Each September to March, South East Queensland (SEQ) rolls out the sandy carpet to welcome back around 30,000 migratory birds that visit our shores for the warmer months.

Shorebirds such as the bar-tailed godwit, the far eastern curlew and the greater sand plover choose Queensland to refuel and roost before the long journey back north to breed.

However, habitat loss as well as interruptions to roosting and foraging sites has seen a dramatic decline in global populations of migratory shorebirds with some species critically endangered.

Let’s stick our beaks under the surface and dig a little deeper into what you can be doing to protect shorebird habitats.

		Quandamooka (Moreton Bay) is an important site for shorebirds due to its diversity of habitats and extensive intertidal areas.
		Migratory shorebirds travel a 26,000km round trip every year along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
		Some migratory shorebirds species are critically endangered or vulnerable. Healthy Land & Water have run projects to protect and restore shorebird habitats.

Chasing the sun

Like most Queenslanders, these birds thrive in the warmer weather.

Quandamooka (Moreton Bay) in South East Queensland is home to some of Australia’s most significant wetlands. This Ramsar site is an important destination for migrating shorebirds, presenting the perfect conditions for these waders to rest and fatten up before flying back to the northern hemisphere to breed between April and August.

With its intertidal mud flats, saltmarsh, mangroves, sand flats, and sandy beaches, the Moreton Bay Ramsar wetlands offer the perfect location for migrating shorebirds to search for important food sources to refuel them for their long journey.

The bar-tailed godwit is one of the migratory shorebirds making the long flight to SEQ each September to March.

Birds of a feather flock together

During their migratory journey, shorebirds follow a 26,000km round trip on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, one of nine migratory routes in the world. They follow this defined route from Australia and New Zealand, along the shores of Korea, China, and Japan, to Far East Russia and Alaska and back again. That’s one way to rack up the frequent flyer points!

Whilst the disruption of staging posts along the flyway and global habitat loss is a major cause of decline of migratory shorebird populations, threats in Quandamooka (Moreton Bay) and surrounding areas are also contributing to these declines.

Source: The East Asian-Australasian Flyway Network. EAAFP Secretariat.

Mi casa su casa (make yourself at home 🦅)

Changes to habitat can affect shorebirds getting the food they need to make this long journey and keep their species thriving.

If you live in or regularly visit the Moreton Bay region, be mindful of the impact you’re making to ensure our feathered friends can follow their natural flight path.

Here’s some of the ways you can contribute to protecting migratory shorebirds and their habitats:

• Reduce human disturbance. When enjoying the great outdoors, be aware of shorebirds and keep your distance. Disturbing their feeding and resting means the birds don’t conserve as much energy, reducing their survival chances.
• Keep dogs on a leash. Off-leash dogs can scare, disrupt, and harm shorebirds.
• Dispose of all rubbish carefully. If no bin is available, take your rubbish home with you – birds can swallow or become tangled in litter.
• Avoid driving on beaches during shorebird season (September-March). Cars can scare birds and disrupt potential nests on the beach.
• Keep cats inside and report sightings of pest animals such as foxes, feral cats, and feral pigs to your local government. These pest animals predate on shorebirds and their eggs.
• Carefully choose where you walk and go lightly in the tide zone so as not to disturb feeding waders.

Far eastern curlews are just one of the migratory shorebirds whose species is facing threats due to habitat loss.

Just a few of the birds fastening their seatbelts for the long flight each year:

• Bar-tailed godwit
• Far eastern curlew
• Greater sand plover
• Lesser sand plover
• Great knot
• Red knot
• Curlew sandpiper
• Pied oystercatcher

As some of these birds are critically endangered or vulnerable, it is crucial that actions are taken to protect these shorebirds.

Before you fly, take a look at some of the projects we’ve been running to help to protect our feathered friends:

• https://www.hlw.org.au/portfolio/moreton-bay-shorebirds-project
• https://hlw.org.au/news/three-years-on-curlew-island-for-migratory-shorebirds-time-to-celebrate-the-hard-work
• https://hlw.org.au/news/shellfish-reef-and-migratory-shorebirds-a-mighty-duo