This is the first-ever video of an extremely rare Nordmann’s Greenshank on its nest in a remote Russian woodland. Fewer than 2,000 remain in the wild. A Rare Find in the Bay of Happiness. Not seen for decades, the nest of a globally-endangered bird found in Russia. VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (August 29, 2019) – WCS announced that an international team of biologists made an important discovery, something that had not been seen in more than 40 years: the nest of a globally-endangered Nordmann’s greenshank (Tringa guttifer). This species, one of the most endangered shorebirds in the world, is thought to have a population of fewer than 2,000 individuals, and they nest only in Russia. They have experienced a steep population decline in recent decades, linked largely to habitat destruction and illegal hunting in Southeast Asia where they spend their winters. Unlike most shorebird species, Nordmann’s greenshanks place their nests in trees. This one, situated on a branch nearly four meters (13 feet) up a larch tree, was constructed of twigs and lined with lichens that helped camouflage the eggs. Unfortunately the nest failed, with at least two of the four eggs depredated by a crow. This demonstrates that the threats to the survival of this endangered species extend beyond the problems encountered during migration and on the wintering grounds. This important work was funded by support from the Wildlife Conservation Society (with a grant from the Trust for Mutual Understanding), the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership Small Grant Fund, and with additional support from the University of Florida School of Natural Resources, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, the Institute of Aquatic and Ecological Problems (Russian Academy of Sciences), BirdsRussia, and the Federal Scientific Center of East Asian Terrestrial Biodiversity (Russian Academy of Sciences).
