Pieces of China: Wendy Paulson on the Spoon-billed Sandpiper

Less than two months after hatching, the tiny Spoon-billed Sandpiper begins the long journey from Russia’s arctic tundra to the coast of China. No guide, no map, no GPS. But the baby birds instinctively know exactly where to go: to the mudflats of Jiangsu province. Unfortunately, industry and reclamation threaten the birds’ habitats. Spoon-billed Sandpipers are one of the most threatened species in the world, with fewer than 100 remaining. Join us as Wendy Paulson, conservationist, birder, teacher, shares her encounters with this fascinating bird and how a growing environmental movement in China might ensure its future.