Tracking Curlews

After being caught by mist nets, birds are anesthetized while a small transmitter is inserted into the abdominal cavity. The surgical procedure takes less than 30 minutes. Birds recover quickly and are ready for release within an hour of surgery. This photo shows a male curlew with a black leg flag inscribed "H8". We use these conspicuous leg flags to identify individuals from a distance. In June 2007, USGS scientists tagged 13 curlews with satellite transmitters at their southern breeding area in Alaska. They use satellite telemetry to track these birds, in order to map their migration routes and find the location of their nonbreeding areas.