Birds and Habitat in El Jable, Lanzarote

Birds and Habitat in El Jable, Lanzarote

Dr Matt Geary and Dr Lottie Hosie – University of Chester

  Lanzarote in the Canary Islands is both a UNESCO Global Biosphere and a UNESCO Global Geopark. Lanzarote is home to a number of rare specialist bird species such as Stone Curlew, Cream-coloured Courser and Barbary Partridge, particularly in and around El Jable, a dry plain in the north of the island. Pressures from changes to agricultural practices and wider development driven by the tourist industry have the potential to impact on Canarian bird populations, and quantifying the impact of these activities is important to ensure the continued protection of these populations. This project will involve performing bird and habitat surveys across the North of the Island and would particularly suit a student with some experience of standard bird survey techniques. Help with specific bird and plant identification would be provided on the island. There will also be the opportunity to develop skills in Geographic Information Systems and ecological analysis. The student is likely to be based in Lanzarote for several months during the project. Knowledge of Spanish would be useful but not essential. Previous experience of fieldwork and the ability to drive would be very beneficial.