart-kempenaers/) - Behavioural ecologist with a broad interest in all aspects of behaviour, but with a focus on mating behaviour and sexual selection. Ornithologist with a passion for shorebirds and the Arctic. Director of the Department Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen and Professor in Behavioural Ecology at the - [Bob Hickey](https://teampiersma.org/bob-hickey/) - Professor at Department of Geography, Central Washington University, USA. AnnRoeBIM resident GIS expert. Global Flyway Network|Australia. On a lark (gotta get at least one bird references in here), I accepted a position at Curtin University in Western Australia a few decades ago. While I was there less than 4 years, I got involved in the - [José Pedro Granadeiro](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/jose-pedro-granadeiro/) - I am an Assistant Professor at Lisbon University, working in the Department of Animal Biology. My research interests focus on understanding ecological constraints, demography and spatial ecology of coastal and marine birds in different tropical and subtropical ecosystems. I started studying shorebirds in 2000, and soon after I met Theunis during a field trip to Banc - [Laura Govers](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/laura-govers/) - I am a passionate marine ecologist that studies ecosystem-scale processes in intertidal ecosystems across the world. As postdoctoral researcher I am based at the University of Groningen – Conservation Ecology Group (The Netherland). My research mainly focuses on the Wadden Sea, where I study long-distance interactions between mudflats and islands, biogeomorphological processes, focusing on the - [Jordi Figuerola](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/jordi-figuerola/) - I’m a senior researcher at Estación Biológica Doñana, a research institute of the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) centered around studies of the mechanisms that generate, maintain and contribute to loss of biodiversity. My collaboration with Theunis focuses on identifying the consequences of wintering in Europe or traveling to Western Africa for the survival, breeding success - [SJOERD DUIJNS](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/sjoerd-duijns/) - I am a former PhD student of Theunis (2010 – 2014), where I studied the foraging ecology of Bar-tailed Godwits. My PhD thesis: Sex-specific foraging: The distributional ecology of a polychaete-eating shorebird is available online. I am still involved with the Bar-tailed Godwit work, together with Theunis, Jan van Gils and Eldar Rakhimberdiev. Currently I am a postdoctoral fellow - [NICOLA CROCKFORD](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/nicola-crockford/) - Theunis has been fostering my devotion to waders for more than three decades. For the past decade or so, in my role at the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) leading BirdLife International’s Global Flyway policy work, it has been a pleasure to help use the Global Flyway Network’s work to deliver conservation action of benefit - [Teresa Catry](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/teresa-catry/) - I am a Research Assistant at the University of Lisbon, working mainly on shorebird and seabird ecology, but also with a strong interest on the conservation of steppe birds. My main research is focused on key state-of-the-art aspects of the ecology of coastal and marine birds in the contrasting ecological contexts of tropical, sub-tropical and - [Allert Bijleveld](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/allert-bijleveld/) - I am a tenure-track scientist at Royal NIOZ Netherlands Institute for Sea Research in the department of Coastal Systems, but this year I work in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford where I collaborate with Dora Biro and the Oxford Navigation group (OxNav). In 2015, I obtained my PhD degree with Theunis - [José Alves](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/jose-alves/) - I am a conservation ecologist striving to understand the mechanistic bases of how biodiversity responds to changes in their environment. Currently based at the Universities of Aveiro and Iceland as a post-doctoral researcher, I address fundamental issues such as variation on demographic rates, range and habitat changes and phenological responses to climate change, as well - [Collaborators](https://teampiersma.org/collaborators-of-the-team/) - We are indebted to a range of magnificent collaborators. Here we list our national and international colleagues with whom we work. - [Research bridging flyways](https://teampiersma.org/home/research-bridging-flyways/) - Research bridging flyways Shorebirds, as most migratory animals, respond strongly to change. Studying migratory shorebirds almost invariably means encountering population declines and environmental threats. Facing those threats and declines can be frustrating but also creates creative energy to do research that will have a positive impact. Therefore, we incorporate understanding drivers of change in our - [The American Flyways](https://teampiersma.org/home/the-american-flyways/) - Along the Americans Flyways we currently collaborate with Patricia González from Fundacion Inalafquen, with Prof Juan Navedo and his group of the Bird Ecology Lab of the Universidad Austral de Chile, with Prof Francois Vézina of the Université du Québec à Rimouski, Québec, with Lee Tibbitts and Dan Ruthrauff of US Geological Survey’s Alaska Science - [West Asia – East African Flyway](https://teampiersma.org/home/west-asia-east-african-flyway/) - We track Bar-tailed Godwits from Oman to find out more about their annual routines because we virtually know nothing about how godwits use this Flyway. Updates and tracks can be found on the Oman Barr al Hikman site. - [Eurasian Spoonbills](https://teampiersma.org/home/eurasian-spoonbills/) - Our research program on Spoonbills combines long-term demographic with life-time tracking of young and adults from the breeding colonies in The Netherlands in collaboration with the Dutch Spoonbill working group (Werkgroep Lepelaar) and Willem Bouten from the University of Amsterdam – UvA Bird Tracking System. Our latest GPS trackers even send SMS messages, which is a tremendous help - [East Asian – Australasian Flyway](https://teampiersma.org/home/east-asian-australasian-flyway/) - Along the East Asian – Australasian Flyway we track shorebirds and their populations on their annual migrations to and from their Arctic breeding grounds. For updates on the whereabouts of our birds please see the latest blogs and the website of GFN Australia. On the ground we work in (1) the non-breeding areas in Roebuck Bay and along - [East Atlantic Flyway – coastal waders](https://teampiersma.org/home/east-atlantic-flyway-coastal-waders/) - The East-Atlantic Flyway connects the Canadian and Russian Arctic, Europe and Africa. We study shorebirds along this Flyway in the key coastal areas, which are the Wadden Sea in Europe and the Banc d’Arguin and Archipelago dos Bijagòs in West Africa. Since 23 April 2017 the migration of Red Knots and Bar-tailed Godwits wearing ultralight - [East Atlantic Flyway – inland waders](https://teampiersma.org/home/east-atlantic-flyway-inland-waders/) - We conduct long-term demographic studies on Black-tailed Godwits migrating along the East Atlantic Flyway. Friesland An overview of our Netherlands-based research on the demography of Black-tailed Godwits, can be found on our Black-tailed Godwit project website of the University of Groningen (“De Grutto Monitor 2016”). West-Africa We also study Black-tailed Godwits in their non-breeding areas in southern ## Categories - [Collaborators](https://teampiersma.org/others/) - [Blog](https://teampiersma.org/blog/) - [Bird Signs](https://teampiersma.org/bird-signs/) - [Bird Care](https://teampiersma.org/bird-care/) - [Best Tropical Casino](https://teampiersma.org/best-tropical-casino/)