WATLAS - tracking regional movements
With WATLAS (Wadden Sea Advanced Tracking and Localisation of Animals in real life Systems), we follow where birds go in the western Dutch Wadden Sea. By investigating where birds go and why, we can identify whether and how they can deal with threats such as sea level rise and habitat destruction. So far, we have tracked the most abundant species of shorebirds in the Wadden Sea such as dunlin, red knot, bar-tailed godwits, oystercatchers and curlew, but also other abundant water birds such as common terns.
General information
Millions of birds depend on the Wadden Sea that offers relative safety and an abundance of food, such as the shellfish, worms, and shrimp. Some bird species use the Wadden Sea temporarily for breeding or for fuelling long-distance migrations, and others are resident nearly year-round. With WATLAS, we study how birds move with the tide, how individuals differ in where they feed, what they feed on and why, and how long they stay in the Wadden Sea on their migratory journeys.
Project news
Gas extraction under Ameland has ecological impact. Moreover, the signaling function of the current monitoring program according to the ‘hand-to-tap’ principle is too limited, is the conclusion from a team of researchers after combining several studies.
Trekvogels volgen tot ver over de Russische grens, ondanks de oorlog
12 september 2024
Nieuwe zenders moeten ervoor zorgen dat trekvogels ook in hun broedgebieden in Rusland gemonitord kunnen wordenLees of kijk de reportage bij Omrop Fryslan
De kwaliteit van het wad aflezen uit het gedrag van vogels
9 september 2024
NOS regio ging mee bij het zenderen van krombekstrandlopers en drieteenstrandlopers
Allert Bijleveld
Anne Dekinga
Emma Penning
Evy Gobbens
Luc de Monte
Job ten Horn
