Changes in the waterbird community of the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, 1980–2017

Over four decades, the waterbird community in the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania—a critical site for coastal waterbirds along the East Atlantic Flyway—has undergone significant changes. While total waterbird numbers declined between 1980 and 2017, the Great White Pelican showed a notable increase. Five species experienced sharp declines: Long-tailed Cormorant, Red Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, and Western Marsh Harrier. These changes were driven primarily by shifts in species dependent on intertidal mudflats (declining) versus those relying on sublittoral and offshore zones (often increasing). The study analyzed seven complete waterbird counts from 1980 to 2017, along with yearly data from the Iwik region since 2003, revealing a significant shift in species composition over time.

OUDMAN, T., SCHEKKERMAN, H., KIDEE, A., VAN ROOMEN, M., CAMARA, M., SMIT, C., TEN HORN, J., PIERSMA, T., & EL-HACEN, E.-H. M. (2020). Changes in the waterbird community of the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, 1980–2017. Bird Conservation International, 30(4), 618–633. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959270919000431