Andy & Gill Swash An award was made to the University of Brasilia for surveys of the Critically Endangered Brazilian Merganser Zoom In

Birdfair awards for endangered species

04-08-2006

Each summer the Birdfair is held at Rutland Water in the UK (this year the event will be held from 18-20 August). The event, the largest of its kind in the world, raises funds for a different major international bird conservation project each year.

In addition, funds are also raised in conjunction with the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) for a number of smaller schemes, to support research projects on any birds listed by IUCN as Endangered or Critically Endangered.

The 2005-06 round of the Birdfair/RSPB Research Fund for Endangered Species attracted a record number of qualifying applications. Thanks to substantial input from the RSPB's International Division’s small grants schemes (and some co-funding from other organisations), a record 20 projects were funded (up from 16 in 2004-05):

Roger Fotso/BirdLife The Bamenda Highlands Forest Project was the recipient of an award to undertake surveys of Bannerman’s Turaco in Cameroon Zoom In

• $1,894 for Nickson Otieno (National Museums of Kenya) to undertake surveys of the critically endangered Taita Thrush (Kenya).
• $1,500 for Nsagabasani Claudien (BirdLife in Rwanda) to undertake analyses of seasonal patterns of distribution of Grauer’s Rush Warbler (EN) in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda). Funded by International Division’s Africa Small Grants.
• $2,000 for A Rocha Kenya and National Museums of Kenya to survey Dakatcha woodland north of the Sabaki River (Kenya) for Sokoke Scops Owl and Clarke’s Weaver (both EN).
• $1,780 for Ghebre Medhani (University of Asmara) to search for wintering Northern Bald Ibis (CR) in Eritrea.
• $970 for Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to undertake research on the nesting success of the critically endangered Mauritius Olive White-eye.
• $1,136 for Ndong Bass Innocent (Bamenda Highlands Forest Project) to undertake surveys of Bannerman’s Turaco and Banded Wattle-eye (both EN) in Cameroon.
• $1,950 for Wetlands International and the Ministry of the Environment of São Tomé to aid research and conservation of Dwarf Olive Ibis (CR) in São Tomé. Funded by International Division.
• $1,000 to Birds Korea for monitoring migrating waterfowl, including Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Nordmann’s Greenshank (both EN) at the critically threatened Saemangeum wetland in Korea.
• $1,250 to Azerbaijan Ornithological Society for surveys of Sociable Lapwing (CR) and the White-headed Duck (EN) in Azerbaijan.
• $1,500 for Remko Hofland for surveys of wintering populations of the critically endangered Sociable Lapwing in Syria. Funded through a Darwin Initiative award to RSPB.
• $1,750 to Mochamad Indrawan for attempts to rediscover the critically endangered Banggai Crow in Indonesia. Funded by International Division’s Asia Small Grants.
• $1,280 to Jonathan Walker and BirdLife Indonesia for surveys of the endangered Wetar Ground-dove in Indonesia. Funded by International Division’s Asia Small Grants.
• $1,000 to the Beijing Birdwatching Society for surveys of the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern along the Shandong Coast, China. Funded by International Division’s Asia Small Grants.
• $1,000 to Cagayan Valley Programme on Environment and Development (CVPED), Isabela State University (Philippines) and Leiden University (Netherlands) for surveys of an unexplored area in the Sierra Madre, Philippines, of the critically endangered Philippine Eagle and the endangered Isabela Oriole.
• $1,000 to Muhammad Iqbal (Kelompok Pengamat Burung Spirit of South Sumatra) for surveys of White-winged Duck (EN) in southern Sumatra. Funded by International Division’s Asia Small Grants.
• $1,930 to Sadashib Nath Sen (Nature’s Foster) for surveys of the White-bellied Heron (EN) in lowland wetlands in Assam. Funded by International Division’s Asia Small Grants.
• $900 to Nguyen Tran Vy (Institure of Tropical Biology, Vietnam) for research on Orange-necked Hill Partridge and Germain’s Peacock Pheasant (both EN) in Vietnam. Funded by International Division’s Asia Small Grants, co-funded by the World Pheasant Association.
• $1,200 to BirdLife Bolivia for surveys of the recently rediscovered Cone-billed Tanager (CR) in Bolivia.
• $1,500 to Universidad Distrital “Francisco José de Caldas” (Colombia) for surveys of Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird and Niceforo’s Wren (both CR) in Colombia.
• $1,250 to University of Brasilia for surveys of Brazilian Merganser (CR) in the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, Brazil.

To apply for one of this year's awards, please download the following application form (Word doc). Project eligibility criteria and instructions for submitting an application are included in the form.