Two decades of change in nonbreeding population sizes of shorebirds and other waterbirds in the Iwik area of Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania

Over two decades, waterbird populations in the Iwik area of Parc National du Banc d’Arguin exhibited complex trends. After significant declines (2003–2012), total numbers of waterbirds and shorebirds stabilized (2013–2023). Local breeding populations of large-bodied fish-eating species generally increased but faced sudden declines in recent years, potentially due to Avian Influenza. Among shorebirds, plover populations remained stable, Red Knots recovered after a decade-long decline, Bar-tailed Godwits continued to decrease, and Whimbrels showed a notable increase. This study highlights the value of long-term, small-scale monitoring in complementing broader flyway assessments for tracking population dynamics.

El-Hacen, E.-H. M., ten Horn, J., Dekinga, A., Loos, B., & Piersma, T. (2024). Two decades of change in nonbreeding population sizes of shorebirds and other waterbirds in the Iwik area of Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania. Wader Study, 131(2). https://doi.org/10.18194/ws.00343