A project aimed at conserving habitat and resources required for the survival of migratory shorebirds along the James Bay coast is getting a boost from the field work and research of two Trent graduate students.

For the project, Alexandra Anderson and Amie MacDonald are calling three remote field camps north of Moosonee, Ontario home for eight weeks, joined by Canadian Wildlife Service and Bird Studies Canada staff as well as Moose Cree First Nation volunteers. All data collected will be used to determine yearly variation in patterns of prey and habitat use, passage populations, length of stay, and departure timing and routes.

“The James Bay coast supports thousands of migrating shorebirds each year, yet we know little about the resources and habitats these birds need to successfully complete their extreme long distance migrations,” says Ms. Anderson, a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental and Life Sciences program at Trent University, who studies under the guidance of Trent biology professor Dr. Erica Nol.

Ms. Anderson first became involved with the James Bay Shorebird Project in 2014, this being her fourth field work experience in the region.

“This research is important because shorebird populations are declining worldwide, and declines could be a result of mortality during the migratory period,” she explains. “My Ph.D. research will contribute by identifying key prey resources and habitats for shorebirds along James Bay as well as the effects these resources have on the migratory flights birds take after they leave James Bay.”

Ms. MacDonald, who is pursuing her Master’s in Environmental and Life Sciences at Trent, is focusing her attention on the migration patterns of the Red Knot, an endangered species in Ontario. This is her third trip to the James Bay region.

Ms. Anderson says that her time at Trent has provided the perfect environment for her continuing studies, providing experience in both applied and theoretical research, augmented by “many well known and regarded biologists who have incredible experience to learn from.”

Meanwhile, her research, and that of her colleagues, recently received a huge boost thanks to a grant from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service provided under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA), which funds projects aimed at conserving migratory bird habitat, engaging communities in bird habitat protection and strengthens international relations.