Shorebirds aren't sure birds. What is there still left to see?

The east asian-australasian migratory route

Most of our migratory birds, also known as waders or shorebirds, breed in Northern Europe. They don't appear on Australia's endangered bird species lists as they don't breed here even though they spend most of the year here.

 

Shorebirds start arriving here late July/early August and depart again late March. The migration path can be in excess of 10,000 kilometres. See below on how long some of the migration paths actually are, they are astounding!

 

"Three-quarters of eastern Australia's millions of resident and migratory shorebirds have disappeared in just one generation."

Professor Richard Kingsford, University of New South Wales

 

The waders need two types of habitat to survive. One within the tidal zone and one above it. They are very easily disturbed by people so it is important to keep an eye out ahead when walking along the shores and not disturb flocks of birds.

 

This is a busy beach, you aren't the only one on any one day using the beach. Each disturbance adds up, perhaps contributing to migration failure.

 

 

Eastern curlew - CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

summer stunner

This bird travels between the beach area plus the tidal feeding flats and the breeding grounds in the arctic. Now listed as Critically Endangered. Numbers have declined by over 80% in just 3 decades. It is very important that if you see a flock of birds ahead of you that you don't cause them to take flight.

If possible, cross to the other shoreline giving them 100 metres of space (Shorebird Conservation in Australia. Birds Conservation Statement no. 14, 2009).

 

Shorebirds will boost their body weight by up to 70% before migrating and will lose all of this added weight within days of continuous flying. Chicks attempt their first migration from Russia when they are only 6-8 weeks old, after the adult birds have already departed. It is instinct alone that leads them to their non-breeding grounds. They will then spend up to 3 years in Australia before attempting their first migration back to the breeding grounds.

 

The Eastern Curlew occurs only in our flyway, and about 75 per cent of the world’s curlews winter (our summer) in Australia, so we have a particular responsibility to protect coastal wetlands for them.

 

Bar-tailed godwit - VULNERABLE

marathon winner

 

This bird has the longest known non-stop migration.

 

One bird flew non stop from New Zealand to the Yellow Sea a travelling distance of 11,026 kilometres. That flight took around 9 days. Then E7, a female bird, now retired from migrations, recorded the longest flight of 11,680 kilometres travelling from Alaska via the Pacific to New Zealand.

 

This bird heads to the breeding grounds via the Yellow Sea in China and then flies further north to Alaska.

 

After breeding it then travels non-stop back via the Pacific Ocean. Bar-tailed Godwits fly such a long distance in a lifetime — the equivalent of flying to the moon!

 

 

Whimbrel

pocket rocket

 

This bird is one of the most wide ranging shorebirds in the world. The whimbrel may look a lot like the curlew but outdoes it in terms of distance travelled.

 

The whimbrel is much smaller than the curlew, between half and three quarters the size and has a much lesser curved beak and twin dark streaks along its crown.

 

Like the other migratory birds, it needs space to rest and feed.

 

http://phys.org/news/2012-09-scientists-fall-migratory-pathways-habits.html

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Red knot - ENDANGERED

flyer points award

 

This bird has one of the longest known migrations of any bird and is the second largest sandpiper.

 

Like many migratory birds it is able to change the size of the digestive organs prior to migration.

 

The size increases when feeding on the harder wintering grounds (here) and decreases while feeding in the softer breeding grounds. These changes can be very rapid, occuring in as little as six day.

 

 

 

Red-necked avocet

sticky beaks

 

Does not stop this way often. Spectacular to watch flying around the bay. Their dainty bill is designed to scoop up small amounts of food just below the water surface. When they were here it was noted they were flying for two hours down all the bays from Jibbon, down to Gunnamatta, stopping occasionally when there was some tasty morsels near the surface of the water and were feeding upended, similar to ducks.

 

Plastics breaking down in the water and small bits of fishing line are a real problem for this bird, like they are for many fish and birds. 2014 was the first time we recorded this bird visiting Deeban Spit. It is native to Australia and does not migrate.

 

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Pied oystercatcher - ENDANGERED

seafood specialist

 

It is estimated that there are only 200 breeding pairs in the State of NSW http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10386.

 

Without our help they will be heading for extinction within our childrens lifetime.

 

They will only breed on an open sandy beach. They feed along the tidal flats using their long, distinctive bills to pull out worms or prise open shellfish.

 

During the six months they are training their chicks, they will extract food from the sand and then walk to clean it off in the water before feeding it to their chicks.

 

Rope lines along the beach will indicate when they are breeding or chicks are present.

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Double-banded plover

winter sprinter

Unlike most shorebirds, the double-banded plover travels from New Zealand rather than the northern hemisphere.

 

Arriving in autumn to avoid the extremely cold winters this small plover, marginally bigger than a 1 week old chicken, dresses down for its holiday here.

 

Some develop the two bold bands they are named for across their chest just before making their way back across the Tasman to find a space for their breeding season.