Tiny trackers reveal where migratory shorebirds need protection across Africa

Scientists in South Africa tagged 23 migratory shorebirds (20 curlew sandpipers and 3 gray plovers) with satellite transmitters in February 2026, tracking their 13,000-kilometer migration routes from South Africa to Arctic breeding grounds. Six birds have reached Arctic tundra; the data reveal three main migratory flyways and stopover sites previously unknown, enabling targeted conservation action.