Black-tailed Godwits have returned to the Tagus estuary. Concentrating from multiple wintering areas, they flock in large numbers on their way to the breeding grounds. Many Godwits gather in this area in Portugal to refuel before they continue their journey.
Last week, the rice fields of the Tagus estuary hosted an impressive number of Black-tailed Godwits: Overall, 56,000 Godwits were counted, which should be the largest concentration of this species recorded along the East Atlantic Flyway at present.
In one rice field alone, 36,000 Godwits were recorded with a drone. Project team member Afonso Rocha from the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) of the University of Aveiro is currently investigating this apparently highly attractive parcel.
This observation shows how important this staging area is for the Black-tailed Godwit and other waders along the East Atlantic Flyway.
