Wetlands - Migratory Waterbirds and their Habitats

• Waterbirds
• Migratory Shorebirds
• International and national policy to help protect shorebirds and their habitats
• Important shorebird sites in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
• Important shorebird sites in South Australia
• Conserving shorebirds and their habitat

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Waterbirds

Waders in flight (Photo: Aust Govt. DEH)

Waterbirds are broadly defined as 'birds ecologically dependent on wetlands'. The term includes traditionally recognised groups popularly known as wildfowl, waterfowl and shorebirds (waders). Migratory populations include species in which a significant proportion of the population cyclically and predictably crosses one or more national jurisdictional boundaries.

Most Australian waterfowl and wildfowl migrate within Australia seeking optimal feeding and habitat resources. The true migratory species, those moving from one country to another, are predominantly shorebirds.

Migratory Shorebirds

During their annual migrations, the birds are dependent on a great diversity of wetland habitats, ranging from Arctic tundra to forests, rivers, lakes, marshes, estuaries, intertidal mudflats and sandy beaches.

For management purposes, shorebirds can be grouped as determined by their migratory behaviour.

1.	Species that breed in north-eastern Asia (Siberia, eastern Russia) and migrate to feeding grounds in Australia and New Zealand for the southern hemisphere summer. These species undertake a complete migration each year.
			Great Knot (Photo: Tom Tarrant)
2.	Species that breed in the southern hemisphere during summer (New Zealand) and migrate across to Australia to seek productive feeding grounds during the southern hemisphere winter.
			Double-banded Plover (Photo: Neil Fifer)
3.	Resident species that remain permanently in Australia but undertake localised migrations often in response to seasonal or climatic events. Their desire is to exploit the best available food resources and breeding habitat.
			Black-winged Stilt (Photo: David Taylor)

International and national policy to help protect shorebirds and their habitats

Australia is a signatory to two international agreements that specifically protect migratory birds and their habitats. These are the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA). Under the two agreements, species of migratory birds that occur in Australia, Japan and China are listed. The agreements recognise the importance of conserving migratory birds and their habitats along the migratory path.

The birds listed under JAMBA and CAMBA are also protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, (Commonwealth legislation which protects the environment, particularly matters of national significance). Migratory species are also protected through the Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn Convention) which is an intergovernmental treaty which aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range.

The Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds provides strategic direction as it relates to research and management necessary to support the survival of migratory species listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999. The migratory species that visit South Australia are not threatened in the short-term, but there is a need to provide a nationally coordinated approach to their conservation because of the complexities associated with habitat preservation throughout the flyway and at breeding sites in the northern hemisphere.

The Asia Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy: 2001-2005 was developed to promote the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitat in the Asia-Pacific region. The Strategy calls for action to be undertaken at the international, oceanic and national level.

Conservation of migratory shorebirds requires effective international cooperation across the length of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The Shorebird Action Plan has been developed to guide an oceanic program of key actions to conserve migratory shorebirds. It calls for the extension of the Network of sites of international importance for shorebirds. This site Network provides the framework for improved management and increased public awareness and education activities. The Action Plan recognises the importance of a strong scientific base to guide decision making.

Important Shorebird Sites in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway

East Asian-Australasian shorebird site network

Greenshank (Photo: Tom Tarrant)

The East Asian-Australasian Shorebird Site Network continues to be a priority action of the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Strategy: 2001 - 2005, as set out in the Action Plan for the Conservation of Migratory Shorebirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway: 2001-2005.

The East Asian-Australasian Flyway extends from the Arctic Circle through Eastern and South East Asia to Australia and New Zealand.

The East Asian-Australasian Shorebird Site Network provides a cooperative framework to help conserve all stages of a shorebird's migration path. It also promotes the conservation and wise use of sites that are of international importance to migratory shorebirds. It is estimated there are about 400 such sites in the flyway; 37 have been listed and are participating.

Listing sites as part of the Network provides international recognition for important sites, a focus for public awareness and education activities and a framework for training and research activities. Managers are also encouraged to prepare a management plan for listed sites.

The Coorong and Lower Lakes is South Australia's sole nomination to the Shorebird Site Network. It hosts internationally significant populations of ten shorebird species and nationally important populations of eleven species. A second nomination, Lake George (in the Southeast of SA), is currently being reviewed.

For further information contact Wetlands International - Oceania.

Important Shorebird Sites in South Australia

Mudflat - Coorong and Lower Lakes Shorebird Network Site ( Photo: Russell Seaman)

To be considered an area of 'International Significance' for shorebirds, a site must support at least 1% of the migratory flyway population or >20,000 individuals of a shorebird species.

There are 18 additional sites in South Australia (view map below), and possibly more, which are considered internationally important for shorebirds. The most significant include Ceduna Bays (five species), Kangaroo Island (three), Spencer Gulf (Port Pirie Coast) (two), Price Saltfields/Clinton Conservation Park (two) and Cheetham (previously Penrice) Saltfields (two).

To qualify as a site of 'National Significance' for shorebirds a site must support at least 1% of the Australian population of a species or sub-species or >10,000 individuals of a shorebird species.

In the far west of SA, shorebird diversity and habitat use along sections of coastal habitat has not been closely explored because of the relative remoteness of the area. Less is known about the value of temporary inland wetlands. There are still significant gaps in our understanding.

A map of the South Australian sites in the shorebird flyway can be downloaded here (200Kb PDF).

For more information please email Paul Wainwright (Scientific Officer, Wetlands, Department for Environment and Heritage)

Conserving shorebirds and their habitat

Shorebirds use a range of different wetland habitats, most have specialised feeding techniques and need to exploit a niche environment in order to feed efficiently and productively.

In South Australia the following habitats are used by shorebirds:

• Sandpiper, Stint, Sand Plover - mudflats within estuarine wetlands, sand flats, inland salt lakes.
• Sanderling - sandy beaches, intertidal sand flats
• Oystercatcher, Ruddy Turnstone - rocky shores, exposed rock or reef, shingle or sand
• Stilt, Avocet - shallow fresh or saline waters, inland or coastal
• Pacific Golden Plover - salt marsh, open grasslands
• Dotterel - muddy edges of fresh water ponds or lakes

Within estuarine environments, two functional habitat types are of critical importance; roosting sites and feeding sites. You can learn more from the Department for Environment and Heritage about Estuaries Management and Planning here.

Identifying activities which impact shorebird habitats

Loss of shorebird habitats through direct and indirect modifications, has led to declines in the species richness and abundance of shorebird populations in South Australia. The number of birds using a particular habitat is related to the types and quality of the habitats, abundance and availability of food, and level of disturbance.

Shorebirds are predators with specialised feeding techniques. Subtle changes to the feeding environment or to a prey source of a specialised feeder renders that habitat unsuitable. Activities that damage or fragment habitat or directly disturb birds impact negatively on shorebirds. Examples of such activities include:

• Loss of intertidal habitat through filling or dredging associated with coastal development
• Fragmentation of refuge sites associated with development
• Loss of marine or estuarine vegetation that helps stabilise mudflats and provides organic matter to support invertebrates on which shorebirds feed
• Invasion of intertidal mudflats by weeds such as cord grass (Spartina species)
• Water pollution and changes to the water regime
• Disturbance from boating activities, from people and dogs walking near habitat and general human activity
• Artificial changes to hydrological regimes that effect the productivity of the feeding environment
• Acid Sulphate soils

In the longer term, changes in climate and water level, predicted to occur because of the Greenhouse effect, may cause significant changes to coastal habitats that are important to shorebirds.

The Australasian Wader Studies Group plays a key role in monitoring of shorebirds through regular counts and banding, and provides expert advice on habitat protection and management.