Comparative analyses are central to understanding broad‐scale patterns in avian ecology, yet their application is often constrained by fragmented and uneven data availability. Recent advances in tracking technology have generated unprecedented insights into shorebird movements, resulting in numerous studies on single populations or flyways. Bringing them together creates the opportunity to assess large‐scale knowledge gaps and develop a holistic understanding of migration patterns across a species’ entire range. This can be particularly important for globally declining taxa, where population‐specific trends and threats may be obscured by coarse global assessments. We gathered most of the whimbrel (
and
) tracking datasets collected to date to identify spatial gaps in tracking coverage, compare subspecies across the annual cycle to detect broad‐scale patterns, and integrate threat assessments to highlight key research fronts. Based on 2 626 843 locations from 251 individuals, we document a bias in tracking coverage with the major gaps in the African continent, Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and the breeding grounds in northern and central Russia. We also highlight spatial overlap among subspecies and substantial variation in annual‐cycle timing, migration distance, speed and stopover behaviour. Knowledge of threats was incomplete across subspecies, but we identified widespread pressures including development, hunting, invasive species, habitat alteration and other climate‐driven impacts, with particularly strong effects on Nearctic breeders and poorly understood but potentially escalating risks in several Palaearctic populations. Addressing the identified gaps through expanded and strategically co‐ordinated tracking studies, integration with demographic and taxonomic research, and focused analyses of migration ecology is essential to achieve a full annual‐cycle perspective and guide effective conservation for migratory species.
15-09-2026
