Department for Environment and Heritage Waders of the Coorong and Lower Lakes

Your guide to discovering migratory wader birds

www.environment.sa.gov.au The annual spring wader migration brings a special reward to those visiting the Coorong and Lower Lakes. This area encompasses some of Australia’s most significant wetlands and the Coorong and Bool Lagoon are designated as Wetlands of International Importance. During September, October and November, up to100 000 birds and dozens of species, including the beautiful Red-necked Avocet, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilt descend on the wetlands to feed.

What’s a wader? Protecting the flyways Wader is a term used to describe dozens of bird Protecting migratory wader birds and their flyways species that live and feed in wetland and coastal is the responsibility of many countries. In 1971, environments. Many wader species are migratory. 145 countries signed the ‘Ramsar Convention on Each year, migratory waders fly thousands of Wetlands’. It is an international agreement promoting kilometres from distant breeding grounds in Siberia, the conservation of wetland habitats. Australia also Asia and the Arctic Circle to feeding grounds in the has conservation agreements with Japan and China. Southern Hemisphere. The wader’s migration means they experience summer year-round. Threats to migration The biggest threat to migratory wader birds is human Flyways and byways impact on wetland areas. Australia has lost nearly Migratory waders fly on routes called flyways. half of its wetlands in the last 200 years. Fishing lines Waders stop at three or four wetlands along their and hooks, discarded nets, 4WDs along coastal route between the hemispheres. Any degradation areas and pollution all negatively affect waders and to just one of these stopover points could negatively their habitat. You can help reduce your impact on affect the entire migration. The waders you see this delicate environment by following The National in the Coorong and Lower Lakes travel along the Parks Code. East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Meals in mudflats Although the mudflats of the Coorong and Lower Lakes may look empty, they are actually full of life. Waders forage for shrimp, molluscs, insects and microscopic organisms that live in the mudflats. The mudflats are essential to the waders as they fatten up for the long migration back to the Northern Hemisphere. E g r VA T Park C208 Lowe National Glenel C208 C212 0

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A L E X A N D R I N N I R D N A X E L A . n Strathalby MILANG ISLAND HINDMARS h Clayto Wader E East Asian-Australasian Flyway Finniss k R Pelican Point . This closure applies to the beach from a S t ee Crossing to the Murray Mouth ader-watching sites Goolwa Tr VICTOR W 4WD trac Through route, route marker route route, Through road connecting Major road connecting Minor roads Other Murray Mout HARBO 3 protect the Hooded Plover a Willung Beacon 19 A1 BARRAGE The system of barrages linking the islands between Pelican Point and Goolwa was built to keep the water in Lakes Alexandrina and Albert fresh to be used for stock and irrigation BEACH CLOSUR To is closed to vehicles from 24 October December each year Te PELICAN BREEDING ISLAND These islands are protected and large fines are incurred by those who stray closer than 140 metres TEA TREE CROSSING Generally only passable in late summer when the water in lagoon dries up The lagoon is not tidal, but the amount of water over the crossing can be affected by the ever-changing winds. The water is highly saline. Port Ellio Your guide to discovering migratory wader birds

Red-necked Avocet Common Greenshank Curlew Sandpiper Recurvirostra novaehollandiae Tringa nebularia Calidris ferruginea The Red-necked Avocet is easily spotted in the shallows of The Common Greenshank inhabits sandbars and This small wader often feeds belly-deep at the water’s wetlands and lakes. With its distinctive upturned bill and mudflats. Look for its olive-green legs, pure white edge. The upper plumage is grey-brown; the underparts red neck, this bird feeds by sweeping its bill from side to underparts and mottled brown/olive-green wings. In are pale white with grey across the breast. Look for its side, stirring the mud and catching molluscs and insects. flight, shows white rump and back. Greenshanks use their distinctive black, down-turned bill. Listen for a pleasant Listen for trumpeting whistles. Size: 40-45 cm. slightly upturned bill to probe the mud and flush out prey, “chirrup”. Size: 21 cm including worms and molluscs. Listen for a ringing ‘tew, tew, tew’. Size: 33 cm.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Red-necked Stint Black-winged Stilt Calidris acuminata Calidris ruficollis Himantopus himantopus The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper inhabits mudflats, tidal The Red-necked Stint is the smallest migratory wader Wading through the mudflats and shallow water on its sandbars, inland lakes and shorelines. They forage for weighing only 30 grams. Within its lifetime, it will fly more long red legs, the Black- winged Stilt is found throughout insects, molluscs, and worms using their straight, dark bill. than the distance between the earth and the moon. most of Australia except the driest parts of the interior. Their feathers have black centres with buff edges. It has Look for a whitish and grey-brown breast. It has a black Look for white plumage on the head, neck, chest and a brown crown, white eye stripe and a white chest and tapering bill and black feet. Look for the Red-necked Stint abdomen; black plumage on the nape, back of head belly. Listen for a shrill ringing in flight. Size: 19-22 cm. on mudflats. Listen for a twittering sound as it feeds on and wings. The bill is long, black and straight. Listen for its molluscs and worms. Size: 15 cm. distinctive high-pitched barking call. Size: 36-38 cm.

The best In the Lower South East In Coorong National Park locations to • Bool Lagoon • Lake Eliza • Salt Creek • Jacks Point see these • Lake St Clair • Lake George • Parnka Point • Pelican Point species • Port Macdonnell • Cape Banks • Murray Mouth • Beacon 19 (Goolwa) The National Parks Code Help protect your national parks by following these guidelines: • Leave your pets at home. • Take your rubbish with you. • Observe fire restrictions, usually 1 November to 30 April. Check CFS Hotline 1300 362 361. • Conserve native habitat by using liquid fuel or gas stoves. • Camp only in designated areas. • Respect geological and heritage sites. • Keep our wildlife wild – do not feed or disturb animals, or remove native plants. • Keep to defined vehicle tracks and walking trails • Be considerate of other park users.

Bool Lagoon Thank you for leaving the bush in its natural state for the enjoyment of others.

How to be a wader-watcher Wader checklist (not exhaustive) • Use a pair of binoculars to get a close-up Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica view of the birds. Black-winged Stilt Himantopis himantopis • Wear clothes that blend in with the Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea surroundings. Eastern Curlew Numenius madigascariensis • Move quietly to a good spot where you Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii can sit down and watch. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes • Remember to observe from a distance Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius and do not interfere with nests. Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta • Carry a field guide to ensure positive Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis identification. Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum How do I know what bird it is? Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Identification of birds, especially the smaller Pintailed Snipe Gallinago stenura and less colourful species can be challenging. Red Knot Calidris canutus Take note of their: Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novahollandiae • shape – especially their beak or bill Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficallis • unusual features – perhaps their walk, Ruff Philomachus pugnax call or flight pattern Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata • flashes of colour – the head, neck and Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago megala underside of wings may give a clue Wandering Tattler Heteroscelis (Tringa) incana • habitat – did you see them in reeds, Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola on the beach or wading? For more information contact It’s important to remember that not all wader Department for Environment and Heritage species will be at all sites. The waders will be more Infomation Line: (08) 8204 1910 Or your local national parks office. abundant in some areas than others. Each time www.environment.sa.gov.au you visit the Coorong and Lower Lakes you will have a new experience! To learn about wetland conservation in Australia go to: www.deh.gov.au/water/wetlands To learn about wetlands around the world go to: www.wetlands.org © Department for Environment and Heritage FIS 2756.07 ISBN 1 921 018 623