Three lucky auction bidders from the IBO’s 30th Anniversary celebration joined Curlew Crew research biologist Heather Hayes in New Meadows, a small Idaho town in the west central mountains, for a Long-billed Curlew field excursion. After a quick stop to grab some warm drinks and pastries, we headed down the dusty road to our first stop. As the sun rose over Granite mountain, the sweeping meadows across the ranch lands lit up with golden light and bird song from the likes of Red-winged Blackbirds, Sandhill Cranes, and the buzzy electric notes of the Savannah Sparrows to name a few. But the one call that remained elusive was that of the Long-billed Curlew.
As we eagerly awaited the morning’s main attraction, we discussed curlew life history, biology and how breeding populations in parts of southwestern Idaho have sustained dramatic losses with declines reaching roughly 98% in some areas over the course of 40 short years. Such an unfathomable reality when their historical presence in this very same area was once recognized as the densest curlew nesting grounds in all of North America. Participants also learned that IBO’s satellite tracking research has not only helped piece together curlew migratory connectivity or “pathways”, but has also uncovered that breeding curlews on the public lands throughout southwest Idaho have been heavily impacted by illegal shooting — such a stark difference to the quiet wind-swept fields we stood before in that moment.
Before long, we heard the first curlew but it had landed just out of sight. We made our way down the dirt road to gain a better vantage point and before long, we spotted a curlew mobbing a raven in flight high above the meadow. This can oftentimes suggest nesting activity in the area. Excited to see where this curlew may have landed, we moved on down the road and set up quietly along a wooden fence. After a few minutes one of the participants exclaimed “I see it!” — a handsome male curlew foraging along a small ditch running through the field. Then about five minutes later, the spotting scope revealed an exciting discovery not far from the male… a nesting female nestled low in the grass!
Though difficult to see, as she would only pop up for a minute to readjust on the nest and the heat waves were hovering low on the landscape, everyone was thrilled to get the chance to see a nesting curlew. A nest discovery can take days (sometimes weeks) to find if you are not in the right spot at the exact right time to catch the nest “switch” of the male and female so this was unusual to say the least!
A big thank you to the participants that supported our curlew conservation efforts through bidding on this field experience! It is our sincere hope that you enjoyed learning more about this iconic grassland species first-hand out in the field and that the coffee from Road House Java in New Meadows and fresh baked pastries from Alpine Pantry and Provisions in McCall hit the spot!
