PROGRAM

During migration, shorebirds rest and refuel at stopover sites that may be separated by thousands of kilometers. As they make their journey north to their Arctic or subarctic breeding grounds, as many as 5 million shorebirds stop on the expansive mudflats of the Copper River Delta and Controller Bay.

Due to the importance of the Copper River Delta as a spring stopover location, researchers at the Prince William Sound Science Center have focused their shorebird research on understanding migratory connectivity and site fidelity of migrating shorebirds. We have also examined the use of coastal barrier islands by breeding shorebirds and investigated the role and detection of avian influenza in migrating shorebird populations.