S hor e bi r d C onse r vat ion in Australia

by JJoo OOldlandldland,, Danny Rogers, Rob Clemens,, Lainie BBeerrrryy,, GGrrainneainne MMaguiaguirree andand KKen Gosbell Birds Australia Conservation Statement, no. 14, 2009 2 Shorebird Conservation in Australia

ew birds inspire birdwatchers Seventeen shorebird species spend their more than the shorebirds: entire lives within Australia and are known a diverse group of elegant, as “residents”, although they may make active, predominantly wetland- substantial movements within Australia. dwelling species which carry Another species–the Australian Pratincole– out some of the most amazing breeds in Australia but is known to migrate migrations in the natural world. However, to islands north of Australia. A further 36 despiteF legislative protection and special species make regular international movements international conservation agreements, many to Australia from their breeding grounds. of our shorebirds are now declining. Causes Thirty-five of these migrants travel thousands include habitat destruction overseas, loss of of kilometres each year from their northern Australian wetlands to drought or agriculture, hemisphere breeding grounds, whereas and development and disturbance on ocean Double-banded Plovers migrate in modest beaches. In this conservation statement numbers from New Zealand in winter. A we provide an introduction to Australia’s further 24 species have only been recorded in Clockwise from this page: shorebirds and their lifestyles, summarise the Australia as irregular rarities and are classified Shorebird flock gathering on Roebuck Bay near threats that they face, and explain how we can as ‘vagrants’ (see table, p. 3). Broome WA, including Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed contribute to their continued survival. Godwit, Terek Sandpiper, Great Knot, Red Knot, Red-necked Stint, Red-capped Plover and Greater From the taxonomic order Charadriiformes, Migratory shorebirds Sand Plover. Photo by Rohan Clarke shorebirds, also known as ‘waders’, include the Migration dominates the lifestyle of many sandpipers, snipe, jacanas, painted snipe, the shorebird species, which spend several months The Bush Stone-curlew is a resident of open woodlands throughout Australia. Its numbers have Plains-wanderer, pratincoles, plovers, avocets, each year preparing for and carrying out the been reduced dramatically by habitat loss and stilts, oystercatchers and stone-curlews. They longest journeys known in the natural world. introduced predators. Photo by Ashley Herrod range from tiny species like the Red-necked Our longest-distance migrants travel around The Red-necked Stint is about this size of a House Stint, which is only 13–16 cm long and weighs 25,000 km each year as they move between Sparrow, yet completes an astonishing 23,000 km just 30 g, to the Eastern Curlew, which can the southernmost wetlands of the southern round trip to and from its breeding grounds in Siberia be over 60 cm long and weigh up to 1.3 kg. hemisphere to breeding grounds on the coasts and Alaska each year. Photo by Dean Ingwersen Shorebirds have a variety of bill shapes and sizes and islands of the high Arctic. Northward The Double-banded Plover breeds in New Zealand adapted to the different prey they feed on, and migration to the breeding grounds typically and migrates to Australia from February to all have relatively long legs. Gulls and terns are takes place from March to early June, whilst the September. It is found mainly on the mainland not generally regarded as shorebirds and they are return migration to non-breeding areas occurs east coast and Tasmania. Photo by Chris Tzaros not discussed here. from July to October. During their migration, Shorebird Conservation in Australia 3 shorebirds stop off in special areas, typically rich Shorebirds of Australia: residents, regular migrants and vagrants tidal flats, called ‘staging sites’, where they feed intensively to build up stores of fat and protein to fuel the next leg of their flight. Residents Regular Migrants Vagrants The migration routes birds travel along are Bush Stone-curlew Pacific Golden Plover South Island Pied Oystercatcher called flyways. There are eight waterbird flyways Beach Stone-curlew Grey Plover American Golden Plover around the world. The East Asian–Australasian Australian Pied Oystercatcher Double-banded Plover Ringed Plover Sooty Oystercatcher Lesser Sand Plover Little Ringed Plover* Flyway (EAAF or the ‘Flyway’) is the route Black-winged Stilt Greater Sand Plover Kentish Plover used by most Australian migrants. It stretches Red-necked Avocet Oriental Plover Caspian Plover from Siberia, northern China and Alaska Banded Stilt Latham’s Snipe Grey-headed Lapwing southwards to Australia and New Zealand Red-capped Plover Pin-tailed Snipe* Pheasant-tailed Jacana where the birds spend the southern summer Inland Dotterel Swinhoe’s Snipe Hudsonian Godwit (see Flyway map, p. 14). It encompasses Black-fronted Dotterel Black-tailed Godwit Eurasian Curlew 23 countries, nearly half the world’s human Hooded Plover Bar-tailed Godwit Upland Sandpiper population and is used by 55 migratory species Red-kneed Dotterel Little Curlew Green Sandpiper comprising over 5 million birds. Banded Lapwing Whimbrel Spotted Redshank Masked Lapwing Eastern Curlew Nordmann’s Greenshank Resident shorebirds Plains-wanderer Terek Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Resident shorebirds of Australia occupy and Comb-crested Jacana Common Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher breed in a wide variety of different habitats and Australian Painted Snipe Grey-tailed Tattler Little Stint* wetland types. Some species–such as the Beach Wandering Tattler White-rumped Sandpiper Stone-curlew and the eastern population of the Common Greenshank Baird’s Sandpiper Hooded Plover–nest exclusively on beaches, Marsh Sandpiper Dunlin while the Sooty Oystercatcher prefers rocky Common Redshank Stilt Sandpiper coasts. The Australian Painted Snipe breeds Wood Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper on ephemeral freshwater wetlands, while the Ruddy Turnstone Wilson’s Phalarope Banded Stilt breeds on hypersaline lakes. Some Asian Dowitcher Grey Phalarope resident species have even moved beyond Great Knot Red Knot wetlands–the Plains-wanderer nests in grasslands, Sanderling the Bush Stone-curlew in open woodland and Red-necked Stint the Masked Lapwing commonly breeds in Long-toed Stint agricultural and urban landscapes. Pectoral Sandpiper Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Curlew Sandpiper Broad-billed Sandpiper Ruff Red-necked Phalarope Oriental Pratincole Australian Pratincole**

*Status as regular or vagrant not agreed among sources. **Some Australian Pratincoles migrate to islands north of Australia during the non-breeding season, while some remain year round. 4 Shorebird Conservation in Australia

Shorebird Ha bi tats a nd Threats

hilst there are many different feature of many tidal flat systems around species of shorebirds all with Australia is that over 90 per cent of the birds W different preferences, there are that occur there are migrants from breeding some nearly universal themes. Almost all grounds far away in the northern hemisphere. shorebirds live in open habitats and do not Some tidal flats support more invertebrate like tall things. Most species are associated life than others and can hold thousands of with wetlands, and take most of their prey shorebirds. In Australia, 14 regularly occurring from wet ground or from water that is shorebird species, including 13 migrants, shallow enough to wade in. Some of the most are tidal flat specialists, and during the non- important shorebird habitats are discussed breeding period they cannot forage in any below, along with the main threats affecting other habitat. These include such iconic species (or potentially affecting) each habitat type or as the Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Red impacting shorebirds overall. Knot and Eastern Curlew. A further 12 species regularly forage on tidal flats but also forage in Tidal Flats other habitats. A few special regions of the world have the combination of sediments, suitable currents, low Loss of tidal flats relief and large tidal ranges required to produce Tidal flats are vital to the conservation of many very large tidal flats. The northern Australian shorebird species, and they also play an important coast is one such region, with hundreds of role as a carbon sink, sucking up and storing Clockwise from this page: kilometres of coast along which huge tides–up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, to 10 m in north-western Australia–rise and they are highly vulnerable habitats, and some Mixed flock of shorebirds on tidal flats at retreat each day to expose tidal flats several tidal flats in Australia have been damaged by Eighty Mile Beach, north-western Australia. Photo by Jan van de Kam kilometres wide. Elsewhere in Australia, tidal or lost to reclamation, altered water regimes, flats are much smaller, generally confined to pollution, sea-level rise and weed invasion. Competing pressures on the tidal flats of South estuary systems and other sheltered bays. Korea. Photo by Ken Gosbell In other parts of the East Asian–Australasian Although they may appear featureless and Flyway, including the east and south China Lake Martin, Victoria. Housing develoments bleak to the casual observer, the sand flats and coasts, Korea, and Japan, enormous tidal flat like these are encroaching into shorebird habitat and increasing levels of disturbance. mudflats along Australia’s coastlines are home areas have been lost to “reclamation” projects, Photo by Rob Clemens to an abundant and diverse fauna of small where natural tidal flats have been converted burrowing animals, such as bristleworms, clams to land for use by agriculture, aquaculture A levee bank on private land in the Macquarie Marshes which prevents water from reaching and crabs. Such animals are quite difficult to or industry. This is of particular concern in the nature reserve wetlands downstream. find and catch, but shorebirds are skilled at the Yellow Sea, as it is of such importance to Photo by Chris Hodendyk making a living in tidal flats. A remarkable migrating shorebirds. It is used as a staging Shorebird Conservation in Australia 5

to forage in these habitats. Sanderlings are vulnerable to predators if the adults are spending adept at running after receding waves on their time trying to distract people and dogs surf beaches, and picking up small dislodged from the area. In addition to the threats they invertebrates from the wash zone before face from coastal development and disturbance running away from the next wave. Other from human recreational activities, they are also species such as the Ruddy Turnstone pick threatened by introduced predators such as foxes, invertebrates from the wrack of decomposing rats, dogs and cats, and increased numbers of seaweed that occurs on some beaches. True native predators such as gulls and ravens. ocean beach specialists, which forage and Migratory shorebirds spending the non- even nest on ocean beaches, have rather small breeding season on our shores spend a lot of time Shorebird Ha bi tats a nd Threats world populations. As a result, a beach with feeding in order to refuel for the return journey only a few pairs of a beach-nesting specialist to their breeding grounds. During high tide they such as the Hooded Plover may be of consid- rest nearby at suitable roosting sites, such as on erable conservation importance to the species. ocean beaches or in salt marshes bordering coastal In general shorebirds occur in low densities wetlands. Excessive disturbance from recreational in these challenging habitats, but high tide activities can reduce the birds’ feeding and resting roosts can provide a striking exception, with time, affecting their ability to put on enough massive shorebird flocks congregating on body mass in order to migrate, and may lead some ocean beaches at high tide. Usually such to the eventual abandonment of a site, forcing large flocks consist of birds which actually birds into less suitable habitat. In addition, high forage on nearby tidal flats, but find beaches levels of coastal development reduce the available a conveniently cool and open site for roosting habitat and increase levels of disturbance to when the tide is too high for foraging. shorebirds. The combined effects of development on the landward side with sea level rises on Coastal development and disturbance the seaward side will lead to “coastal squeeze” Beaches are cultural icons of Australia, and they in some areas, where there is a lack of suitable see intensive recreational use from people. Some shorebird habitat and shorebirds will eventually coastal parks record millions of human visits each disappear from the area. year. However, few Australians think of beaches as important wildlife habitat. As a result, the Rocky shores impacts of coastal development, exploitation, Rocky shores generally do not support high modification and recreation on shorebirds in numbers of shorebirds, but a few species are beach habitats are often overlooked. If this specialized to feed in these habitats. These continues the shorebird habitat provided by include the Wandering Tattler, a migrant Australian beaches could be lost. from Alaska; and the Sooty Oystercatcher, a area by at least 2 million birds, or about 40 per Many resident shorebirds breed between resident species. cent of all birds using the Flyway, during their September and March; some nesting in the open northward migration alone. For some species, on beaches and along bays, laying their eggs in Inland wetlands the region carries almost the whole Flyway simple scrapes on the sand or amongst shell grit. Australia is renowned for its aridity, yet it has population at this time. Almost 50 per cent of Crushing of nests and chicks by humans, horses, a rich abundance of inland wetlands. Many of intertidal areas in China and Korea have been stock and vehicles can have devastating effects on these escape the public eye, as they are temporary destroyed, mostly over the last three decades, the breeding success and survival of beach-nesting wetlands which only fill after intense rainfall. and extensive reclamation continues. The loss birds. This is particularly the case in states where Some of these fill and dry out in a predictable of Yellow Sea tidal flats is considered by many beach driving is permitted and beach closures/ fashion, such as lakes and claypans of the wet–dry shorebird biologists to be the single greatest threat restrictions are not in place during the breeding tropics; others fill up less frequently, including the to the migratory shorebirds of Australia. season. In the Coorong, South Australia, massive inland salt lakes of the Lake Eyre Basin. 81 per cent of experimentally placed nests on The temporary water regimes of inland Ocean Beaches beaches were crushed by four-wheel drives within Australian wetlands are the key to their Much of Australia’s coastline is beach– a typical one month incubation period. importance for shorebirds. As they dry out, predominantly sandy shores of varying Disturbance of nests and chicks by people nutrients in these wetlands mineralize. When steepness and width. Beaches tend to occur sitting too close or frequently passing by, especially the next flood comes (sometimes years later), on high energy shorelines, and they have with their dogs off the lead, can lead to eggs all these nutrients are released simultaneously fewer burrowing invertebrates than tidal flats. literally baking on the hot sand, being buried into a water body that is initially devoid Nevertheless, they do provide a diversity of in strong winds, and to chicks starving or of predators. This stimulates an enormous prey for a few shorebird species specialised dehydrating. The eggs and chicks are also more boom of productivity, and for a short period 6 Shorebird Conservation in Australia

inland wetlands can become one of the richest many hundreds of kilometres from the does not suit shorebirds. In the Coorong Ramsar habitats imaginable, with densities of breeding species’ non-breeding refuges. site in South Australia, counts of migratory birds that have to be seen to be believed. Many shorebirds have dropped dramatically since the Australian birds have evolved to capitalise on Loss of inland wetlands 1980s; Curlew Sandpiper numbers have dropped these brief booms of productivity, and they Inland wetland habitat in Australia is being by 85 per cent, while both Red-necked Stints and have a remarkable ability to find isolated lost due to a) altered rainfall patterns as a result Sharp-tailed Sandpipers have decreased by over wetlands when they are flooded, even if they of climate change; and b) over-extraction of 70 per cent, something not seen in most parts of are hundreds of kilometres away. water for agriculture and domestic use. This is the country. All this evidence shows clearly that Around 15 of our most common particularly the case in inland wetlands of south- the south-east of the country is not capable of migratory shorebird species use inland eastern Australia, where areas that supported supporting as many shorebirds as it once was. wetlands—some do so opportunistically, tens of thousands of shorebirds in the 1980s have and others such as the Wood Sandpiper been dry for a number of years. The Australian Grasslands do not occur in any other habitat type in Painted Snipe, a species which only nests in A few of Australia’s shorebirds spend little Australia. In addition, about 10 resident temporary wetlands, is now declining through loss or no time along shorelines. The plains and shorebird species occur mainly on inland of breeding habitat and is classified nationally savannah grasslands of tropical Australia are the wetlands. At least two of these species breed as Vulnerable (see ‘Conserving the Australian global non-breeding stronghold for the Little only in temporary wetlands: the Banded Stilt Painted Snipe’, p.19). Many of the wetlands Curlew and Oriental Plover. Another migratory and Australian Painted Snipe. The Banded of its stronghold in the Murray–Darling Basin shorebird found in this habitat, the Oriental Stilt only nests in those rare years when have been lost as water has been diverted to Pratincole, used to be considered uncommon. heavy rains flood one of the huge salt lakes irrigation projects. Others have been effectively However, in 2004 a combination of restricted of the interior. At such times almost the lost to elevated salinity, or because water levels wet-season rains and a localised locust plague entire Banded Stilt population may have been stabilised, leading to permanent water forced this species to contract into one region congregate in one massive breeding colony, regimes and the growth of thick vegetation that along the coast of north-western Australia. Shorebird Conservation in Australia 7

This afforded the first opportunity to assess the population of this species. It turned out that rather than being uncommon, the Oriental Climate Change Pratincole may be the most numerous shorebird It is now widely accepted, both in the scientific • Loss of roosting and feeding habitat (i.e. in the Flyway: an astonishing 2.88 million birds and general community, that climate change is coastal wetlands, saltmarsh, mangroves, tidal were counted. occurring and is causing higher temperatures, flats) as a result of rising sea levels rising sea levels and changing rainfall patterns. • Changes to the distribution and abundance Loss of native grasslands During the 20th century, global sea levels rose by of benthic infauna affecting food resources Fewer than 2 per cent of Australia’s original 17 cm and are continuing to rise. In Australia the as a result of altered coastal processes and native grasslands remain in south-eastern NSW Department of Environment and Climate topography Australia. Huge areas have been turned over Change has released a Draft Sea Level Rise Policy, • Loss of nesting habitat and direct loss of nests to cultivation, or irretrievably altered by accepting best-case projections of sea level rise during spring tides and storm surges overgrazing, “pasture improvement”–a process along the NSW coast of up to 40 cm by 2050 and • Loss of inland wetlands throughout southern in which native plant species are replaced by 90 cm by 2100 (relative to 1990 mean sea levels), Australia as rainfall decreases and over- introduced plants–weed invasion and altered and promoting an adaptive risk-based approach extraction for agriculture further decreases fire regimes. Effects on native wildlife vary to managing sea level rise impacts in the environmental flows according to species, and a few species have future. The effects of climate change are likely • Loss of nesting grounds in the Arctic tundra as adapted to life on altered grasslands. A good to have significant impacts on both resident vegetation changes and the coastline recedes and migratory shorebirds. While it is difficult • Departure and arrival timing at the breeding example is the Masked Lapwing, a conspicuous to predict exactly what the magnitude of the grounds becoming out of sync as the birds’ and noisy inhabitant of much agricultural impacts will be, the most likely scenarios, both internal rhythms limit their ability to adjust to and urban grassland. The Plains-wanderer, a nationally and internationally, include: seasonal shifts, jeopardising breeding success. resident species from the plains of the Murray– Darling Basin, is much more specialised in its habitat selection and has undergone huge declines as natural grasslands have been lost to cultivation, overgrazing and weed invasion. Migratory shorebirds in Australia and avian influenza– The total population for this species has been a reason for concern? estimated at 2,000 to 7,000. Strains of the influenza virus infect many bird To this day, H5N1 has not been recorded in and mammal species. The scientific consensus Australia, and it appears that there are natural is that avian influenza (or ‘bird flu’) originated barriers to its spread here, likely including: the in birds such as ducks, geese, gulls, and very low numbers of ducks that migrate here; shorebirds. Cell biology differences in birds the recent decline in significant waterbird and humans normally prevent avian strains of breeding events, which provide optimal Clockwise from top opposite page: flu from establishing in humans. Cross-species conditions for interspecies transmission; Little Curlew on Roebuck Plains near Broome, WA. transmission is rare and when it does occur and low densities of humans and poultry in Little Curlews are found on coastal and inland (usually in situations where very large numbers northern Australia. H5N1 has only once been grasslands and black soil plains in northern Australia. of domestic poultry, people and pigs occur in found in shorebirds (a Green Sandpiper close Photo by Rohan Clarke close proximity), it rarely lasts. to an outbreak in domestic poultry in western A large proportion of the global population of Avian Influenza hit the headlines when Siberia), and given their wary nature, circum- species such as the Latham’s Snipe occur in small a very dangerous strain, HN51, evolved in stances in which the disease could be directly wetlands in quite heavily populated areas, which are domestic poultry in China and infected some transmitted from wild shorebirds to humans no longer pristine but nevertheless provide valuable humans, hence the correct name of this disease are difficult to envisage (there are also usually non-breeding habitat. Photo by Chris Tzaros is “poultry influenza”. Very unusually, it spread intermediate species involved i.e. wild duck to Sanderlings feeding on an ocean beach, Sandy Point, into wild bird populations, which are likely to domestic duck to humans). While it would be Victoria. The Sanderling is a near-cosmopolitan have been involved in the rapid spread of the prudent to maintain monitoring and improve species, found on sandy beaches around the world. virus to Europe and Africa. Dabbling ducks such our understanding of bird movements into Photo by Rohan Clarke as Mallards are thought to have transmitted the Australia, there is no reason to believe that The Sooty Oystercatcher prefers rocky shores. disease. Thankfully, sustained transmission of shorebirds put us at any risk from H5N1. It breeds on offshore islands and isolated rocky H5N1 in humans has not occurred and the virus Andrew Geering headlands. Photo by Sonja Ross has not reached pandemic proportions. Queensland Wader Study Group 8 Shorebird Conservation in Australia

Ada p t a t i o n s f or a m ig r at ory lifestyle

here is more to migration than of hatching are capable of walking and extraordinarily long direct flights: each feeding themselves. However they are initially Tflight is preceded by a long period of dependent on their parents. The chicks’ down preparatory feeding, as birds accumulate the is wonderfully camouflaged, but it doesn’t fuel needed for a non-stop flight of several insulate as well as adult plumage, and small days. There is a huge range of foraging tactics chicks lose heat rapidly. They could freeze in migratory shorebirds, but one thing all within minutes if they are not kept warm by species share is efficiency. Not only do they their parents. Adult shorebirds have brood need to find enough food to almost double patches–bare vascular patches of skin on the their body mass, they need to do it quickly, or sides of the belly–which can be used to raise they won’t be able to depart on schedule. the body temperature of chicks. Heat transfer Fat is the main fuel used in migration, as is very rapid, as the chicks have large blood it releases more energy per gram than any other vessels at the back of their necks which they form of tissue. Protein also plays an important press against the brood patch of their parents role. In the early stages of weight gain, shorebirds when prompted by brooding calls. Above: Migrating Bar-tailed Godwits in an increase the size of their digestive organs, thereby As soon as chicks are large enough to fly, aerodynamic v-shape formation. This type of increasing their ability to turn food into fat. their parents abandon them and migrate south. formation increases the flight range of migratory Yet on the flight itself there is no food to digest, They have a tight schedule to meet, because if shorebirds as each bird flies in the slipstream of the birds ahead (except for the bird at the front!). and a large digestive tract would add to body they do not get to their non-breeding areas and Photo by Brian Chudleigh weight and flight energy costs. Shorebirds have complete their annual flight feather moult on a remarkable ability to adjust the sizes of their time, they will not be able to attempt breeding Below: Shorebirds moult into breeding plumage before they reach the nesting areas. Breeding internal organs, and just before they depart in the next summer. The chicks remain a little plumage camouflages birds on the tundra whilst on migration, they reallocate protein from the longer, fattening up before the Arctic freezes incubating, as seen here in a Red Knot, and also digestive organs to the flight muscles. over. Like the adults, they migrate south using insulates the birds in subzero temperatures. a range of navigational cues, including the stars, Photo by Jan van de Kam Breeding the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field. Unlike The breeding season of migratory shorebirds is adults, however, they lack experience. It takes a hectic period that capitalises on the abundant the young birds longer to find food on the supply of insect food present in the brief Arctic staging areas and they typically arrive in non- summer. Birds must arrive and breed as soon as breeding areas 1–2 months after the adults. snow and ice starts to melt in the nesting areas. Long-distance migrants take a long time Clutches, typically of four eggs, are laid within to mature. In many species, youngsters do not a week or two of arrival; incubation then takes initially migrate north with the adults. Instead, about three weeks and fledging a further three. they remain in the non-breeding areas learning Then it’s time to head south before the weather to feed in wetland habitats, and finding the worsens and the food supply dries up. non-breeding area to which they will probably By the time the chicks hatch, the Arctic remain faithful for the rest of their lives. After has bloomed, with enormous amounts of two years–or three or four, depending on the food to support the growing birds. Chicks species–they are ready to join the adults in hatch in downy plumage, and within minutes their migrations to the other end of the world. Shorebird Conservation in Australia 9 Sa e m a ng eum a nd t he Decline of t he Gr eat Kno t

igration of shorebirds starts with surveys during the northwards migration a bout of intensive feeding lasting period, the Saemangeum Shorebird Monitoring Mseveral weeks, which transforms Project revealed that shorebird numbers crashed slender birds into extraordinarily fat ones. at Saemangeum after the sea-wall closure. There Once they have put on enough weight, were no concurrent increases in shorebird they set off on a non-stop flight of several numbers at other Korean sites (which were thousand kilometres. Several days later they also surveyed systematically), despite claims by land at their destination–skinny once again, reclamation proponents that shorebirds would as they have consumed all the fat that fuels simply be displaced to other sites. their flights. Having carried out this extraor- Over the same period, the AWSG was dinary feat of endurance and navigation, conducting intensive surveys in north-western they immediately prepare to do it again! For Australia to assess the fortunes of shorebirds there, most of our species, migration from Australia especially the Great Knot. They calculated the to breeding grounds in the far northern proportion of Saemangeum Great Knots that hemisphere is carried out in just two flights: came from the north-western Australia study one from Australia to “staging areas” where area using resightings of leg-flags and colour- shorebirds refuel during migration in east bands in Korea. Great Knots are faithful to their Asia, and then, after a few weeks of fattening, non-breeding areas, returning to the same sites another direct flight to breeding grounds year after year. Therefore, if the Saemangeum which can be north of the Arctic circle. reclamation had resulted in the death of Great A large proportion of our shorebirds stage Knots, rather than simply displacing them to on the shores of the Yellow Sea, a region with undiscovered staging areas, declines should have huge tidal flats that are so rich in food that been expected and predicted in north-western shorebirds can almost double their mass there Australia. The declines observed in north- in the space of a few weeks. It is one of the western Australia matched these predictions greatest wildlife spectacles in the world, but closely, indicating that over 80 per cent of the sadly, the tidal flats of the Yellow Sea are being 90,000 Great Knots that went missing from lost to so-called “reclamation” projects, in Saemangeum have died. Assuming that the which natural tidal flats are converted to land remaining missing Great Knots fared equally for industry, agriculture or aquaculture. badly, this single reclamation project killed 20 per Until recently, the single most important cent of the world population of Great Knots. staging site for shorebirds in this Flyway was The most frightening thing about this Saemangeum, on the west coast of South study is that Saemangeum is just one of many Korea. This was the staging site for 30 per ongoing reclamation projects around the Yellow cent of the world population of Great Knots, Sea. Nearly 50 per cent of the Yellow Sea’s tidal and the world’s largest staging population flats have been destroyed, mostly in the last three of the endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. decades. Just how many shorebirds we have lost However, Saemangeum is also the site of the as a result remains uncertain, but it is clear that world’s largest tidal-flat “reclamation” project. the conservation of shorebirds depends not only In 2006 the 33 km Saemangeum sea-wall was on what we do in Australia, but on improved completed to convert 400 km2 of tidal flat into protection of their staging areas elsewhere. freshwater lakes and dry land. Just before the Saemangeum sea-wall Main picture: Tidal flats at Saemangeum. After the was closed, Birds Korea and the Australasian sea-wall was closed, millions of shellfish, the main Wader Studies Group (AWSG) joined forces prey of Great Knots, came to the surface and died of to investigate the effects of this reclamation dehydration. Photo by Jan van de Kam project on shorebirds. Using large teams of Below: Great Knot at Saemangeum, South Korea. volunteers to carry out repeated, intensive Photo by Ken Gosbell 10 Shorebird Conservation in Australia Shorebird Research in Australia

or those fortunate enough to visit at some of the larger areas used by shorebirds. Broome in north-western Australia, it While far from conclusive, this kind of evidence Fis a place where at certain times of the becomes hard to ignore when the magnitude of year the sky is filled with swirling clouds of declines is high, or when the declines show up tens of thousands of shorebirds. It is a place in more places across more species. Evidence where you can take flight, just for a moment. from sites where shorebirds have been counted Shorebirds are incredible and diverse annually in the same way for over 25 years is animals that are under increasing threat in even stronger. Unfortunately, with the existing a world that is shrinking fast. In order to data, analysis is only possible for a handful of conserve them it is critical that we understand shorebird species at a handful of sites, and there what factors are impacting shorebird are not enough data to report on a trend for the populations, and define how much of an whole of Australia. impact different activities throughout the Recent analysis has revealed that in order to Flyway are having. As home to many visiting be able to identify statistically significant declines migratory shorebird species, Australia is well in shorebird species populations nationally, the Shor e bi r ds 2020: Nat ion a l Shor e bi r d Popul ation Mon i t or i ng Progr a m

placed to uncover significant population number of regularly monitored sites around the changes by implementing a comprehensive country needs to increase to around 150, or 35 monitoring program. The Shorebirds 2020 sites for each of 33 species found in sufficient program aims primarily to report on the areas. In the best case, this design would be able population trends of shorebirds in Australia to identify a population change of 50 per cent in with greater confidence than has been possible five years or 30 per cent in 10 years. Recruiting in the past, and to further identify what factors more shorebird counters is therefore crucial in are driving those changes. order to collect count data from many more While shorebird monitoring began at some sites. Working towards ensuring that data are sites as early as the 1960s, national shorebird collected consistently each time will also go a monitoring in Australia started in 1981, with long way to improving count data. the Australasian Wader Studies Group’s (AWSG) The available data do not allow us to know Population Monitoring Program. The data for certain what the trends are at a national level, generated from these counts is one of the most but the patterns are clearly showing that more important datasets for shorebirds in Australia, species are decreasing than increasing; decreasing and has been critical in identifying important species are being reported in more areas; and wetlands, estimating shorebird populations and some of the decreases being observed are quite determining shorebird distributions. Over 15,000 alarming (see table, p. 11). Some of the more visits were made to more than 5,800 locations alarming results of recent shorebird population when the program was funded from 1981 to trend studies include: analyses carried out by 1985. Since then it has continued as a volunteer Birds Australia and the AWSG, which found that program with regular counts at 29 sites. shorebird species such as Curlew Sandpipers and Historic data has demonstrated that a Eastern Curlews have experienced population growing number of shorebird populations are declines throughout southern Australia of up to in trouble. Some evidence showing shorebird 75 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, over population declines comes simply from the last 25 years; and work by the Department comparisions of complete counts between years of Environment and Resources Management, Shorebird Conservation in Australia 11 which reported trends from Moreton Bay and Queensland that indicate significant declines in Eastern Curlews among others. Recent work in north-western Australia has reported declines in Curlew Sandpipers, Terek Sandpipers, Great Knots and Bar-tailed Godwits. Surprisingly, both Queensland and north-western Australia report large declines in the Greater Sand Plover, a species not previously thought to be in trouble. Again, there are limitations that need to be overcome in order to be able to provide robust, reliable long-term data capable of detecting Main picture: Shorebird observers at shorebird population trends. In the meantime, Bush Point, Roebuck Bay, Western Australia. given the amount of evidence suggesting Photo by Rob Clemens shorebirds are in trouble, we should use the Below: Members of the Far South Coast precautionary principle when deciding what Birdwatchers during a shorebird workshop at areas to protect. Wallagoot Lake, Bournda National Park, NSW. The Shorebirds 2020 program will Photo by Max Sutcliffe also work to identify and advocate for the protection of shorebird habitat. It was recently recommended that any area with 0.1 per cent of the Flyway population or 2,000 migratory shorebirds be designated as nationally important shorebird habitat (see map, p. 16). This step would allow for the identification of more habitat used by species that are not well represented in habitats identified using existing international criteria. Finally, the Shorebirds 2020 program is only possible because of the hundreds of volunteers that are involved in a variety of ways. Anyone with an interest in shorebird conservation is encouraged to get involved. Background materials, guides on how to count and identify shorebirds, data sheets, instructions, maps and details on who to contact in order to get involved can all be found at www.shorebirds.org.au. Workshops Preliminary review of shorebird species trends evident at some sites are also held around the country to introduce in Australia* the program to a wide audience and to begin to train new counters. Number of species Number of species Increasing and decreasing Increased involvement from volunteers increasing at >1 site decreasing at >1 site in different areas that have been trained and mentored by existing counters will mean the information Residents 3 9 3 that managers and policy makers need to make informed decisions on how to conserve Migratory 1 12 7 shorebirds will be available. Further, with more rigorous and defensible evidence Total 4 21 10 of population declines we will be able to convince a wider audience of the need for *As we learn more these numbers may shift, but they are based on the best available information, which action to conserve shorebirds. If continued in some cases only includes large changes in a few years of repeated counts. A species was classified as increasing or decreasing if there was evidence of a change in numbers in at least one site, and was properly, this work will help contribute to classified as both increasing and decreasing when there was evidence of both in different areas. Decisions the conservation of shorebirds, and without were based on a review of reports, papers, and available data. There is no information on the remaining it, the places where the air is alive with 21 resident or regular migratory species. shorebirds may disappear. The Shorebirds 2020 program is supported by Birds Australia and the AWSG, The key outcomes of the program will be: through funding from the Australian • Improved conservation and management of shorebirds and their habitats Government’s Caring for our Country • Improved understanding of the impact of changes in habitat and site management on and WWF-Australia. Additional partners shorebirds who make this work possible include the • A practical model for community-based shorebird monitoring suitable for use in Queensland Wader Study Group (part of East Asia Birds Queensland), Bird Observation and • An increase in the number of skilled shorebird counters active in Australia Conservation Australia, Birds SA, Birds • An increase in the number of regularly monitored shorebird sites Australia Western Australia, the Hunter Bird • An improved knowledge of shorebird population trends both nationally and at the Observers Club, Birds Tasmania, Wetlands site level. International, NSW Wader Study Group and a wide variety of other organisations To find out more information or get involved go to www.shorebirds.org.au or contact and volunteers. Birds Australia at email: [email protected]; ph: (03) 9347 0757. 12 Shorebird Conservation in Australia Shorebird Research in Australia

Promo t i ng c oe x is t e nc e bet w een Recr e ationists a nd be ach-n e s t i ng Bir ds

Right: A Hooded Plover nest on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Nests are extremely vulnerable to disturbance by dogs, vehicles and people on the beach. Photo by Glenn Ehmke Below: Hooded Plover chick on the Mornington Peninsula back beaches using a purpose built shelter. Chicks will use shelters either as a refuge from disturbance or to stay out of extreme temperatures. Photo by Glenn Ehmke Bottom: Hooded Plover adult and chick at Point Roadknight, Anglesea, Victoria. Photo by Glenn Ehmke oastal environments, in particular In early 2006, Birds Australia began sandy beaches, are a highly favoured a project to improve and inform decision- Cenvironment for human recreation. making for the conservation management of This places enormous pressure on resident Australia’s resident beach-nesting birds. Threats shorebirds that nest on beaches during the to these birds originate from recreationists, so warmer months, when human recreation is the solution to their conservation must also at its peak. Adding to this conflict over beach come from this group. Total beach closures use are rising sea levels and heavy modifi- to protect these sensitive birds have been cation of dune habitats–largely from efforts suggested, but this would deprive Australians to control erosion by planting Marram Grass of access to one of their most favoured and brush matting–which leads to a ‘coastal environments and would not be feasible. In squeeze’, whereby beach-nesting birds have any case, such radical moves are not necessary, limited nesting habitat available to them. as most of the threats faced by these birds Consequently, resident beach-nesting birds can be abated through changes in human in Australia are suffering population declines behaviour. The project was therefore titled stemming from poor breeding success. The ‘Promoting Coexistence between Recreationists Hooded Plover is the most threatened species, and Beach-nesting Birds’, aiming to strike a with as few as 60 birds remaining in NSW, balance between the needs of the birds and where they are listed as Critically Endangered beach users. under state legislation, and populations between 400 and 600 in Victoria and South Phase 1 of the project (January 2006–December Australia, respectively, where they are listed 2008) was funded by the Australian Govern- as Vulnerable. ment’s Natural Heritage Trust through a Shorebird Conservation in Australia 13

regional competitive grant hosted by Port Phillip Communities saving threatened species and Westernport Catchment Management Dedicated Birds Australia volunteers, together Authority. Phase 1 used the following approach with the local community and primary school to improve the conservation management of children, have led the way in conserving Hooded beach-nesting birds, using the Hooded Plover in Plovers in Port Fairy and Narrawong, Victoria. Victoria as a case study: The birds are under threat from vehicles on beaches, horses ridden on the upper beach above 1. Biennial count with a difference: Since the high-tide mark, unregulated dog access, 1980, volunteers have been surveying the foxes and disturbance from recreationists. A entire Victorian coastline for Hooded group of dedicated locals has been monitoring Plovers every second year, over a given the breeding success of Hooded Plovers in this November weekend. This has enabled region, and decided to involve the primary Birds Australia to monitor trends in the school children because their awareness would state’s population and to recognise local be key to changing behaviour of people on extinctions. In 2006, volunteers were the beach and building community concern for asked to fill out a threats checklist (e.g. this threatened species. The children from Port presence of people, dogs, horses, vehicles, Fairy Consolidated, St Josephs and Narrawong foxes, etc) and to assess any existing Primary schools learned about Hooded Plovers management at each site where the birds and then created informative posters, built wooden teepees that would were sighted during the count. act as shelters for Hooded Plover chicks, and were taken to a local wetland to learn how to use binoculars and identify birds such as the Latham’s Snipe visiting from Japan. The Port Fairy IGA 2. Choice of project sites: Using data supermarket set up a display window about the Hooded Plover with a fake nest and the children’s collected from volunteers during the posters, which attracted lots of attention from locals and tourists, raising awareness about the plight of the birds. The most endearing comments came from the students who just couldn’t count, coupled with on-site threat understand why anyone would choose to ignore the warning signs on beaches if it meant risking assessments, Hooded Plover locations the life of these birds. were coded according to threat level. The most threatened sites were targeted The students of Rye Primary School have made signs to warn beach users about the dangers posed to Hooded Plovers for monitoring and management, and several sites experiencing low to moderate threats were also selected for comparison. 4. Implementing on-ground management: that fledged successfully over the three Workshops were held in each coastal Forty land managers from 13 different seasons, 48 per cent were from isolated Catchment Management Authority area agencies participated in the project. areas of the coast, 47 per cent came from (East and West Gippsland, Port Phillip, A range of management actions were highly threatened nesting sites that were Corangamite and Glenelg-Hopkins) trialled, including: signage (permanent managed and 5 per cent from unmanaged, to generate involvement from existing interpretive signs, temporary signs moderately threatened areas. No fledglings community groups (such as field naturalist flanking breeding sites, noticeboards); were produced from highly threatened groups, BOCA clubs), individuals (Birds permanent and temporary fencing of pairs that weren’t managed. A similar rate Australia volunteers, interested locals) breeding sites; chick shelters; wardening; of fledging success of nests in isolated areas and management agencies (state and local and fox control measures (taste aversion to those in highly threatened but managed government, Committees of Management). training, baiting, trapping). Educational areas suggests that management is highly Ninety Hooded Plover locations were actions were also carried out, including: effective–managed birds in these busy chosen for inclusion in the project (about distributing brochures; mail-outs of areas have the same chances for successful 40 per cent of the Victorian population), flyers to coastal residents; primary school breeding as those in areas where threats with data consistently collected from 70 talks; ‘Dogs Breakfast’ events; and media are limited. sites over the three years of the project. releases. In areas where managers had limited resources to commit to nest 6. Production of ‘A practical guide to 3. Monitoring of breeding success and protection, Birds Australia staff and managing beach-nesting birds in threats: Volunteers initially participated in volunteers were primarily responsible. Australia’: This 300-page reference on-site training to ensure that monitoring manual contains comprehensive would pose no threat to the birds. During 5. Evaluating the effectiveness of information on managing and each breeding season (August to late management: Nest success varied regionally monitoring resident shorebirds that nest March), they followed the nesting attempts and seasonally. In the 2006–2007 breeding on beaches. It is available for download of Hooded Plovers at chosen sites. For each season, 147 nesting attempts were made from http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/ pair this enabled construction of a detailed by 82 pairs; some pairs made as many as our-projects/management-manual.html nesting history, including nest locations, seven attempts. Forty per cent of nests causes of nest failure, and number of eggs hatched (a loss of 211 eggs) and 39 per and chicks surviving. During each visit, cent of these fledged chicks (a loss of 107 Phase 2 of the project (January 2009– volunteers collected additional information chicks). The results were very similar in December 2010) has received funding on threats present within the vicinity of 2007–2008: 157 nests were found for the through the Australian Government’s the breeding site, and their intensity (e.g. 76 breeding pairs monitored. Thirty-six per Caring for our Country Coastcare grants. number of dogs off leashes, number of cent of nests hatched (a loss of 221 eggs) Phase 2 seeks to continue work in Victoria people using beaches and dunes). This and 42 per cent of these fledged chicks for the conservation of Hooded Plovers, allowed Birds Australia to relate breeding (a loss of 108 chicks). In the 2007–2008 including the monitoring of 50 breeding success directly to threats experienced by season, 70 pairs were monitored regularly, pairs and to expand efforts interstate. A the pair, as well as management actions with 112 nests found in total. There were national network will be established to implemented. With over 100 volunteers high rates of hatching failure due to tides ensure better communication between collecting this data, close to 4,500 visits and storms, but of those that hatched, 29 everyone working on resident shorebirds. were documented during the three seasons. chicks survived to fledging. Of the chicks 14 Shorebird Conservation in Australia

In t er nat iona l Rese a rch

n light of increasing threats to migratory instance, in north-western Australia, a Bar- birds within the Flyway, it is essential tailed Godwit that had been banded at age Ithat scientific research be carried out two, 28 years previously, was recaptured from and data shared with governments and the same stretch of beach! other decision makers. Organisations that A major limitation with banding is the carry out or support international research need to recapture birds in order to obtain programs include Wetlands International, the band number. In the early 1990s a leg- WWF, Australasian Wader Studies Group flagging program was developed using small (AWSG) and the Australian Government’s coloured plastic (sometimes alpha numeric) Department of the Environment, Water, ‘flags’ attached to the legs of the shorebirds. Heritage and the Arts. One example of such Shorebirds have been flagged in 14 different a program is the Asian Waterbird Census, an countries throughout the Flyway. Each ongoing population monitoring program run region in the Flyway has a unique colour by Wetlands International to promote public combination; in Victoria it is orange, in north- participation in monitoring the distribution western Australia is yellow and in south-eastern and populations of waterbirds and the status Queensland is green. Leg flags are easily seen in of wetlands along the Flyway. the field with binoculars or a telescope, making it possible for birdwatchers to spot flagged Banding, colour flagging and related birds without needing to catch them. programs The leg-flagging program has vastly Shorebird migrations have long fascinated increased our knowledge of shorebird people. How and why do they do it? Shorebird movements, the timing of migrations of study groups in Australia and other countries different populations, and the location of carry out banding and flagging programs to critically important sites such as stopover increase our knowledge of these amazing birds locations and breeding areas. Every flag and to try to find answers to some of these sighting is valuable. You can find out more questions. In Australia, banding programs have about the program, as well as report sightings, been operating since 1975, starting with the on the AWSG website at: www.awsg.org.au Victorian Wader Study Group. To date more than 300,000 birds have been banded. The Global Flyway Network Clockwise from above: birds are banded on the leg with a uniquely The Global Flyway Network, established numbered metal band, then measured, aged, by Theunis Piersma and Dr Alan Baker and Important Waterbird Sites (blue) and Flyway Network Sites (red) in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. weighed and released. funded by Birdlife Netherlands in 2006, is a Illustraion by Maki Koyama, Partnership for EAAF Analysis of banding data provides partnership between researchers from around information on migratory destinations, the world devoted to long-term worldwide Shorebirds are captured using a cannon net that is fired over a roosting flock. Here, the netted seasonal breeding success, survival rates studies of migratory shorebirds. Detailed birds are covered with shade mesh to prevent and site fidelity. It also increases our data are needed to determine demographic overheating before the birds are removed. understanding of the shorebirds’ physiological parameters such as annual survival rates, Photo by Jan van de Kam characteristics (e.g. weight gain prior to which allow more accurate modelling of Bar-tailed Godwits (including A9, pictured) were migration). The recapture of banded birds predicted population changes. Examples of fitted with satellite transmitters and their migration along the Flyway adds to our knowledge of this work include a long-term colour-banding paths to the northern hemisphere were tracked. movements and migration strategies. Some and resighting program in Roebuck Bay, Photo by Jan van de Kam birds are recaptured after many years: for north-western Australia, and similar work in Shorebird Conservation in Australia 15

Firth of Thames and Yalu Jiang: a sister-site partnership Australasian Wader Studies Group For many species in the East Asian– tidal flats adjoining this area. In April 2004 Australasian Flyway, the Yellow Sea the Miranda Naturalists’ Trust (MNT), a The AWSG was formed in 1981 as a special region provides high quality staging sites community group from the Firth of Thames, interest group of Birds Australia. Its objectives for refuelling during migration, so that New Zealand, signed an agreement with Yalu are to: they arrive at their breeding sites in good Jiang reserve officials establishing a sister- • Monitor shorebird populations, feeding condition. Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve site partnership to promote conservation of ecology and migration at local, national in northern China is the single most important shorebirds and their habitat, and raise public and international levels by a program site in the Flyway for Bar-tailed Godwits awareness. Members of the MNT have visited that includes counting, leg banding and migrating from New Zealand and Australia. Yalu Jiang each year since 2006, participating colour flagging. Over 115,000 Bar-tailed Godwits use the in shorebird surveys, banding, school visits • Instigate and encourage other scientific site and adjacent tidal flats during April and and other public awareness activities. The studies of shorebirds such as feeding and May. As with much of the Yellow Sea region, partnership has had great success in raising breeding studies. Yalu Jiang is under enormous pressures from the profile of the two sites nationally and • Communicate the results of these studies development, particularly from the rapidly internationally. For more information visit to a wide audience through the journal growing port city of Donggang adjacent www.miranda-shorebird.org.nz Stilt, the newsletter Tattler, other journals, to the reserve. Seawalls were constructed Keith Woodley the Internet, the media, conferences and in 2009 to reclaim a significant section of Miranda Naturalists Trust lectures. • Formulate and promote policies for the conservation of shorebirds and their New Zealand. Around 2,500 shorebirds have 11,700 km non-stop in eight days from habitat, and to make available information been individually colour-banded in Australia Alaska direct to New Zealand. to local and national governmental and New Zealand in addition to the thousands Following the remarkable success of this conservation bodies and organisations of flagged or engraved-flagged birds. It takes work, in February 2008 15 Bar-tailed Godwits to encourage and assist them in pursuing several years of data to generate survival were implanted with satellite transmitters this objective. rate estimates, but meanwhile these colour- in Roebuck Bay, north-western Australia. • Promote wetland conservation and assist banded birds are providing extremely valuable Three of these birds remained in the Roebuck in the nomination of important sites for information on long-distance and local Bay area, while the remaining 12 headed listing under the Convention on Wetlands movements of individual birds, thus helping north toward the Yellow Sea, spending six of International Importance (Ramsar to identify some of the causes of population weeks refuelling before continuing north to Convention). changes. Individual marking has also revealed the Siberian breeding grounds–only to have • Encourage and promote the involvement how fixed birds can be in their stopovers their breeding attempts stalled by unseasonal of a large band of amateurs, as well as during migration; one Bar-tailed Godwit summer snowfalls. Eight birds were known to professionals, to achieve these objectives. from New Zealand was seen at the same have made it back to Roebuck Bay, completing • Encourage and assist similar programs mudflat in Korea three years in a row. a remarkable 21,200 km return journey. For throughout the Asia Pacific region This highlights the links between habitats more information on the satellite-tracking Membership enquiries: Birds Australia, scattered throughout the Flyway and how studies visit www.globalflywaynetwork.com. Tel: (03) 9347 0757; email: membership@ vital the importance of conserving all habitats au/ourwork-tracking.php birdsaustralia.com.au. Visit the AWSG website throughout the Flyway is if shorebirds are to Phil Battley & Chris Hassell at: www.awsg.org.au be protected. For more information visit Global Flyway Network www.globalflywaynetwork.com.au

Pacific Shorebird Migration Program – tracking shorebirds around the globe Biologists from PRBO Conservation Science, the U.S. Geological Survey, Global Flyway Network and other partners have combined efforts to study the global migration patterns of godwits and curlews in the Pacific Basin, using the latest remote sensing technology. In 2007, 16 Bar-tailed Godwits were fitted with satellite-tracking devices at the Miranda Shorebird Centre in New Zealand, and their migration journeys tracked using Google Earth. The results astonished birders and the news media globally, with the Bar-tailed Godwits flying non-stop from New Zealand to the Yellow Sea. At the time this was the longest bird flight ever tracked. After refuelling in Asia the birds flew another 6,500 km to their Alaskan breeding grounds. One of these birds, E7, eclipsed her own flight record just a few months later, flying an incredible 16 Shorebird Conservation in Australia Shorebird Conse r vat ion International agreements communities in wetland management a) The development of a single Flyway Site Australia is signatory to a range of international and conservation and decisions Network (for all migratory waterbirds) instruments developed to promote interna- being made with an awareness of the to raise awareness of important sites for tional collaboration for the conservation of importance of the ecosystem services migratory waterbirds along the Flyway migratory birds. These include: provided by wetlands. (see Flyway, p. 14). The Flyway is home to • Bilateral Migratory Bird Agreements 2. Wetlands of International Importance: over 50 million migratory waterbirds from • Convention on Wetlands of International Develop and maintain an international over 250 different populations, and there Importance (Ramsar Convention) network of wetlands that are important are estimated to be 700 sites supporting • The East Asian–Australasian Flyway for the conservation of global biological significant populations of migratory Partnership (Flyway Partnership) diversity, by ensuring that all contracting waterbirds. • The Convention on Migratory Species parties are appropriately designating, b) Facilitating opportunities for collaboration (CMS) (for more information visit managing and reporting on the condition and information sharing on education, www.cms.int) of Ramsar sites. capacity building and research activities. • The Convention on Biological Diversity 3. International cooperation: Enhance the c) Promoting sustainable development and (CBD) (for more information visit conservation and wise use of wetlands the conservation of migratory waterbird www.cbd.int) using effective international cooperation. habitat at important sites along the Flyway. For more information visit www.ramsar.org For more information visit www.eaaflyway.net Bilateral Migratory Bird Agreements Australia plays an important role in international Australian measures efforts to conserve migratory birds in the East In order to conserve migratory shorebirds in Asian–Australasian Flyway. This work began Australia, and meet our obligations under with bilateral migratory bird agreements, which the international arrangements, migratory provide a formal framework for cooperation shorebirds are afforded protection by between two countries on issues of mutual Commonwealth, State/Territory and Local interest. The Australian Government has entered Governments. into three bilateral migratory bird agreements: • Japan–Australia Migratory Bird The Environment Protection and Agreement (JAMBA) signed in Biodiversity Conservation Act 1974 1999 (EPBC Act) • China–Australia Migratory The EPBC Act recognises Bird Agreement (CAMBA) migratory species, including signed in 1986 migratory shorebirds, as ‘a • Republic of Korea– matter of national environmental Australia Migratory Bird significance’ (NES), along Agreement (ROKAMBA) with Ramsar listed wetlands, signed in 2007 nationally threatened species These bilateral agreements require and ecological communities. the parties to protect migratory Both the Plains-wanderer and birds by: Australian Painted Snipe are • limiting the circumstances under listed as Vulnerable under the which migratory birds are taken EPBC Act. The Act provides for or traded Important Migratory Shorebird Commonwealth assessment and Sites in Australia • protecting and conserving important approval of actions that are likely to habitats • Internationally Important Sites have a significant impact on a matter • exchanging information • Proposed Nationally Important Sites of NES. For more information visit www. • building cooperative relationships environment.gov.au/epbc For more information visit www.environment. gov.au/biodiversity/migratory/waterbirds/ The Wildlife Conservation Plan for bilateral.html Multilateral cooperation on migratory Migratory Shorebirds bird conservation–The Partnership for The EPBC Act also provides for the Convention on Wetlands of International the East Asian–Australasian Flyway development of Wildlife Conservation Plans Importance (Ramsar Convention) (Flyway Partnership) which set out the research and management The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Launched in November 2006, the Flyway actions necessary to support the survival of Ramsar, Iran in 1971, is an intergovernmental Partnership is a unique initiative that aims these species. The Wildlife Conservation Plan treaty which provides the framework for to advance the conservation of migratory for Migratory Shorebirds (2005) outlines national action and international cooperation waterbirds in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway and national level activities to support for the conservation and wise use of wetlands Flyway while addressing the social and Flyway shorebird conservation initiatives and and their resources. Australia is one of 159 economic needs of communities dependent provides a strategic framework to ensure these contracting parties and currently has 65 Ramsar upon wetlands and waterbirds. There are activities plus future research and management sites covering approximately 7.5 million currently 20 partners including 10 countries, actions are integrated and remain focused on hectares. The Ramsar Strategic Plan 2009–2015 3 intergovernmental agencies and 7 interna- the long-term survival of migratory shorebird sets out three main goals for implementing the tional non-government organisations. populations and their habitats. The Plan is Convention. These are: The Flyway Partnership provides a available from www.environment.gov.au/ 1. Wise use: Wise use of all wetlands, framework for international cooperation, biodiversity/migratory/publications/shorebird- including the participation of local including: plan.html Shorebird Conservation in Australia 17 Ac t ion in Australia uccessful shorebird conservation Scoping the Shoreline Below: Scoping the Shoreline Yanerbie Workshop in Australia can be achieved Eyre Peninsula beaches, while remote, are October 2006. Photo by Peter Needle Sthrough partnerships between local under pressure from recreational and fishing communities, management authorities, activities, pest species and habitat loss. There businesses, land owners, governments, are no published data on the impacts of such scientists and NGOs. Examples showcasing disturbances on the resident shorebirds of these the impressive efforts of dedicated volunteers, beaches. The Scoping the Shoreline project successful local partnerships as well as recent has been funded from 2006 to 2009 with the applied shorebird conservation research are support of the Department of Environment and profiled below, to serve to inspire more people Heritage, Eyre Peninsula NRM Board, Wildlife to get involved and make a difference to Conservation Fund, Birds Australia, Community shorebird conservation in Australia. Coastcare 2008 and the Eyre Peninsula community. The project will identify the impact Giving shorebirds some space of threats on resident shorebird populations All species of shorebird like some space of Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, and use between people and themselves–if approached this information to guide planning and coastal too closely, shorebirds, like most other wildlife, management. The Hooded Plover is the focus for will flee from people. If such disturbance is the project, although Scopers will collect data on too frequent, it could compromise shorebird all species. The group will record the presence and breeding, preparation for or recovery from abundance of resident shorebirds, survey and map migration, and may lead to areas being Hooded Plover breeding territories, and identify Integrated management the key to abandoned. There is extensive overlap between potential sites for monitoring Hooded Plover success in Victoria shorebirds and people, so such disturbance breeding pairs. The project area encompasses There are only 10 pairs of breeding Hooded is considered a widespread problem. Recent 51 sites across the Eyre Peninsula coastline. Plovers remaining between Port Lonsdale and research by Deakin University has documented The project harnesses the wealth of ornitho- Anglesea in Victoria. Coastal development and the distance at which shorebirds flee from logical experience on the peninsula, involves changes to beach morphology have limited people, information which can potentially be long-time local birdwatchers, Friends of Parks habitat availability and rendered many beaches used to manage sensitive areas by maintaining groups and Southern Eyre Birds members. Local unsuitable for breeding. Most of these beaches separation distances between people and communities are encouraged to take responsibility experience hundreds to thousands of visitors shorebirds. for monitoring and managing the impacts of on a given summer’s day, plus unrestricted Michael Weston & Hayley Glover increased human activity on their own beaches. dog access and even horses. Dunes are covered Deakin University Jane Cooper with brush matting to reduce erosion caused by so many beach users, a disaster for breeding Hooded Plovers, who prefer blowouts and How wide should buffers be for shorebirds? bare dune faces for nesting in this region. Birds Australia has established a network of land managers, community groups and local volunteers to monitor Hooded Plovers along this coastline and actively protect nesting sites with temporary signs and fences. Nine groups worked together (Surf Coast shire, Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee, Eastern Curlew Barwon Coast, Barwon Water, City of Greater Geelong, ANGAIR, Bellarine Bird Observers Club, Geelong Field Naturalists and Birds Australia) to protect the last remaining nesting dunes that were under threat of erosion Red-necked control. This effort saw the areas permanently Avocet fenced with accompanying interpretive signs. GORCC/Surf Coast Shire and Barwon Coast subsequently designated their Hooded Plover beaches as dog-prohibited areas and provided nearby off-leash beaches as an alternative.

Sooty These Committees of Management are leading Oystercatcher the way in protecting the environmental values of the coast, and they dedicate revenue from Latham’s Snipe Distance at which shorebirds flee from people: caravan parks to coastal restoration so that in Latham’s Snipe 19 m +/- 6.23 SE some way the visitor pressure is balanced with Ruddy Turnstone 30 m +/- 5.84 SE Sooty Oystercatcher 64 m +/- 11.51 SE caring for the coast. Signs and interpretive Red-necked Avocet 73 m +/- 17.52 SE programs have also been used effectively to Ruddy Eastern Curlew 126 m +/- 6.23 SE protect migratory shorebirds from dogs, e.g. by Turnstone BOCA at Jam Jerrup in Western Port. Each species of shorebird has its own tolerance distance to human approaches. The diagram shows the distance Grainne Maguire at which a walker causes selected species to flee. Preliminary data from Shorebirds in Victoria. Further study may reveal larger buffers are required. Birds Australia, Promoting Coexistence Between Illustrations by Jeff Davies Recreationists and Beach-nesting Birds project 18 Shorebird Conservation in Australia

Left to right: Birds and beaches, dogs and leashes Each dog owner was given a dog leash with the A temporary sign erected around the nesting site Beaches are a popular place for people text: “I’m a wet sand walker and don’t chase when Hooded Plovers are breeding. By following to enjoy time with their dogs. However, chicks”. The second project has resulted in the instructions, you are guaranteed to do no harm! domesticated dogs threaten the conservation 29 new interpretive and management signs Photo by Grainne Maguire of beach-nesting birds in Australia through on 24 beaches in south-eastern Tasmania that Dog owners were more likely to leash their dog disturbance and destruction of eggs and are experiencing very high levels of human if they believed other people expect dogs to be chicks. Leashing of dogs can improve conser- activity during the summer months. The leashed, and if they believe their dog is a threat to vation outcomes, but few dogs are leashed signs provide information on the site-specific wildlife or people. Photo by Glenn Ehmke on beaches. In 2006, a multidisciplinary values, issues and threats at each beach and a One of two hides at the Port of Brisbane Shorebird team of researchers from Birds Australia, message on shorebird and seabird conservation. Roost Site. Photo courtesy of the Port of Melbourne University and Deakin University Representatives from four local governments, Brisbane Corporation surveyed dog owners to explore their sense the Parks and Wildlife Service, NRM South, Australian Painted Snipe require shallow wetlands of obligation to leash dogs on beaches. Dog the Tasmanian Conservation Trust and Birds with complex shorelines, low vegetation and small owners were more likely to feel obliged to Tasmania were responsible for managing the low-lying islands which provide nesting adults with leash their dog when they believed other project, which was funded by the Federal protection from predators. Photo by Ashley Herrod people expected dogs to be leashed, and when Government. Other local governments with One of the Global Flyway Network’s youngest they believed their dog was a threat to wildlife coastal areas are being encouraged to adopt the volunteers releases a Bar-tailed Godwit at or people. Dog owners were less likely to feel design elements and messages from these signs Roebuck Bay, north-western Australia. obliged to leash their dog if they considered for other beaches with shorebirds and small Photo by Kandy Curran unleashed dog recreation to be important. terns, so that a single interpretive strategy is The findings indicated that improved used throughout Tasmania. compliance with leashing regulations may Eric Woehler be achieved through community-based Birds Tasmania approaches to create a sense of social obligation (acceptable normal practice or Ships to Shorebirds–Port of Brisbane social ‘norms’) among dog owners to leash constructed shorebird roost site their dog. Tailoring information products Moreton Bay is one of the most significant to emphasise the risk that unleashed dogs wetlands for migratory shorebirds on the may pose to beach-nesting birds and raising Queensland Coast, supporting 40,000 awareness about alternative designated off- migratory shorebirds and more than 3,500 leash areas for dog exercise and recreation may resident shorebirds. In 2005, the Port of also be effective at improving compliance. Brisbane Corporation (PBC) established Williams, K. J. H., Weston, M. A., Henry, S. a permanent 12 ha Shorebird Roost on and Maguire, G. S. (2009). Birds and Beaches, Fisherman Islands. PBC worked closely with Dogs and Leashes: Dog Owners’ Sense of Obligation the Queensland Wader Study Group, QPWS- to Leash Dogs on Beaches in Victoria, Australia. Marine Parks and Environment Protection Human Dimensions of Wildlife 14, 89-101. Agency to design a roost which met the specific needs of shorebirds, while providing Recent Tasmanian coastal management educational opportunities for the community. efforts Key elements considered in the design Two projects in Tasmania have improved included: coastal management and raised community • Inclusion of a range of habitat types (wet awareness of resident and migratory shorebirds margins, dry open areas, rough ground, and on beaches. The first was a series of “Dogs’ bund walls). Breakfast” sausage sizzle events in coastal • Sight lines and sanctuary (landform communities in the Sorell, Glamorgan Spring profiles and protective moat). Bay, Break O’Day and Central Coast council • Minimisation of disturbance (feral animals, areas on the northwest and east coasts of people and traffic). Tasmania. The events have drawn up to • Water quality maintenance (tidal flow 60 people at a time, who are given talks by exchange and stormwater diversion systems). representatives from the local government, • Site security and public access (feral Parks and Wildlife staff, Canine Defence animal-resistant fencing, designated League staff and Birds Tasmania members. access points with keyed viewing hides). Shorebird Conservation in Australia 19

Getting Involved: How You can Help veryone can become involved in shorebird conservation, Ewhether as individuals, through community groups or NGOs, or at the local government level. The suggestions below include specific strategic actions that will enhance shorebird conservation in Australia.

What can I do? • Borrow some binoculars and discover birdwatching, or join a birding organi- sation such as Birds Australia or BOCA (Birds Observation and Conservation The Shorebird Roost has become a lead Australia). attraction at the Port’s Visitors Centre and has • If you enjoy spending time on the been visited by many school, community and beach or near wetlands, whether environmental groups. Monthly shorebird by exercising, walking your dog or counts, carried out by QWSG since the roost boating, be aware that you are sharing the beach with shorebirds, and keep your distance. Keep opened, indicate there are several species that your dog under control so as not to disturb the birds, and obey local signs and regulations. favour the constructed roost over the Port’s Walking on wet sand will reduce disturbance to nests of resident shorebirds (above the tide-line), reclamation areas. As the Port continues to be especially in the spring–summer breeding season. developed, the purpose-built roost will become • Drive 4WDs and motorcycles only where they are permitted, and drive close to the water’s edge. increasingly important to shorebirds roosting • Join a community conservation group or get involved with an existing shorebird conservation in the area. project. Contact Birds Australia to find out about projects in your local area. A Shorebird Management Plan has also • Write letters to the Australian Government and governments of other countries encouraging been prepared which provides guidance on the them to take action to halt the destruction of shorebird habitat throughout the Flyway; or to your goals and objectives for shorebird management at local council, encouraging them to manage their important shorebird habitat responsibly. the port. Further information is available in the publication, ‘Shorebirds of the Port’ available at What can community groups and NGOs do? www.portbris.com.au/environment • Educate others about shorebirds, their needs and threats. Brad Kitchen Educating the community about shorebirds is one of the most valuable things that Port of Brisbane Corporation community groups and NGOs can do. Some examples for raising awareness include signage, workshops and mobile community displays. Supporting education initiatives in schools is Conserving the Australian Painted Snipe a great way to encourage students to learn about shorebirds. The “Feathers, Flyways and The Australian Painted Snipe is a resident Friends” website has some great education resources: www.shorebirds.wetlands.org.au shorebird of freshwater ephemeral wetlands • Develop your own community-driven shorebird conservation project. that is found from northern to south-eastern For information and resources to help you plan your project visit the Shorebirds 2020 Shorebird Australia. Since 2001, the Australian Painted Conservation website: www.shorebirds.org.au, and Chapter 5 of the manual ‘A practical guide to Snipe Project, initiated through Birds managing beach-nesting birds in Australia’ available at: www.birdsaustralia.com.au/our-projects/ Australia’s Threatened Bird Network and the management-manual.html Australasian Wader Study Group, has collected • Help with surveys and monitoring. critical data on the species’ abundance, distri- Local and national NGOs are the major groups undertaking shorebird surveys and bution and habitat requirements. The project monitoring providing crucial information for shorebird conservation. has also highlighted an alarming rate of • Continue to advocate and lobby for shorebird conservation. population decline particularly throughout the Community groups and NGOs play an important role in addressing shorebird conservation south-eastern part of its range. The difficulty issues and providing crucial input into development proposals that will potentially impact with surveying wetlands in the north however, shorebirds and their habitats. makes it hard to confidently determine population abundance. The main contributing What can local government and catchment authorities do? factors driving this decline are thought to be • Identify important shorebird sites in your jurisdiction. loss and deterioration of habitat, particularly in Having information on the location of important sites for shorebirds is the first step towards the Murray–Darling Basin, an area considered managing shorebirds and meeting your obligations. highly significant for these birds. Vegetation • Incorporate shorebirds into planning. clearance, overgrazing by stock, salinisation, Shorebirds and threats to their habitat should be considered when managing wetlands and modified water regimes due to agricultural coastal adjacent areas. For example, erosion control in dunes can destroy nests and remove irrigation, and climate change are some of the breeding habitat. threats impacting Australian Painted Snipe • Minimise disturbance. habitat. Through the ongoing support of our Disturbance of shorebirds during feeding, roosting and nesting is a major problem in enthusiastic volunteers, the Birds Australia populated areas. Methods to minimise disturbance include seasonal or permanent fencing of Threatened Bird Network aims to continue sensitive sites, dog restraint, management of off-road vehicle access, and beach closures. habitat and population surveys and to increase • Use regulatory tools, such as zoning regulations and dog control acts, to protect shorebirds our efforts in public education and raising and their habitat. awareness of this elusive, but important, • Increase stakeholder involvement and develop partnerships. wetland species. Local governments can form partnerships and co-operative management arrangements with Janelle Thomas NGOs, industry and landholders to achieve more environmentally sustainable land-use Birds Australia, Threatened Bird Network plans and practices that benefit shorebirds. 20 Shorebird Conservation in Australia

Further Reading

Antos, M. J., Weston, M.A. & Priest, B. (2006). Factors Influencing Awareness of Community-Based Shorebird Conservation Projects in Australia. Applied Environmental Education and Communication 5, 63–72. Bamford, M., Watkins, D., Bancroft, W., Tischler, G. & Wahl, J. (2008). Migratory Shorebirds of the East Asian – Australasian Flyway: Population Estimates and Interna- . Wetlands International – Oceania. Canberra, Australia. tionally Important Sites ACN 004 076 475 Buick, A. M. & Paton, D. C. (1989). Impact of off-road vehicles on the nesting Suite 2-05, 60 Leicester St, Carlton, Vic, 3053 success of Hooded Plovers Charadrius rubricollis in the Coorong Region of South Tel: (03) 9347 0757; Fax: (03) 9347 9323 Australia, Emu, 89, 159-72. Email: [email protected] Chambers, L. E., Hughes, L. & Weston, M. A. (2005). Climate change and its Website: www.birdsaustralia.com.au impact on Australia’s avifauna, Emu, 105, 1-20. Church, J.A. & White, N.J. (2006). A 20th Century acceleration in global sea-level Birds Australia (Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union) was founded in 1901 rise, Geophysical Research Letters, 33, L01602. and works to conserve native birds and biological diversity in Australasia and DECC NSW. (2009). Draft Sea Level Rise Policy, Department of Environment and Antarctica, through the study and management of birds and their habitats, and Climate Change NSW, Sydney. the education and involvement of the community. New members are welcome. DEH. (2005). Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra. Join online at www.birdsaustralia.com.au/join DEH. (2005). Background Paper to the Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory or phone 1300 730 075 Shorebirds, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra. Environment Australia. (2001). A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia, Environment Australia, Canberra. Available online: www.environment.gov.au/ water/publications/environmental/wetlands/database/ Garnett, S. & Crowley, M. (2000). The Action Plan for Australian Birds, Environment Australia, Canberra. Geering, A., Agnew, L. & Harding, S. (2007). Shorebirds of Australia, Queensland Wader Study Group, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. Hayman, P., Marchant, J. & Prater, T. (1986). Shorebirds: An Identification Guide to Funding for this publication was provided by the Shorebirds 2020 Program, which the Waders of the World, Christopher Helm, London. is supported by Birds Australia and the Australasian Wader Studies Group, through Lane, B. (1987). Shorebirds in Australia, Nelson Publishing, Melbourne. funding from Australian Government’s Caring for our Country and Department of McCallum, H. I., Roshier, D. A., Tracey, J. P., Joseph, L., Heinsohn, R. (2008). Will the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and WWF-Australia. Wallace’s Line save Australia from avian influenza? Ecology and Society, 13, 41. [Online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol13/iss42/art41/. Maguire, G. S. (2008). A practical guide for managing beach-nesting birds in Australia, Birds Australia, Melbourne. Available online: www.birdsaustralia.com.au/beach. Further Information Marchant, S. & Higgins, P. J. (eds). (1993). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, vol. 2. Raptors to Lapwings. Oxford University Press, Asia Pacific Shorebird Network Melbourne. Website: www.shorebirdnetwork.org Straw, P. (ed). (1997). Shorebird Conservation in the Asia–Pacific Region, AWSG, Australasian Wader Studies Group (AWSG): Melbourne. Tel: Birds Australia (03) 9347 0757; Website: www.awsg.org.au Williams, K. J. H., Weston, M. A., Henry, S. & Maguire, G. S. (2009). Birds and Bird Observation & Conservation Australia (BOCA): Beaches, Dogs and Leashes: Dog Owners’ Sense of Obligation to Leash Dogs on Tel: (03) 9877 5342; Website: www.birdobservers.org.au Beaches in Victoria, Australia. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 14, 89-101. DOI: Birds Australia: 10.1080/10871200802649799. Tel: (03) 9347 0757; Website: www.birdsaustralia.com.au Birds Korea: Jo Oldland, Rob Clemens and Lainie Berry co-ordinate the Shorebirds, Website: www.birdskorea.org/BK-Startpage.shtml 2020 program at Birds Australia; Grainne Maguire is Project Manager of the Broome Bird Observatory: Promoting Co-existence Between Recreationists and Beach-nesting Birds project Tel: (08) 9193 5600; Website: www.broomebirdobservatory.com at Birds Australia; Danny Rogers is a consultant avian biologist specialising in Birds SA: migratory shorebirds and Chair of the Australasian Wader Studies Group’s (AWSG) Tel: (08) 8370 3349, Website: www.birdssa.asn.au Scientific Committee; Ken Gosbell is Chair of the AWSG. Conservation Volunteers Australia (Revive Our Wetlands Program): Free Call 1800 032 501; Website: www.reviveourwetlands.net Feathers, Flyways and Friends: Aknowledgements Website: www.shorebirds.wetlands.org.au Hunter Bird Observers Club: This Birds Australia Conservation Statement supersedes the “Shorebird Website: www.hboc.org.au Conservation in Australia” Supplement to Wingspan, vol. 12, no. 4, December Partnership for the East Asian–Australasian Flyway: 2002, by Bianca Priest, Phil Straw and Michael Weston. Website: http://www.eaaflyway.net Many people have contributed to the development of this conservation statement. Queensland Wader Study Group (QWSG): In particular, Birds Australia thanks: Michael Weston, Bianca Priest, Phil Straw, Website: www.birdsqueensland.org.au/waderstudygroup.php Doug Watkins, Phil Battley, Jane Cooper, Andrew Geering, Hayley Glover, Shorebirds 2020 Shorebird Conservation: Chris Hassell, Stacey Henry, Brad Kitchens, David Melville, James O’Connor, Website: www.shorebirds.org.au Theunis Piersma, QWSG members, Janelle Thomas, Eric Woehler, Keith Woodley, Victorian Wader Studies Group: the photographers and all the dedicated volunteers out there. Website: home.vicnet.net.au/~vwsg Wetland Care Australia: Layout and production by Rebecca Stewart and Andrea Williamson, Tel: (02) 6681 6169; Website: www.wetlandcare.com.au pre-press by Kreate Graphics, printing by Courtney Colour Graphics. Wetlands International – Oceania: Tel: (02) 6260 8341; Website: www.wetlands.org WWF Australia: Cover photo: Banded Stilt flock at the Coorong Ramsar site, South Australia. Free Call 1800 032 551; Website: www.wwf.org.au Photo by Glenn Ehmke