Wader nest survival on Uist machair farmland
Investigate the causes of nest and chick losses in breeding waders on Uist. Working alongside a PhD student, you will monitor nests, chicks, predators and habitat to assess the impacts of predation and farming activities on one of the UK's most important wader landscapes.
Overview
Investigate the causes of nest and chick losses in breeding waders on Uist. Working alongside a PhD student, you will monitor nests, chicks, predators and habitat to assess the impacts of predation and farming activities on one of the UK's most important wader landscapes.
Contact: Lucy Mason: lucy.mason@rspb.org.uk
Closing date: 31st January 2027
Timescale: Fieldwork April-June. Must be available to start fieldwork in early April.
Location: Outer Hebrides (North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula)
Resources available: Data, equipment, training and access to RSPB reserves
Key rquirements: Own transport essential. The student will also need to organise and cover the cost of their own travel to Uist, accommodation on-island and subsistence for the duration of fieldwork. Fieldwork will be intensive and occasionally involve working alone on machair farmland on Uist, so the student will need to be comfortable working in isolation and able to successfully organise their own time. Must be willing to work closely in a team with a PhD student during fieldwork.
Background
Machair grassland on Uist supports one of the densest concentrations of breeding waders in the UK, including Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Redshank (Tringa totanus), Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) and Dunlin (Calidris alpina).
Long-term monitoring has revealed substantial declines in both the abundance and distribution of these waders. Their declines are partly linked to the introduction and spread of Hedgehogs, which can cause high levels of nest predation, but losses associated with farming activities are also important.
This project will contribute directly to understanding the relative importance of predation and agricultural activities in limiting breeding success on this internationally important landscape.
Methods and aims
This project will investigate the factors affecting nest and chick survival of breeding waders on machair and farmland habitats in the Uists.
Fieldwork will involve finding and monitoring wader nests, deploying trail cameras to identify predators and causes of nest failure, recording habitat characteristics, and assisting with chick capture, ringing and radio-tracking. Surveys of breeding waders will also be undertaken to assess territory success.
Working closely with a PhD student, the MSc student will develop a focused research question using data collected during the field season, with opportunities to examine the effects of predation, farming activities or habitat on breeding success.
Learn more about this placement
To learn more about this placement, or to express your interest, please contact Lucy Mason: lucy.mason@rspb.org.uk