How a bird in the hand inspired a researcher’s quest to protect wetland species
The first bird Birgita Hansen held - a tiny red-capped plover - had a profound impact on her life.
“It was the most magnificent creature in the hand,” she recalls. “And I thought, ‘This is amazing!’ From there, I developed a connection to shorebirds and found them fascinating.”
A Senior Research Fellow at Federation University’s Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation, Dr Hansen’s childhood love of animals and study of zoology led to a passion for protecting shorebirds and their wetland habitat.

