DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, INDUSTRY & ENVIRONMENT

Waterbirds returning to the Gywdir Wetlands Survey findings 2007–17

environment.nsw.gov.au Background Waterbirds can be useful indicators of wetland health, because their numbers, diversity and breeding activity can be related to total wetland area, the health of wetland vegetation and the abundance of food resources such as fish, frogs and aquatic vegetation. The importance of the Gwydir Wetlands for waterbirds is widely recognised with records of 76 (50 breeding species) over the last 100 years. During large flood events the wetlands can support tens of thousands of nesting colonial-waterbirds, including egrets, ibis and herons.

Annual surveys Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) carried out bi-annual surveys (in spring and autumn) in the Gwydir Wetlands from spring 2007 (14 survey trips in total) to autumn 2017. We carried out the surveys as part of NSW-wide waterbird monitoring to measure the numbers, diversity and breeding activity of waterbird species.

Key findings We recorded a high diversity of waterbird species in the Gwydir during spring and autumn surveys. We recorded 67 species in the annual surveys, with over half of these observed regularly (in at least 10 or more of the 14 surveys). In the most recent surveys in March 2017, we recorded 49 waterbird species. The recent ground surveys highlighted how the Gwydir Wetlands continues to support a diverse waterbird community.

Spring

40

20 Number of species

0 2007-08 2010-11 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Water-year

Autumn

40

20 Number of species

0 2007-08 2010-11 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Water-year Our surveys have shown increases in waterbird numbers with greater wetted area, as seen in spring 2012 which followed a large flood event in summer 2012. In 2016–17 we saw an increase in waterbirds in spring 2016 following high natural flows during September 2016 which initiated a small egret colony in the Gingham watercourse. We also saw an increase in small and large waders in our autumn 2017 surveys and this followed the delivery of environmental water to wetland habitats in the Gwydir over summer.

Spring

30

20

Birds per ha 10

0 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Water-year

Autumn 30

20

Birds per ha 10

0 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Water-year

Herbivore Large wader Emergent vegetation Small wader: Australian dependent resident shorebird Open water forager Small wader: Migratory shorebird Wetland generalist

Commonly seen Waterbird group Rarely seen Purple swamphen Emergent vegetation dependent Australasian bittern Australian wood duck Herbivores Magpie goose Intermediate egret Large waders Black-necked stork Little black cormorant Open water foragers Blue-billed duck Black-fronted dotterel Small wader: Australian resident shorebirds Australian painted snipe Latham’s snipe Small wader: migratory shorebirds Black-tailed godwit Pacific black duck Wetland generalists Freckled duck Waterbird species observed during the Gwydir Wetland surveys (2007–17) Emergent vegetation dependent • Great crested grebe* • Australasian bittern* • Hardhead* E (EPBC Act) • Hoary-headed grebe* • Australian little bittern* • Little black cormorant* • Australian spotted crake • Little pied cormorant* • Baillon’s crake • Musk duck • Buff-banded * • Pied cormorant* • Comb-crested jacana* V • Silver gull • Purple swamphen* • Whiskered tern* • Spotless crake Small wader: Australian resident Herbivores shorebirds • Australian wood duck* • Australian painted snipe E • Magpie goose* V (EPBC Act) • Plumed whistling-duck* • Australian pratincole • Wandering whistling-duck* • Banded lapwing* Large waders • Black-fronted dotterel* • Australian white ibis* • Black-winged stilt* • Black-necked stork* E • Masked lapwing* • Brolga* V • Red-kneed dotterel* • Cattle egret* J • Red-necked avocet* • Eastern great egret* J Small wader: migratory shorebirds • Glossy ibis* • Black-tailed godwit V J C R • Intermediate egret* • Common greenshank J C R • Little egret* • Latham’s snipe* J R • Nankeen night-heron* • Marsh sandpiper* J C R • Royal spoonbill* • Red-necked stint* J C R • Straw-necked ibis* • Sharp-tailed sandpiper* J C R • White-faced heron* • Wood sandpiper J C R • White-necked heron* Wetland generalists • Yellow-billed spoonbill* • Australasian shoveler* Open water foragers • Black swan* • Australasian darter* • Black-tailed native-hen • Australasian grebe* • Chestnut teal • Australian gull-billed tern* • Dusky moorhen* • Australian pelican* • Freckled duck V • Blue-billed duck V • Grey teal* • Caspian tern* J • Pacific black duck* • Eurasian coot* • Pink-eared duck* • Great cormorant* Listed species in NSW: V = Vulnerable, E = Endangered (Listing under Commonwealth EPBC Act also indicated) Listed under international bilateral agreements with Japan (J), China (C), Republic of Korea (R) * Species observed during 2016–17 surveys

Acknowledgements The Gwydir Wetland waterbird surveys are undertaken by DPIE and Eco Logical (ELA are funded by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO) Long-term intervention Monitoring (LTIM) Project). We would like to thank landholders for Photographs are courtesy of Peter Knock (ELA) and access to wetlands on their properties. observers were Jane Joanne Ocock (DPIE) and David Preston (DPIE). Humphries, David Preston, Joanne Ocock, Steve Eke, Jennifer © 2017 State of NSW and Department of Planning, Industry Spencer (DPIE), Steve Debus, Lindsey Frost, Peter Knock (ELA) and Environment and volunteers Curtis Hayne and Tamara Kermode. Waterbird surveys are approved under NSW Scientific Licence SL100100 and ISBN 978 1 76039 809 5 DPIE Care and Ethics approval 091214/01. EES2019/0612; June 2017; updated October 2019