Volunteers flock together to count thousands of shorebirds across Utah

Salt Lake City, UT– Amidst the dawn chorus of avocets and phalaropes of Great Salt Lake, flocks of volunteers and scientists are gearing up to descend on Utah wetlands on April 25th. Their goal: count as many shorebirds as possible along the entire stretch of the lake and other wetland areas across the state. From Great Salt Lake, to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, to Utah Lake and beyond, teams will be documenting shorebird populations during the peak of spring migration.

2026 marks the 4th year of the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey, a collaborative effort across 11 states to replicate censuses of the past to better understand shorebird migration. Sageland Collaborative, along with our partners at National Audubon Society, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, Tracy Aviary, Point Blue Conservation Science, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service work together to lead this survey effort in Utah. 

Expert quotes on significance of the project: 

“Great Salt Lake is  an oasis for migratory shorebirds. However, climate change, drought, and increasing human use of water have significantly reduced the amount and quality of available habitat. Through the Intermountain West Shorebird Survey, we hope to identify factors that influence the distribution and abundance of shorebirds with the aim to provide management recommendations and sustain these birds into the future.”

–Emm Clark, Sageland Collaborative Avian Ecologist

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About Sageland Collaborative

For three decades, Sageland Collaborative has provided science-based strategies for wildlife and land conservation. Our approach to conservation is through our partnerships, putting science into action, and basing our work in community. Together, we build on our shared values for wildlife and the land, we celebrate the wins, and we find joy in our work together. Our conservation goals focus on increasing biodiversity, ensuring wildlife can move freely across the landscape, and restoring habitats. 
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For Immediate Release
22 April 2026

Contact:
Frances Ngo
Sageland Collaborative
frances@sagelandcollaborative.org | 909-242-2520