Researcher attaches a bird band to track the movement patterns of dunlin shorebirds in northern Alaska

Aaron Yappert is a master’s student at Iowa State University in the USGS Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. His research focuses on the movement ecology of Dunlin, a medium-sized shorebird, on the breeding grounds in northern Alaska. Specifically, he is exploring how Dunlin movements prior to nest initiation are influenced by environmental factors such as snow cover and temperature as well as human factors such as roads and snow fences. This research will improve our understanding of how shorebirds respond to both the environment and human development during an important time during their reproductive cycle.