Organizations work to count shorebirds that stop by Great Salt Lake

SALT LAKE CITY — Several organizations teamed up to count all of the shorebirds that stop by Great Salt Lake during migration. It was the first count in 30 years. 

The Sageland Collaborative led the survey, which was conducted on Friday. According to Executive Director and Conservation Ecologist Janice Gardner, the area was split into quadrants.

Scientists, birdwatchers, and volunteers helped with the peak-migration season count. 

“Across our entire region, so the interior mountain states, half of the shorebirds are using Great Salt Lake wetlands. So you can imagine just how important the Great Salt Lake wetlands are for shorebirds,” said Gardner. 

According to The Sageland Collaborative, a previous survey showed that half of the migratory birds traveling through mountain states stop at the lake. 

The birds stop to rest and eat at the wetlands surrounding Great Salt Lake. While the count is still being tallied, it will likely total more than 200,000 birds. 

Great Salt Lake shorebird survey goals

The goal of the survey is to understand which bodies of water are most crucial for the shorebirds. Results can help determine which wetlands are most necessary, prioritizing their preservation. 

“We have this interesting time when all the shorebirds are congregating. If we count them all at the same time, we can understand which wetlands are most important to shorebirds as they’re heading south,” said Gardner. “So we get a true apples-to-apples comparison.” 

Related: If you save it, they will come: How recreation and tourism are already surging at the Great Salt Lake