Tiny Shorebird Gets Federal Review to Save Great Salt Lake

A tiny shorebird that depends on the Great Salt Lake just won a major victory that could save the entire ecosystem.

The U.S. Department of Interior announced Friday it will advance the Wilson's phalarope to the next stage of endangered species evaluation. The decision came after environmental advocates, scientists, and artists including author Terry Tempest Williams petitioned the government in March 2024 to list the bird as threatened.

The pint-sized phalarope makes a remarkable migration across the Western Hemisphere, stopping at the Great Salt Lake to rest and refuel on brine flies and brine shrimp. But the lake currently covers only half its historically normal surface area and hasn't reached healthy elevation levels since 2002.

"We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Wilson's phalarope as a threatened or endangered species may be warranted," the Interior Department wrote in its 90-day review.

The stakes go far beyond one bird. Saline lakes across the arid West are disappearing due to climate change, water consumption, and mining, leaving migrating birds with fewer places to go.

The Ripple Effect

If the phalarope receives endangered protections, the federal government will involve itself in Utah's conservation plans for the Great Salt Lake. The Interior Department would have authority to protect the birds and their habitat, even from unintentional harm by water users.

That means real accountability for one of the West's most important ecosystems. The Great Salt Lake supports millions of migratory birds and generates $1.3 billion in annual economic activity from mineral extraction and recreation.

Utah's Department of Natural Resources said it's already part of an International Phalarope Working Group monitoring the birds across their migration path. "The State of Utah is committed to restoring and protecting the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and the birds that rely upon it," a spokesperson wrote.

The bird now moves to further federal review to determine if listing is warranted. Meanwhile, scientists like BYU ecology professor Ben Abbott and waterbird researcher Nathan Van Schmidt are watching closely.

"The Wilson's phalarope is Great Salt Lake's canary in the coal mine," Williams said. "As the lake shrinks, this tiny bird is a warning that what's happening to the lake is happening to all of us."

One small bird just became the Great Salt Lake's best chance at a comeback.