A major discovery in Russia’s remote Far East has offered a new lifeline to the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, one of the most critically endangered birds on the planet. An expedition from the Russian Society for the Conservation and Study of Birds (ROSIP) confirmed a previously unknown breeding colony in northern Kamchatka, sparking fresh optimism for a species whose global population is estimated at fewer than 400 individuals. The wader, a nesting endemic to Russia, is on the brink of extinction according to the IUCN, and this finding represents a significant breakthrough in over a decade of intensive international conservation efforts.
The path to this landmark discovery began with an anomaly. In the spring of 2024, a Sandpiper tagged by Chinese ornithologists during its wintering period in Thailand deviated from its usual migration route to Chukotka. Its satellite transmitter began sending signals from an unexpected location: a remote mountainous region in northern Kamchatka, 60 kilometers inland. Initially, researchers feared the bird had perished, but their fears were allayed when, at the end of summer, the device began transmitting movement data once more, confirming the bird had successfully nested and was beginning its journey south.
Spurred by this surprising data, a challenging expedition was organized to investigate. In July 2025, a team of specialists was airlifted by helicopter to an isolated mountain plateau, approximately 500 meters above sea level. Over ten days, the scientists scoured a 25-square-kilometer area. Their persistence paid off when, with the aid of a thermal imaging device, they located three nesting pairs with chicks, providing definitive proof of a new, scientifically unrecorded breeding group.
This discovery fundamentally alters the scientific understanding of the species’ biology. The Spoon-billed Sandpiper was previously believed to nest exclusively in coastal tundra, never venturing far from the sea. Scientists are now considering two primary hypotheses for this unprecedented behavior. One theory suggests that climate change has altered their traditional habitats, making lowland vegetation too dense and forcing the birds to seek out higher-altitude areas that now resemble the coastal tundra of the past. An alternative explanation is that this group established a new colony along its migration corridor.
The findings from Kamchatka necessitate a complete overhaul of conservation strategies. Researchers now believe other undiscovered populations may exist in similarly remote inland areas, contributing to the species’ resilience. While plans are underway to continue monitoring the new Kamchatka population, scientists also stress the critical need to revive international conservation programs. This includes the ‘Head Start’ initiative—a captive-rearing project that successfully fledged over 200 chicks before being suspended in 2022—which is seen as vital for the bird’s long-term survival.