Whimbrel Pair Migrate Separately to South America

Biologists study the surprising migration patterns of a mated pair of shorebirds in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A mated pair of whimbrel shorebirds that nest in northeastern Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have been found to migrate separately to opposite coasts of South America for the winter, defying previous assumptions about the species' migration patterns. Biologist Dan Ruthrauff is taking over a study of the whimbrels originally started by the late Shiloh Schulte, who discovered the surprising divergent migration paths of the mated pair.

Why it matters

The discovery that a mated pair of whimbrels can migrate via different ocean coasts challenges previous scientific understanding of the species' migration behavior. It also highlights the importance of interconnected habitats across the Western Hemisphere for the survival of whimbrel populations, which have declined by 70% globally in recent decades due to hunting and habitat loss.

The details

Shiloh Schulte, a biologist who died in a helicopter crash in 2025, had been studying a mated pair of whimbrels in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and found that the male migrated east to the Atlantic coast of South America, while the female flew west to the Pacific coast. This was surprising, as biologists previously thought whimbrels that migrated east were a different subspecies than those that went west. Schulte found that three out of nine mated pairs he studied exhibited this divergent migration pattern.

  • In 2024, Shiloh Schulte began a three-year study of whimbrels in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
  • In the summer of 2025, Schulte died in a helicopter crash near Deadhorse, Alaska.
  • In January 2025, Dan Ruthrauff retired from the USGS and was asked to continue Schulte's whimbrel research.
  • This summer, Ruthrauff will travel to the Katakturuk River in the Arctic Refuge to observe the whimbrel nesting site.

The players

Dan Ruthrauff

A longtime researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center in Anchorage who is taking over the whimbrel study originally started by Shiloh Schulte.

Shiloh Schulte

A biologist who was studying a mated pair of whimbrels in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge before he died in a helicopter crash in 2025.

Manomet Conservation Services

The organization that contacted Ruthrauff after Schulte's death and asked him to continue the whimbrel research.

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What they’re saying

“The idea grew for me to work with the organization to help carry Shiloh's work forward. It was kind of a nice lifeline for me.”

— Dan Ruthrauff (kvakradio.com)

“This was over water the whole way, skipping Canada, the lower 48, and Baja. This was 5,700 kilometers nonstop, over less than three and a half days.”

— Dan Ruthrauff (kvakradio.com)

“It shows the importance of these interconnected sites across the whole (western) hemisphere.”

— Dan Ruthrauff (kvakradio.com)

What’s next

This summer, Ruthrauff will follow the whimbrels north to their nesting site near the Katakturuk River in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to learn more about the birds' life history and the dangers they face during migration.

The takeaway

The discovery that a mated pair of whimbrels can migrate via different ocean coasts highlights the complex and interconnected nature of shorebird migration patterns, and the importance of protecting habitats across the Western Hemisphere to support declining whimbrel populations.