Australia Tourism » Travel to Migratory Shorebirds

MIGRATORY SHOREBIRDS
Migratory shorebirds undertake annual migrations of thousands of kilometres between their non-breeding and breeding areas, in many cases flying from the southernmost wetlands of the southern hemisphere to the coasts and islands of the high Arctic. Northward migration to the breeding grounds typically takes place from March to early June, whilst the return migration to non-breeding areas occurs from July to October.

During their migration, shorebirds stop off at a number of wetland sites where they feed intensively to build up stores of fat and protein to fuel the next leg of their flight. These migration routes are called Flyways.

There are eight shorebird Flyways around the world, each consisting of a geographical grouping of similar routes shared by many species. The East Asian—Australasian Flyway stretches from Siberia and Alaska southwards through east and south-east Asia. to Australia and New Zealand (see Flyway map, p. It encompasses 22 countries and is used by 55 migratory species and by over 5 million birds.

The breeding season of these migratory shorebirds is a short and hectic period that capitalises on the abundant supply of insect food present in the brief arctic summer. Birds must arrive and breed as soon assnow and ice starts to melt in the nesting areas. Clutches, typically of four eggs, are laid within a week or tow of arrival incubation then takes about three weeks and fledging a further three. Then it’s time to head south before theweather worsens and the food supply dries up.

A migrant species that differs from this pattern is the double banded plover, which breeds in New Zealand and migrates to Australia from February to September. A few Australian Pratincole breed in Australia and migrate to Indonesia and New Guinea from March to November; most, however, remain in Australia year-round, so we have classified them here as resident species'.

RESIDENT SHOREBIRDS
Resident shorebirds breed in Australia and include some species that nest exclusively on beaches (e.g. the Beach Stone-curlew and Pied Oystercatcher) and others such as the Sooty Oystercatcher that nest on rocky coasts. Resident shorebirds use every type of wetland: the Painted Snipe, for example, breeds on ephemeral fresh water wetlands, while the Banded Stilt breeds on hypersaline lakes in inland Australia. Some resident species have moved beyond wetlands – the Plains-wanderer nests in grasslands, the Bush Stone-curlew in open woodland and the Masked Lapwing commonly breeds in agricultural and urban landscapes.

Resident shorebirds may nest in large colonies (e.g. Banded Stilt), as solitary pairs (e.g. Black-fronted Plover) or sometimes in loose groups (e.g. Painted Snipe). They may be sedentary v or undertake nomadic movements, depending on availability of habitat and breeding opportunities. An example of a sedentary species is the Hooded Plover, whose beach environment is relatively stable throughout the year, thus fulfilling the bird's requirements year-round. The Banded Stilt, on the other hand, is a nomadic species that moves in vast numbers from coastal areas to central Australia, to exploit the explosion of brine shrimp in ephemeral wetlands following unpredictable rains.

Resident Black-winged Stilts and migratory Eastern Curlews roosting at high tide, Roebuck Bay, north-western Australia. Typically, non-breeding shorebirds are gregarious and often occur in very large concentrations. Along the coast, their day is normally ruled by the tides - they feed on shellfish, crabs, shrimps and worms when mudflats are exposed at low tide, and roost on beaches and spits during high tide. Photo by Jan van de Kam

Painted Snipe, Mt Carbine, Qld. The Vulnerable Painted Snipe is the subject of a recent national volunteer survey co-ordinated by Birds Australia's Threatened Bird Network and the AWSG. This survey has documented the distribution and occurrence of the species, and has already saved one wetland from destruction. Photo by Keith & Lindsay Fisher

The tiny Red-necked Stint, Australia's smallest migratory shorebird at only 30 nevertheless manages to make the huge journey to breed in the Arctic -a distance of some 15,000 km one-way!

MAIN THREATS
THREATS TO MIGRATORY SHOREBIRDS
Australian migratory shorebirds encounter few human-induced problems on their breeding grounds, which are in sparsely populated areas. However, they share the East Asian—Australasian Flyway with more than 45 per cent of the world's human population, in countries with rapidly developing economies. The resultant economic and social pressures pose major threats to migratory shorebirds, primarily through wetland destruction and alteration, pollution and hunting.

Northward migration is a critical time for migratory shorebirds because they have a very tight schedule if they are to arrive at the breeding grounds on time and in good condition, to make full use of the short breeding season. Good feeding conditions and safe roosting sites on the way are essential for successful breeding. The most important region for shorebirds on northward migration is the Yellow Sea, yet its coastal wetlands are probably the most threatened in the Flyway.

THREATS TO RESIDENT SHOREBIRDS
Shorebirds, both migratory and resident, are also threatened in developed countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, where they face disturbance, and destruction or alteration of habitat. Many resident shorebirds breed between September and March, some nesting in the open on beaches and along bays, laying their eggs in simple scrapes on the sand or shell grit. They are threatened by introduced predators such as foxes, rats, dogs and cats, increased numbers of native predators such as gulls and ravens, and crushing of nests and young by humans, stock and vehicles.

Resident species that breed in Tasmania (e.g. Hooded Plovers, Pied Oystercatchers) are at increased risk from the recent introduction of the fox to the island. There is an urgent need to manage this threat. As a result of these threats, the following resident shorebirds are considered threatened or near threatened: Plains-wanderer (Endangered), Painted Snipe (Vulnerable), Bush Stone-curlew (Near Threatened) and Hooded Plover (Vulnerable in the east and Near Threatened in the west).

COASTAL PRESSURES
Threats to all shorebirds, both resident and migratory, are greatest in the coastal zone. Although Australia's human population is low by world standards, it is heavily concentrated near the coast. Over 80 per cent of Australians live in cities or local government areas abutting the coast, and 25 per cent live within three kilometres of the coast.

The threats to shorebirds are set to intensify with increasing human pressures on Australia's coastal areas.