On the first weekend of February, LIFE Godwit Flyway project members Afonso Rocha and José Alves led and were joined by international colleagues for a bird ringing session in the Tagus rice fields, capturing more than 100 birds and deploying nearly 30 GPS tracking devices – mostly on Black-tailed Godwits as well as one Lapwing. More than 50 colour-ring combinations were recorded, and two Black-tailed Godwits, one from the Netherlands and another from Germany, were recaptured.
As part of this meadow bird conservation project, this work helps to better understand bird migration routes and key stopover sites. By tracking individual movements, the team aims to improve conservation strategies along the flyway and identify priority areas for intervention.
The session was organised by the University of Aveiro and supported by Dutch and French collaborations of the LIFE IP GrassBirdHabitats and LIFE Godwit Flyway to facilitate cross-border efforts to protect these migratory species.
With the valuable data, researchers will now further analyse movement patterns to guide future conservation actions.
