In the desert of Utah, United States, Great Salt Lake stands as an oasis of biodiversity. One of the largest natural lakes in the Western Hemisphere, Great Salt Lake also has one of the highest salinities of an inland body of water in the world. Most of us would probably not associate this hypersaline environment with high productivity and rich biodiversity, but the Great Salt Lake provides excellent habitat for many species. Several species, including brine shrimp and brine flies, have adapted to these hypersaline conditions. These species become food for millions of aquatic birds, including nearly one and a half million migratory shorebirds. This year, the Great Salt Lake, a fundamental stopover site for these shorebirds, celebrates 30 years as a WHSRN Site of Hemispheric Importance. In recognition, Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox has declared 2021 the Year of the Shorebirds.
Fed by the Weber, Jordan, and Bear Rivers, Great Salt Lake is a terminal lake, meaning it has no outlet. All the water that enters the lake through its tributaries leaves the system only through evaporation. These rivers bring salts and minerals to the lake, accumulating over time and creating the high salinity. Although the high salinity in the Great Salt Lake does not allow for fish in its waters, several species of algae and invertebrates have adapted to live in environments like this. The peak of invertebrate abundance occurs at just the right time for millions of shorebirds to feed non-stop, storing valuable energy that they will need to complete the remaining miles of their migrations. The synchronicity of the life cycles of these invertebrates and the arrival of these avian travelers has the precision of a Swiss watch.
A flock of Phalaropes feeding at Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Photo: Max Malmquist.
Millions of birds use Great Salt Lake, including 42 species of shorebirds that use the site at some point in their annual life cycle. In addition to this great diversity, the abundance of some species is particularly surprising: 500,000 Wilson’s Phalaropes (Phalaropus tricolor), 250,000 American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana), and 30,000 Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) have been recorded at the site. Other shorebird species that also spend time at Great Salt Lake in large numbers include the Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus), Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa), Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri), Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus), and Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). With 330 bird species listed for the site, this lake provides habitat and essential food for other birds than shorebirds, with 10 million visiting migratory birds each year.
Local partners work actively in the conservation of the site, supporting research, management, and community engagement as pillars to support a healthy wetland and associated salt water lake biodiversity. Their work has been and continues to be critical in protecting migratory birds in the Great Salt Lake.
Left: Wilson’s Phalarope feeding at the lake. Right: Black-necked Stilt flying at the Great Salt Lake. Photos: Max Malmquist.
It is not just the local communities of Great Salt Lake celebrating these 30 years as a WHSRN site. Thousands of miles away other communities at the other saline wetlands, where shorebirds complete their journey, celebrate alongside them. They know that the conservation of the Great Salt Lake is also conservation for their site and their shorebirds because they are all part of the same network. Partners have created collaborative links, connecting communities and cultures whose livelihoods and well-being depend on the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
Linking sites is a core part of the mission of WHSRN. Don Paul one of the conservation leaders at Great Salt Lake, has highlighted why this is important, “The designation of Great Salt Lake as part of WHSRN has driven a hemispheric perspective for conservation and has supported the linking of important sites for shorebirds, and from these links, significant conservation actions have moved forward.”
Partners and landowners at Great Salt Lake include Utah Department of Natural Resources; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Audubon Society; The Nature Conservancy; Friends of Great Salt Lake; Great Salt Lake Audubon Society; Linking Communities, Wetlands and Migratory Birds; Utah Office of Tourism; and many privately owned duck clubs.
For more information about the Great Salt Lake and its importance as a site for shorebirds, contact Marcela Castellino, Flyways Conservation Specialist at the WHSRN Executive Office, Manomet.
Cover Photo: Great Salt Lake. Photo: Evan Barrientos.
