公益財団法人 日本鳥類保護連盟は野鳥をはじめとする野生生物の保護と普及啓発を目的とする団体です。

This cooperative research of the little terns was conducted in Lithuania.
Date: June 23rd ～July 4th 2014
Project members：
　　　　　　Yuzo Murofushi　JSPB Director
　　　　　　Takashi Fujii　　Research Manager
　　　　　　Petras Kurlavičius　　Professor of Biology, Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences
　　　　　　Ingrida Meškinytė
　　　　　　Gvidas Laukaitis

Survey of breeding area

With help from Dr. Kurlavičius, our team surveyed the breeding area of the little tern in Kaunas.　We were able to confirm two breeding pairs and non-breeding individuals for total of 8 birds.　A few days prior, we were told there was one more breeding pair, but due to increase in water level the visiting sight became flooded.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 inflating the raft

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　nest of little tern and other spieces on island
　　
　　　nest of little tern　　　　　　　　　nest of common tern　　　　　nest of little ringed plover

Locating little tern colonies by boat

By use of boat we observed the little tern breeding sight on Neman River.

　

Through analysis we located and confirmed two little tern colonies and one possible breeding pair.　There were about 20 individuals in the flock observed at the research area.　We confirmed two common tern colonies, one of which was next to one little tern colony.


　
　　　　　breeding area on island　　　　　　　　　little tern breeding pair on island


　
　　　　　　breeding area on island　　　　　　　　　　　　　　possible inculating

Island's geography and nest location

We surveyed the island where little terns were breeding and studied the island's geography and nest locations.　One nest which once contained two eggs was reduced to only one.　One colony contained one more nest and the nest contained one egg.

　
　　surveying the island's geography　　　　　　　　measuring egg and nest sizes



Data-map of the island's geography and nest locations

Capture of little terns

We set bownet traps around nests and placed video recorders to capture footage of little terns in Kaunas.

　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　little tern trapping sequence


　
　　　　captured little tern　　　　　　　　　　　geolocator attached to little tern


　
　　JSPB Director and Professor Kurlavičius

Observing released little terns

We observed little terns released with geolocators attached in Kaunas.

　

We researched the breeding area earlier confirmed by boat.　The nests on the island were trampled and disturbed. People of Lithuania are not informed of the necessity for little tern conservation, therefore eggs and young are crushed by people working along the river.

Signing Ceremony

On July 3rd, a cooperative agreement contract was signed.　For more information click here.
On July 4th, we departed from Lithuania and arrived in Japan on July 5th. Professor Kurlavičius and Ms. Meškinytė continued to capture and study the little terns after we returned home.