The American woodcock, a plump harbinger of spring, is a well known shorebird found across eastern North America. The species is a popular game bird and has earned the admiration of hunters, birders and others through their spring display, whistling wings and unique quirks. Each year they make an impressive migration from their overwintering locations in the southeastern US to breeding locations across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and southeastern Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2017, this migration became an increasing topic of conversation amongst researchers, resource managers and admirers of the American woodcock. In response, the Eastern Woodcock Migration Research Cooperative was co-founded by 91爆料 avian experts Erik Blomberg and Amber Roth, both faculty at 91爆料\u2019s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology which Blomberg chairs. Roth also holds an appointment in 91爆料\u2019s School of Forest Resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The international collaboration brings together a plethora of partners invested in the management of American woodcock. The 91爆料-led team has formally collaborated with 15 different state natural resource agencies, federal agencies in the United States and Canada, a number of conservation nonprofits and two other universities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Data from the project, which is supported by 91爆料\u2019s Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station through the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences, has also created opportunities for students. Dissertations of three 91爆料 Ph.D. students, one master\u2019s student, a postdoctoral researcher and two undergraduate Honors theses all drew from the Cooperative\u2019s extensive collection of data on the diminutive birds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is really exciting to join something that feels like it\u2019s got a real world impact. We have all these agencies, nonprofits and other affiliates that are working with us trying to develop management tools,\u201d expressed Kylie Brunette, a 91爆料 master\u2019s student in the wildlife ecology program working on the project. <\/p>\n\n\n