Eastern curlew
Eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis).
Common name: Eastern curlew
Scientific name: Numenius madagascariensis
Conservation status: The eastern curlew is listed as 'Rare' under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. Nationally they are a 'Listed Migratory Species' (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Listing Status) in appendices to the Bonn Convention, and in JAMBA (Japan/Australia Migratory Bird Agreement) and CAMBA (China/Australia Migratory Bird Agreement).
Description: The eastern curlew is the largest wading bird that visits Australia - females reach up to 66cm. They have an elongated, elegantly curved bill for probing in mudflats, and long olive-grey legs that enable them to wade in boggy areas. They are pale brown above and below with finely streaked black-brown mottling over their head, neck and breast and heavy dark brown mottling on their back. Juveniles resemble adults but are paler with finer streaking on the breast and their bill is initially much shorter, slowly growing to adult length. They have a mournful, haunting yet melodious call and a deliberate, steady walk. They are wary and quick to take flight, usually needing only a short take-off run.
Habitat and distribution: The eastern curlew is found on mudflats and sandflats, often with beds of seagrass, on sheltered coasts, mangrove swamps, bays, harbours and lagoons. At high tide, they move to saltpans, sand dunes and other open areas where they roost above the high water. For this reason, the eastern curlew needs two types of habitat in order to survive, one within the tidal zone, and one above it.
The eastern curlew is prevalent in coastal regions in the north-east and south of Australia, including Tasmania, and is scattered in other coastal areas. On route from their Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds, they are commonly seen in Japan, Korea and Borneo with small numbers visiting New Zealand.
Diet: During low tide the eastern curlew uses its long probing bill for fishing out worms and crustaceans from deep mud. They forage by day and night stalking slowly on sandy and muddy flats, using their bill to make rapid vertical exploratory probes, then a sudden deep thrust, sometimes immersing their head to grab the food.
The eastern curlew will boost its body weight by between 40% and 70% before migrating and will lose all of this added weight within two or three days of continuous flying.
Behaviour and life history: The eastern curlew is a migratory species, moving south by day and night, usually along coastlines, departing breeding areas in the Northern Hemisphere from mid-July to late September. They fly along the East Asian Australasian Flyway arriving in north-western and eastern Australia mostly in August. Large numbers arrive on the east coast from September to November. Most leave again from late February to March. Eastern curlews breed in Russia and north-eastern China on swampy moors and boggy marshes.
Eastern curlew chicks attempt their first migration when they are only six to eight weeks old, after the adult birds have already departed. These chicks inherit from their parents an instinctive sense of distance and direction required to navigate their migratory paths.
Threatening processes: To successfully complete their migration route of approximately 10,000km, the flight path of the eastern curlew must include a chain of wetlands that enable them to rest, feed and replenish their fat reserves. The loss of even small areas of wetland on these 'flyways' can be devastating to the eastern curlew as they might not have the strength and energy required to complete their migration. Major threats to wetlands are urban development, flood mitigation, agriculture and pollution.
A group of Eastern curlews resting on a mud flat.
Shorebirds are very easily disturbed by activity that can interrupt their breeding, feeding or resting. For example, causing an Eastern curlew to take flight represents a significant disturbance as they use critical energy that is required for migration and breeding. Disturbances, particularly repeated disturbances that occur before or after migration, are particularly damaging because, without sufficient energy reserves, they may be unable to complete their migration or breed. The main disturbances to eastern curlews are from human activities such as driving on beaches and sand dunes, and unrestrained domestic dogs.
Recovery actions:
- Protect important habitat areas (wetlands and sand dunes) from urban and industrial development and pollution;
- Restrict or control assess to areas utilised by these birds;
- Increase public awareness about the effects of beach/sand dune driving;
- Educate dog owners to restrain their animals in habitat areas;
- Implement control measures for feral animals.
What can be done to help this species?
You can help this species by:
- avoiding driving or operating all forms of vehicles and recreational devices on beaches and mudflats, especially above the high tide mark where the eastern curlew roosts;
- keeping domestic animals under control and well away from feeding/roosting sites;
- if fishing from a sandbar, choose the opposite end to where the birds are gathered;
- considering how your actions may disturb the eastern curlew. For example, where you set up camp or go for a stroll;
- preventing pollution - remember that rubbish and pollutants discarded on the land often end up in waterways.
Further information:
Department of the Environment and Heritage (2006). Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds. DEH, Canberra.
Higgins, P.J. and Davies, S.J.J.F. (eds.) (1996). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 3 (Snipe to Pigeons). Oxford University Press, Victoria.
Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (Online). Shorebirds in Moreton Bay. /parks_and_forests/marine_parks/moreton_bay_marine_park/shorebirds_in_moreton_bay.
Last updated: 31 August 2007