Australian Government Australian Shorebirds Identification Sheet Department of the Environment Small Plovers and Turnstone and Water Resources No.1
oriental plover 25cm. M sparsely vegetated plains of arid large heavy bill inland and coastal mudflats and beaches of northern Australia adult breeding narrow bill
adult male breeding adult adult non-breeding non-breeding
long legs Large Sand plover adult breeding 21cm. M coastal mudflats and bill short sandy intertidal zones and stout
darker mask double-banded plover 19cm. M Mongolian Plover 19cm. M coastal mudflats and adult breeding sandy intertidal zones
red-capped plover 15cm. R adult non-breeding rufous cap bill short and narrow winter visitor returning to New Zealand for summer adult non-breeding adult female coastal mudflats and sandy intertidal bare mudflats distinctive black markings zones, also open bare margins of inland and margins adult male on face and breastband of inland and freshwater and saline marsh, south-east coastal saline Australia wetlands
black-fronted dotterel 17cm. R red-kneed dotterel pairs or small family groups on dry margins of 18cm. R feshwater wetlands large or small feeds in shallow margins of inland short rear end freshwater wetlands including temporary shallows after rain black breast band and head, chestnut flanks, long legs with distinctive white throat pink upper half ruddy turnstone 23cm. M distinctive black hood and white wedge shaped bill collar
uses stout bill to flip stones, shells, seaweed and drift- 21cm. R hooded plover wood on sandy or cobble sandy ocean beaches of beaches, rock platform or southern Australia, open short pink legs reef of coastal Australia edges of saltlakes in south-west Australia
M = migratory . Illustrations by Jeff Davies R = resident species. Measure in centimetres after each species name denotes length from bill tip to end of tail. for more information visit www.shorebirds.org.au Australian Government Australian Shorebirds Identification Sheet Department of the Environment Large Plovers, Lapwings, Stone-curlews and Jacana and Water Resources No.2
Bush stone-curlew 55cm. R
large eye Beach stone-curlew 55cm. R
massive bill long dark bar on wing
comb-crested jacana 21cm. R
very large feet for walking on lillypads beaches, mudflats and tropical freshwater small islands of northern wetlands with abundant and eastern Australia floating aquatic vegetation nocturnal, northern and north-eastern woodlands, declining in south
small bright large fleshy yellow wattle red wattle
very noisy with a loud ssp.novaehollandiae penetrating (eastern Australia) banded lapwing 27cm. R alarm call open short grasslands and semi arid rangeland, southern half of Australia ssp.miles bold black (northern Australia) U-shaped breast band when masked lapwing 34cm. R viewed from front wide variety of short grass habitats, wetland edges, and modified urban environments
large bill grey plover 29cm. M
adult breeding
adult breeding pacific golden plover 25cm. M
coastal mudflats and adult non-breeding sandy intertidal zones
adult non-breeding
coastal mudflats and sandy intertidal zones, roosting in short saltmarsh herbfield or paddocks
M = migratory . Illustrations by Jeff Davies R = resident species. Measure in centimetres after each species name denotes length from bill tip to end of tail for more information visit www.shorebirds.org.au Australian Government Australian Shorebirds Identification Sheet Department of the Environment Curlews, Dowitcher and Godwits and Water Resources No.3
streaked head without obvious cap or dark line through eye
long heavy bill dark line through eye and dark cap
whimbrel 42cm. M eastern curlew 63cm. M coastal mudflats and coastal mudflats and sandy intertidal zones sandy intertidal zones
bill slightly upturned adult breeding
asian dowitcher 34cm. M coastal mudflats and adult non-breeding sandy intertidal zones body plumage streaked
bar-tailed godwit 42cm. M bill thick with bulbous tip coastal mudflats and sandy intertidal zones adult breeding
straight bill obvious dark cap with adult non-breeding plain face body plumage plain
little curlew 29cm. M
adult non-breeding black-tailed godwit 39cm. M
coastal mudflats and adult breeding adult non-breeding sandy intertidal zones, floodplains and short dry also inland freshwater grassland including lawns and and saline marsh recreational areas of northern Australia
M = migratory . Illustrations by Jeff Davies R = resident species. Measure in centimetres after each species name denotes length from bill tip to end of tail for more information visit www.shorebirds.org.au Australian Government Australian Shorebirds Identification Sheet Department of the Environment Oystercatchers, Avocet, Stilts, Pratincoles and Snipe and Water Resources No.4
sooty oystercatcher 46cm. R coastal rock platforms and rocky islets
pied oystercatcher 46cm. R mudflats and sandy intertidal zones
banded stilt 39cm. R large dense flocks on saline lakes and saltpans
feeds in shallow water rapidly sweeping slender very long upturned bill from side pink legs to side red-necked avocet 44cm. R pale blue black-winged stilt 37cm. R typically found on saline lakes legs and saltpans but also a variety of a variety of inland saline long pink freshwater wetlands and coastal and freshwater marsh, also legs intertidal zones coastal intertidal zones
bold throat marking both pratincoles are australian pratincole graceful and tern-like 21cm. R while catching insects on the wing open grasslands and gibber plains of forked tail legs trail beyond oriental the arid interior square tail pratincole 24cm. M open grasslands and floodplains of northern Australia short legs chestnut belly long legs
australian painted snipe striped face 27cm. R
male female long bill latham’s snipe 31cm. M shallow freshwater swamps, erupts from cover with fast zig-zagging flight, eastern Australia shallow freshwater swamps, sits quietly under cover becoming another two species of snipe SWINHOE’S, and PIN-TAILED are recorded more active towards dusk in small numbers in northern and western Australia, they are both difficult to separate in the field from LATHAM’S and each other
M = migratory . Illustrations by Jeff Davies R = resident species. Measure in centimetres after each species name denotes length from bill tip to end of tail for more information visit www.shorebirds.org.au marshes inland salineandfreshwater coastal intertidalzonesand R = resident species M =migratory . marsh andpier
front ofeye narrow whitein thin needlebill behind front ofeyeand broad whitein Queensland andnorthernNSW rocky coastsandreefs,mainly t wandering plain greywithfinedarkcentreline feathers ofback,wingandcrown intertidal zones mudflats andsandy 24cm. M red knot short bill a ttler intertidal zones mudflats andsandy 25cm. M Large Sandpipers Australian ShorebirdsIdentificationSheet . No.5 adult non-breeding 24cm. M plain greyabove Measure incentimetres after each species name denotes length from bill tipto end oftail adult breeding adult non-breeding t grey-t a adult non-breeding ttler adult breeding ailed slate greyabove adult non-breeding 25cm. M robust slightlyupturnedbill wings withdiffuse darkcentres streaked, feathersofbackand head, neck,breastandflanks adult non-breeding adult breeding adult non-breeding longish bill base ofbillred for more information visit www.shorebirds.org.au Department and Water Resources Australian Government grea common redshank common greenshank intertidal zones mudflats andsandy t knot of the of Illustrations byJeff Davies intertidal zones mudflats andsandy adult non-breeding 28cm. M water marshes saline andfresh zones andinland coastal intertidal 27cm. M adult breeding Environment legs orange-red adult breeding 33cm. M - Australian Government Australian Shorebirds Identification Sheet Department of the Environment Small Sandpipers and Water Resources No.6
yellowish bill base pectoral sandpiper broad white 21cm. M eye-stripe adult non-breeding adult non-breeding streaked breast ends abruptly rufous in cap
wood coastal and inland 21cm. M sandpiper saline or freshwater shallow freshwater marshes with marsh abundant aquatic vegetation
adult breeding sharp-tailed common sandpiper 20cm. M sandpiper 20cm. M coastal intertidal zones adult non-breeding and inland saline and adult non-breeding adult breeding freshwater marsh white patch between wing and breast band bobs long tail long down-curved bill found singly on rocky or sloped muddy margins of terek sandpiper 23cm. M coastal or inland wetlands, intertidal mudflats adult non-breeding also drains, channels and dams flies low with wings bowed down, bold white wing bar upturned bill with curlew sandpiper orange base 20cm. M broad-billed sandpiper 17cm. M coastal intertidal zones intertidal mudflats and inland saline and freshwater marsh adult non-breeding
bold orange legs adult non-breeding adult breeding drooped tip adult breeding broad bill for entire length long-toed stint 14cm.M yellowish sanderling 21cm. M legs adult breeding adult non-breeding exposed sandy ocean beaches muddy edges of well vegetated where tight feeding groups run feshwater and brackish wetlands quickly along edge of surf, also sandbars and mudflats
pale face
adult non-breeding
adult non-breeding adult breeding dark shoulder patch contrasts with very pale silver grey body blackish legs red-necked stint 15cm. M coastal intertidal zones and inland saline and freshwater marsh
M = migratory . Illustrations by Jeff Davies R = resident species. Measure in centimetres after each species name denotes length from bill tip to end of tail for more information visit www.shorebirds.org.au