Four times in the past decade Lake Abert has completely dried up, a barren lakebed encrusted with salt. Salt lakes are among the world's most threatened ecosystems. Lack of water could lead to many of these lakes permanently drying up in the American West. 

But there is one tiny bird that could change all that. The Wilson’s Phalarope depends on salt lakes on their 6500-mile migration between North and South America. There is a movement to get the phalarope listed as a threatened species by the federal government as a way to protect the habitat they need to survive.

Caroline Tracey is an environment reporter who grew up in the American West - a place that flows through so much of her work. She recently signed a book deal for a memoir about her love of salt lakes - these often-ignored ecosystems that are crucial to the world’s water cycle, migratory bird populations, and human health.

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THE WILD is a production of KUOW, Chris Morgan Wildlife, and the NPR Network. This episode was produced by Matt Martin and edited by Jim Gates. THE WILD is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.