During the first week of May, the WHSRN Executive Office held a Mystery Shorebird identification quiz. Five participants got six of the ten mystery shorebirds correct, but Renato Huayanca from Peru was drawn as the winner! Congratulations Renato!!! As soon as possible he will be receiving his prize; a pair of KOWA binoculars, generously donated by KOWA Sporting Optics.
Renato is from Ica, Peru, where he studies Biology at the National University San Luis Gonzaga. He started working with shorebirds in 2013, while still a student at the University. When he started his biology career, his main interest was focused on native plants from his region, however, once he connected with shorebirds and their impressive migrations there was no looking back. For several years he has supported shorebird surveys in WHSRN site Reserva Nacional Paracas and also formed part of the team that implemented the Coastal Shorebird Survey there in January 2019.
Left: Renato taking a shorebird from a mistnet. Right: Renato monitoring shorebirds at Albufera de Medio Mundo.
Photos: Proyecto Paracas
At Reserva Nacional Paracas, Renato’s main activities are capturing and banding shorebirds at Bahia La Aguada. The banding is conducted between December and March, and then from April to November. Renato is monitoring shorebirds for better understanding of those shorebirds that do not return to Paracas. Besides his activities at Paracas, he is also part of the Playeras del Perú initiative, a group that seeks to share actions, experiences, and projects related to shorebird conservation in Peru.
His favorite shorebird is the Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus). Little is known about this little plover in Peru where it is resident (Charadrius n. occidentalis) and Renato hope to investigate the biology of resident shorebirds like the Snowy Plover.
Cover Photo: WHSRN site Reserva Nacional Paracas. Photo: Renato Huayanca
