Three different methods (visual detection on transects, call-playback and territory mapping) were used to estimate the densities of the White-breasted Mesite Mesitornis variegata in western Malagasy deciduous forest. The species is threatened and belongs o t an endemic family of uncertain affinities. The population in the Menabe region, central-west Madagascar, surveyed using call-playback (the most efficient survey method), is estimated at 3,000-19,000 individuals; that of Ankarafantsika, north-west Madagascar, 6,000-26,000 individuals. Other western populations may be relicts. The White-breasted Mesite occurs at highest densities and with highest productivity in logged forest near rivers in the south of its range and in undisturbed sand-forest in the north, and is present at low density or absent from some areas of apparently suitable habitat, as well as forest that is secondary or has been severely damaged by burning. It is probably not immediately at risk from rats, dogs or selective exploitation, but hunting and forest burning through accidental bushfires or clearance for agriculture are locally important threats.

Trois méthodes différentes (détection visuelle sur transect, réémission de chant, et délimitation du territoire) ont été utilisées pour faire des estimations de la densité de la Mésite Variée Mesitornis variegata dans la forêt sèche de l'ouest de Madagascar. L'espèce est considérée comme menacée et appartient à une famille endémique de relations obscures. La population dans la region du Menabe, centre-ouest Madagascar, estime avec la réémission de chant (la méthode la plus efficace) est entre 3,000-19,000; celle de l'Ankarafantsika, nord-ouest Madagascar, est entre 6,000-26,000. Les autres populations occidentales sont probablement des vestiges. L'habitat ou l'espece se trouve le plus commune est à côté des rivières dans la foret exploitée, dans la partie méridionale de son aire de distribution, et dans forêt intacte sur sable dans le partie septentrionale. L'espece parait etre absente dans d'autres régions, meme où l'habitat est similaire. Elle existe rarement ou pas du tout dans les forêts sécondaires ou brulees. Les rongeurs introduits et Sexploitation forestiere selective ne posent pas probablement un grand problème pour l'espece, mais la chasse et le defrîchement pour l'agriculture sont localement importante.

No published information is available on the foraging ecology and choice of feeding habitat of New Zealand’s rarest breeding bird: the New Zealand Fairy Tern (NZFT) Sternula nereis davisae. To address this gap, we conducted an assessment of the largest remaining breeding population at Mangawhai Harbour, Northland, New Zealand, during the chick-rearing period of the 2010/2011 breeding season. We combined visual tracking of birds with prey surveys and stable isotope analyses, and we present the first quantitative assessment of NZFT foraging. We recorded 405 foraging dives that show NZFT foraging habitat includes the water edges, shallow channels, and pools on the tidal flats of mangrove-lined (Avicennia marina var. resinifera) parts of the estuary; tidal pools on mud- and sandflats in the mid-estuary and lower harbour; the shallow margins of the dredged main channel in the lower harbour; the oxbow lagoons on the sand spit; and coastal shallows. Our study identifies the mangrove-lined highly tidal and shallow mid-estuary and the lagoon on the sand spit as foraging hotspots for the Mangawhai breeding population of the NZFT. The prey survey employed a seine-net sampling method at identified NZFT foraging sites and yielded 4,367 prey-sized fish of 11 species, two of which had not previously been reported in Mangawhai Harbour, as well as numerous shrimps. The most abundant fish were gobies of the genus Favonigobius. Our stable isotope results highlight gobies as the most important prey for NZFT chick rearing, also indicating that flounder Rhombosolea sp. contribute to NZFT diet. We raise the possibility that shrimps may also constitute a substantial diet component for NZFT, potentially providing up to 21% of diet mass for adult birds. While our results provide a first basis to understanding the feeding ecology of NZFT during their breeding season in order to facilitate conservation planning, further research is required to address inter-annual variation and to identify key foraging grounds for this Critically Endangered bird at other breeding sites.

In March 1993, a survey of dry forest along the Río Machariapo, northern La Paz department, Bolivia, resulted in seven new bird species for the department, including some range extensions of several hundred kilometres: Coccyzus erythropthalmus, Otus guatemalae, Poecilurus scutatus, Formicivora melanogaster, Empidonax traillii alnorum, Nemosia pileata and Conirostrum speciosum. A probable new Herpsilochmus antwren was collected. These discoveries are of high conservation interest, especially as the La Paz - Cobija road is to be constructed through the Machariapo Valley, with work resuming in May 1993 and already very close to the head of the valley. Thus several new plant and bird taxa may be lost through deforestation even before they can be described.

Un estudio del bosque seco a lo largo del Río Machariapo en el norte del Departamento de La Paz, Bolivia, realizado en marzo de 1993, trajo como resultado el descubrimiento de siete nuevas especies de aves en este departamento, incluyendo algunas ampliaciones, de unos cien kilómetros, del área de distribución conocida: Coccyzus erythropthalmus, Otus guatemalae, Poecilurus scutatus, Formicivora melanogaster, Empidonax traillii alnorum, Nemosia pileata y Conirostrum speciosum. También se recolectó un Herpsilochmus sp. que es probablemente una nueva especie. Estos nuevas descubrimientos son de alto interés para la conservación, especialmente porque se está construyendo una carretera desde La Paz a Cobija por el Valle Machariapo. La construcción va a continuar en mayo de 1993 y actualmente esta se encuentra muy cerca del principio del valle. De esta manera nuevos taxa de plantas y aves podrian desaparecer a causa de deforestación, incluso antes de que se pudieran describir totalmente.

In this paper, we analyse the non-breeding distribution of Dupont's Lark, one of Europe's most threatened and least known passerines, using breeding and wintering censuses, published and unpublished records of individuals outside their breeding areas, and data on radio-tagged individuals and field observations. Results suggest that most breeding Dupont's Larks remain around the breeding sites during the non-breeding season, including those populations from areas with harsh winter weather conditions. The probability of winter presence of Dupont's Larks in breeding areas was significantly correlated with population size, but the altitude of the locality studied did not influence winter presence. Records outside breeding areas indicate that part of the population moves some distance after breeding, occupying lower sites and principally those with agrarian substrates. We also found several records far from well-known breeding areas during the breeding period. Our results suggest that Dupont's Lark seems to be a partial migrant, wintering in breeding areas in large numbers (probably the adult fraction of the population) but with some part of the populations moving to other areas. The movements are short-distance in most cases, although medium- and long-distance dispersive movements were also detected. We discuss the implications of these results for the design of specific conservation measures for the species.

Delimiting the distribution of a species is a complex task because many determining factors are difficult to assess in the field. This is important because distribution is a key factor in the decision-making process for conservation. One example is the Bearded Wood Partridge Dendrortyx barbatus, a species endemic to the temperate forests of the Sierra Madre Oriental (SMO) mountain range in Mexico. Lack of knowledge of its distribution has generated confusion over the assignment of the correct risk category. With the aim of predicting the distribution area of the Bearded Wood Partridge and contributing to strategies for its conservation, we updated and extended the knowledge of its distribution by modelling its ecological niche using GARP and MaxEnt algorithms. We also analysed its environmental distribution using principal components analysis, and contrasted the two most important environmental variables with the species’s distribution based on vegetation type. We found that the area potentially occupied by this species covers 17,956 km2 according to GARP and 12,974 km2 according to MaxEnt. We suggest that there is a biogeographic barrier which limits the distribution of this species in the southern part of its range. The abiotic variables that best explain its distribution are average annual precipitation and elevation, both of which coincide well with the distribution of cloud forest. A redefinition of the current range as recognised by IUCN is proposed along with the need to change its national risk category.

DNA barcoding has become a widely used and valuable tool in taxonomic research during the past three decades and its application is expanding to fields such as wildlife forensics (e.g. anti-poaching actions). One of the major advantages of DNA barcoding is that it allows for species identification from largely incomplete, deformed or cooked samples and even from traces of biological material. Cyprus is a well-known biodiversity hotspot, the island avifauna comprising around 400 species, 117 of which are listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC). Each year on average, 2.3 million individuals (mainly small migratory birds) are trapped illegally on the island and often served at restaurants. Consequently, reliable identification of specimens from processed tissues can be crucial for undertaking legal actions. Herein DNA barcoding of the large majority of bird species resident in Cyprus plus several migrants that were illegally captured was carried out to support local authorities in their anti-poaching actions. In this study, tissue from 103 specimens representing 81 bird taxa were sampled and a 648-bp long fragment of the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit Ι (COI) gene was targeted using a combination of standard, nested and semi-nested PCR depending on the condition of the tissue at hand. Sequences were obtained from all investigated samples and a total of 92 haplotypes was recovered. Phylogenetic reconstructions returned a pattern of relationships among taxa largely compatible with known avian phylogeny. Furthermore, diagnostic polymorphisms within the genus including one of the main targeted species, Sylvia atricapilla, were found. In conclusion, an avian genetic dataset is now available for the law enforcement authorities to identify specimens either confiscated (even when morphologically deformed or cooked) during raids in restaurants and in other premises suspected of serving illegally protected bird species or from trappers.

The Sierra Madre Sparrow (Xenospiza baileyi) is a highly endangered and endemic species of the highlands of south-central Mexico, where it is resident in bunchgrass (Gramineae) and adjacent marshy habitats in the southern Sierra Madre Occidental (Jalisco and Durango states) and in the mountains around the Valley of Mexico (Distrito Federal and the states of Morelos and Mexico). This species was first collected in the southern part of this range on 23 April 1945 at La Cima, D.F., where its persistence has been documented essentially continuously since 1951. The first specimens of the taxon were collected in the Sierra de Bolaños of extreme northern Jalisco on 3–10 March 1889, including the type from which the genus and species were described in 1931. Two populations have been found in southern Durango: one 30 miles (48 km) south-west of the City of Durango on 22 March 1931, and the other 5 miles (8 km) west of El Salto on 16–17 June 1951. The Sierra Madre Sparrow has not been otherwise confirmed in the northern part of its range, which in July 2004 led us to conduct an extensive search for it in these areas of Durango and Jalisco as well as south-western Zacatecas. Here we present the findings from that search, during which several sites were intensively surveyed and a single population of this sparrow was located – a new one between the city of Durango and El Salto, Durango. This rediscovery increases possibilities for understanding the biogeography, ecology and basic requirements of the Sierra Madre Sparrow, information of fundamental importance for proposing measures that promote its conservation in any of its remaining populations.

Globally, vultures are one of the most threatened of all groups of birds. European vulture populations are benefited by several anthropogenic food sources such as landfills. Current European Union directives aim to decrease the amount of organic matter dumped in landfills, reducing this important food source for some vulture species. In this context, we assessed the effect of the reduction of organic waste available and accessible for scavengers in a landfill on the visitation probability and abundance of a local Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus population in Central Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula), using a long-term dataset of captured-marked-recaptured individuals in the period 2012–2018. Our results indicated a decrease in the visitation probability due to a significant reduction of organic matter dumped into the landfill after a waste treatment centre was built (0.82 to 0.76) that may cause a permanent emigration of vultures in response to food reduction. However, the estimated annual abundance of vultures tended to grow over time due to the positive trend that regional vulture populations have experienced in recent decades. These results suggest that population processes occurring at regional scales are more relevant to vulture populations than local waste management measures. A reduction in locally available food can make a site less attractive, but species with high dispersal capacity such as vultures may overcome this issue by moving to other suitable sites. Although Griffon Vultures obtain most of the food from domestic and wild ungulates, a regional application of European directives could threaten an important alternative feeding source, especially in food shortage seasons where landfills could be supporting the energetic requirements of the species. Conservation strategies should be planned to counteract the possible negative effects of new European directives on scavenger populations.

The accurate estimation of key demographic parameters is invaluable for making decisions about the management of endangered wildlife but such estimates are often difficult to obtain. Parameters such as species-specific apparent survival rates are an important component in understanding population ecology and informing management decisions. The Maui Parrotbill Pseudonestor xanthophrys is a ‘Critically Endangered’ Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the Island of Maui. We used an 18-year encounter history dataset comprising 146 marked individuals to estimate apparent survival between sexes and age classes (juvenile, adult). A difference in survival rates between sexes was strongly supported; 0.72 ± 0.04 for adult females and 0.82 ± 0.03 for adult males. This difference may be a reflection of either reproductive costs or additional risks of incubation and brooding, such as depredation. We also found support for age-biased survival, but limited information for juveniles did not provide a well-supported model fit for our data (juvenile survival = 0.17 ± 0.15; adults = 0.78 ± 0.02). However, apparent adult survival was similar to that of other Hawaiian passerines (mean 0.78 ± 0.03, n = 16). These results suggest that efforts to prevent the extinction of this species may benefit from future management strategies focused on increasing female survival such as predator reduction.

Habitat preferences of the Rufous-fronted Antthrush Formicarius rufifrons were studied along the Rio Tambopata in south-eastern Peru. All territories of this threatened species, endemic to lowland forests in the department of Madre de Dios, Peru, contained the near-juxtaposition of two distinct vegetation types: tall floodplain forest with shaded understorey, and more open, second-growth vegetation with a very dense layer of vegetation close to the ground. The latter habitat type was closely associated with disturbances, such as river erosion, tree falls, or human clearings. Two measures of antthrush density were calculated for the study area. A satellite photograph was used to identify appropriate habitat along the upper Rio Tambopata, and using the antthrush density figures, a population size of 100-500 pairs was estimated for this area. This estimate was then used to calculate a global population of 700-3,500 pairs. Approximately 207c of the global population occurs within currently protected areas. The habitat and diet of this species are discussed in relation to two othercongeners.

Las preferencias de hábitat de Formicarius rufifrons fueron estudiadas a lo largo del Tambopata en el sureste del Perú. Los territorios de esta amenazada especie, endémica de los bosques tropicales en el depto. de Madre de Dios, están compuestos por dos formaciones vegetales distintas: bosque alto de llanura y vegetación secundaria con un estrato inferior tupido. La vegetación secundaria se debe a los trastornos ecológicos, tales como la erosión fluvial, las caidas de árboles, y también a la tala de bosques. Los limites inferior y superior de densidad (tasa de población) fueron calculados en el área de estudio; los habitats apropriados se identificaron a lo largo del rio a través de imágenes de satélite y se pudo calcular un total de 100-500 parejas para la zona. Se empleó la tasa poblacional, entonces, para calcular la supuesta población global de 700-3,500 parejas. Hoy en dia, aproximadamente 20% de la población global de la especie ocurre dentro de áreas protegidas. Se trata, ademas, el hábitat y la dieta de F. rufifrons en relatión a dos especies congenéricas.

Call counts of Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra were conducted in the Singhalila National Park, Darjeeling, India, for three years (1995–1997). Twenty-eight groups of calling birds were recorded in 1995, 19 in 1996 and 24 in 1997 with mean density estimates (groups/km2) of 6.19/km2, 4.52/km2 and 5.46/km2 respectively. During the three years, the number of calling groups varied only on one trail. Birds called early (04h45–05h00) and the calling frequency varied from 33% to 88%. Calling peaked in April and there were significant differences in the number of groups calling in April and May in 1995 and 1996. Adverse weather conditions and wind affected calling and the audibility of calls. During spring, the Satyr Tragopan was found to be associated with both open and closed habitats. The main possible threats to this species were grazing and tree lopping. Despite some shortcomings this survey method appears to be most suitable for monitoring Satyr Tragopan.

The Brown-banded Antpitta was last recorded in the Central Andes of Colombia in 1942 but a population of the species has been rediscovered in the Ucumarí Regional Park.

Grallaria milleri era una especie conocida de solo diez especímenes colectados en dos localidades de la vertiente occidental de la Cordillera Central de Colombia. Nueve de los especímenes fueron colectados en la cuenca del Río Quindío, a elevaciones entre 2, 745 y 3,140 m, en 1911 y 1942. El décimo especimen fue colectado en 1918, a 3 km de la ciudad de Manizales. Durante trabajo ornitológico realizado en el Parque Regional Ucumarí desde 1994, individuos de esta especie han sido capturados en redes y observados, lo cual revela la presencia de una población en este sitio intermedio entre las dos localidades originales. El Parque Ucumarí tiene 4,240 ha y protege la cuenca alta del Río Otún entre 1,800 y 2,600 m. G. milleri ha sido registrada solamente en un estrecho rango entre 2,400 y 2,600 m, en donde se han contado 93 individuos a lo largo de 6.3 km de transectos en tres tipos de hábitat: rastrojos de regenración temprana, plantaciones de aliso (Alnus acuminata) y bosques de regeneratión de treinta años. En esta localidad G. milleri es simpátrica con otras cuatro especies de Grallaria (squamigera, nuchalis, ruficapilla y rufocinerea) y con Grallaricula nana, por lo cual Ucumarí es un sitio de gran interés para la conservatión de este grupo de aves neotropicales.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are useful tools in ornithological studies. Importantly, though, UAV-caused disturbance has been noted to vary among species. This study evaluated guidelines for UAVs as a tool for researching geese. Twenty-four flocks of foraging geese were approached at an altitude of 50–100 m with a quadcopter UAV and disturbance effects were analysed across different horizontal distances between the UAV and the flocks. Geese were increasingly disturbed when approached by a UAV, with birds showing increased vigilance behaviour within approximately 300 m. Increasing UAV flight altitude as well as increasing take-off distance from the flocks both decreased the risk of bird flocks flushing. In conclusion, when monitoring geese using UAVs, flight altitudes of 100 m and take-off distances of ideally ∼500 m are recommended, to minimise initial disturbance and reducing the risk of birds flushing.

Establishing the specific habitat requirements of forest specialists in fragmented natural habitats is vital for their conservation. We used camera-trap surveys and microhabitat-scale covariates to assess the habitat requirements, probability of occupancy and detection of two terrestrial forest specialist species, the Orange Ground-thrush Geokichla gurneyi and the Lemon Dove Aplopelia larvata during the breeding and non-breeding seasons of 2018–2019 in selected Southern Mistbelt Forests of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A series of camera-trap surveys over 21 days were conducted in conjunction with surveys of microhabitat structural covariates. During the wet season, percentage of leaf litter cover, short grass cover, short herb cover, tall herb cover and saplings 0–2 m, stem density of trees 6–10 m and trees 16–20 m were significant structural covariates for influencing Lemon Dove occupancy. In the dry season, stem density of 2–5 m and 10–15 m trees, percentage tall herb cover, short herb cover and 0–2 m saplings were significant covariates influencing Lemon Dove occupancy. Stem density of trees 2–5 m and 11–15 m, percentage of short grass cover and short herb cover were important site covariates influencing Orange Ground-thrush occupancy in the wet season. Our study highlighted the importance of a diverse habitat structure for both forest species. A high density of tall/mature trees was an essential microhabitat covariate, particularly for sufficient cover and food for these ground-dwelling birds. Avian forest specialists play a vital role in providing ecosystem services perpetuating forest habitat functioning. Conservation of the natural heterogeneity of their habitat is integral to management plans to prevent the decline of such species.

The Near-threatened Orinoco Goose Neochen jubata is a poorly known South American sheldgoose with a declining population and range distribution. In this study, we surveyed the Orinoco Goose population along the middle reaches of the Rio Juruá, western Brazilian Amazonia, and its first-order tributaries. We quantified the seasonal abundance of geese, pinpointed their approximate breeding season, and examined their habitat associations and the potential effects of human activities on their abundance. Hunting by local villagers was also monitored to assess the offtake rate of this species. Orinoco Goose occurrence in the region was highly seasonal and restricted to the dry season. We estimated a mean dry-season encounter rate of 7.18 ± 2.45 adult individuals per 4-km section along this river. Immature individuals were seen along the river margins from August to December. The species showed a strong preference for sandy beaches and was primarily restricted to the main river channel, with few individuals occurring along tributaries. The encounter rate of this species was also significantly related to fluvial distance from the municipal urban centre and to the level of protection from hunting. Hunting of Orinoco Goose was reported in 12 of the 26 villages monitored. The seasonal appearance of the Orinoco Goose in the region indicates that this is a migratory population. Our study indicates that strict protection of the river margins, and sandy beaches in particular, along the main river channel is likely to be positive for the conservation of this species along the Rio Juruá. However, further knowledge of migration routes is critical for effective protection of both breeding and non-breeding populations.

Chinese Grouse Bonasa sewerzowi is threatened by human activity, especially during the breeding season, in the Lianhuashan Mountains, Gansu Province, north-western China. We conducted a series of simulations on the viability of this population using the computer program VORTEX. The simulations suggested that the population had an extinction probability of 17% in 100 years using data gathered from current field work. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the predicted population trend was most sensitive to chick mortality, offspring per female per year, and adult male mortality. The first two parameters are correlated with human activity such as nest loss due to egg collecting by local people. When we set initial population size to the same size as carrying capacity, 2,500 individuals would constitute a minimum viable population (MVP). This would require a forest area of about 3,780 ha, which is smaller than the size of the Lianhuashan reserve, but the current population does not constitute an MVP due to the small initial population size. Furthermore, we found that if chick mortality declined by 5% or the number of offspring produced per female increased by 5% (i.e. reducing nest loss) under the current situation, local reserve size and current population would constitute an MVP. Therefore, the most practical and simple conservation management tool would be to increase the breeding success of Chinese Grouse, especially by limiting human activity during the incubation period.

Ritenbenk/Innaq in Disko Bay is the only remaining Thick-billed Murre colony in central West Greenland. It has declined by 72% since 1980 and now (2012) holds c.1,100 breeding pairs. In 2005–2006 and 2011–2012, a number of studies were carried out in this colony to improve our understanding of the population decline and its causes. Hunting has previously been identified as a problem for the colony, but local breeding conditions have never been studied and the non-breeding distribution was known only from ringing. Our studies showed that breeding success was moderate to good in the Ritenbenk colony and apparently not limited by food availability. The impact of gull predation was more uncertain, but seemed limited in our study plot. In contrast, estimates of maximum sustainable harvest levels showed that hunting, including illegal activities, was and still is too high and probably can explain much of the population decline. It is puzzling though, that the steepest population decline was observed within the most recent decade when the harvest level was markedly reduced. This may indicate that something else besides hunting mortality affects the colony. The winter distribution of the Ritenbenk birds includes areas in the central North Atlantic, such as the waters around South Greenland, where conditions have been identified as potentially deteriorating due to pronounced oceanographic changes. The potential impact on the Ritenbenk colony, as well as other colonies in the North Atlantic, needs to be studied further.

Land bird abundances on Ngazidja, Comoro Islands, obtained by point counts in September 1985 and November–December 1989 are compared. The overall abundance of most species did not differ significantly. Most differences can be interpreted as normal within-year fluctuations. Some important changes are identified and attributed to shortterm vegetation changes: increase of Columba polleni, Coracopsis vasa, Zoonavena grandidieri, Coracina cinerea in Nioumbadjou after abandonment of forest exploitation; decrease of Coracina cinerea at M'Lima Mani North after replacement of the natural shrub layer by bananas. Genuine long-term population changes occur in Coracopsis nigra (increase) and Corvus albus (decrease).

We investigated population productivity and habitat selection of the Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax in the late breeding period, in grassland-dominated landscapes of south-west Iberia. Specifically, our goals were to investigate how these parameters are influenced by the management of (1) grazing and (2) hay production. We conducted bird counts from 22 June to 4 July (2012 to 2016) using low speed 4x4 car surveys. The relationship between the density of the species, population productivity and farm management (grazing and haying) was evaluated using Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Male and female densities were significantly higher in short vegetation compared to all other types of vegetation considered, but population productivity was similar in short and medium vegetation. Hay stubbles were found to be unattractive for the species. The availability of suitable habitats depends on the timing of grazing, notably of seasonal (spring) grazing. Species density was higher in fields ungrazed during winter and with moderate to high stocking rates in spring (around 0.8 LU/ha or higher), depending, at least for males and females, on each year’s weather characteristics. We conclude that low to moderate stocking rates during winter and spring are essential to ensure successful breeding and thus population persistence. Current levels of haying in our study area are detrimental for the species’ conservation.

Mapping migratory routes and the distribution of species during migration requires information collected over large scales (e.g. survey data), or the ability to follow specific movements (e.g. using tracking devices), which is often limited to a few individuals. For endangered species, such techniques may be impractical, but developments in flight range modelling allow inferences about migratory routes and potential site occupancy, given a few morphological parameters. We modelled flight range in a rapidly declining population of continental Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa limosa departing from a staging site in Iberia during spring migration and found that the vast majority of godwits are able to reach the breeding grounds in a single flight. Contrary to the traditional use of staging sites in France (and Morocco), godwits currently staging in Iberia are predicted to fly directly to The Netherlands and be present at breeding locations earlier than previously expected and observed. Despite harbouring approximately 75% of the total population during spring migration, Iberian staging sites currently lack any legal protection. Our example of the Black-tailed Godwit illustrates the potential of this approach to identify migration strategies and locate staging sites for species of conservation concern for which such information may be virtually absent.