Wader Quest Brasil (Portuguese spelling) has partnered with Projeto Aves Limícolas in Peruíbe, São Paulo State, in south-eastern Brazil. Aves Limícolas means ‘mud birds’ in Portuguese and refers to what we call waders or shorebirds, or Aves Playeras in Spanish
Wader Quest Brasil started when we visited in 2013 to attend the Festival Brasileiro de Aves Migratorias (Brazilian Migratory Bird Festival) in Tavares, Rio Grande do Sul. It started as a loose connection between Wader Quest and some supporters in Brazil, principally Gislaine Disconzi who has done so much for the Contagem Naçional de Aves Aquáticas (CNAA) for Wetlands International in Brazil, which is how we met. Later we were joined by Bruno Neri but things really took off when we contacted Karina Ávila and Bruno Lima when they set up Projeto Aves Limícolas. We have been glad to support Karina and Bruno in their work both with grants and provision of an Opticron telescope.
Their story started with a single Red Knot which bore the leg flag CEA. This bird was ringed, or banded, in Delaware Bay, USA and found its way to the beach in Peruíbe, where a number of its species winter or pass through every year. Sadly, that was where CEA’s story ended when it was run over and crushed by a vehicle on the beach. This was the stimulus for Karina and Bruno to act, and act they did, in no uncertain terms. This unfortunate bird became the inspiration for the project logo and an artwork by Tania G. Faitarone helped them to start to raise awareness about these birds on the beach at Peruíbe.
In a very short space of time they have achieved so much. They have designed and produced information boards to explain the presence of the birds and the importance of the beaches to them, they have managed to get a municipal law banning vehicles on the beach, they have reached out to indigenous residents to get their partnership and have even had a day dedicated to the waders on the beach in the municipality Dia das Aves Limícolas do Peruíbe.
Karina and Bruno are continuing their work by studying the waders that use the beaches at Peruíbe, and are expanding their reach to Ilha Comprida to the south and also to Rio de Janeiro to the north.
We have been captivated by the passion and affection that this couple show for waders and also love the fact that they include their daughter Quetzalli in their outings to the beach.
Read more in Karina and Bruno's own words (translated to English)