Saving Spoonie

A quietly absorbing look at scientists fighting to save a tiny bird across dangerous borders, mixing frustration, hope, and bittersweet humor.

Directed by

Till Harms

Genres

Documentary

Overview

Spoonie, the spoon-billed sandpiper, would have long since gone extinct without Dr. Christoph Zöckler and a tight-knit group of international ornithologists. As if that weren’t bad enough, the migration route of this sparrow-sized wading bird—with its peculiar spoon-shaped bill—runs from Russia through North Korea and China all the way to Myanmar, passing through several of the world’s crisis regions of the past decade. The work of the task force is therefore also a political challenge. It requires diplomatic sensitivity in coordinating with the countries along the flyway. In the tragicomic story of Spoonie’s fate, the struggle for threatened biodiversity in an increasingly fragile world is reflected.

How it feels

Earnest, melancholic, tense and warm. Measured and needs your attention.

About

Nature, survival, politics, environment

Content

Mild violence and language. No gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)