Shorebirds in Moreton Bay

As they have done for countless generations, shorebirds rely on the sanctuary of Moreton Bay for places to feed, rest and breed. People can help secure their future by preserving their habitat, learning more about shorebirds, and by leaving them undisturbed.

Our resident shorebirds

Moreton Bay has about 3,500 resident shorebirds representing 10 species. These birds breed in and around Moreton Bay. Some of the most recognisable species include the pied oystercatcher, the bush stone-curlew and the red-capped plover. The beach stone-curlew and the sooty oystercatcher are less common and are of international and national significance because ongoing disturbance has drastically reduced their numbers.

When it is time for resident shorebirds to breed they build their simple nests just above the high-tide line of beaches and rocky shorelines. For this reason they are vulnerable to damage from vehicles driving above high tide lines and from people camping on undisturbed fore-dunes. Each year many young shorebirds and some adults are killed because of beach traffic.

International importance

Moreton Bay is an important habitat in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway, which is one of eight flyways in the world. The East Asian – Australasian Shorebird Reserve Network is an international chain of wetlands recognised for their importance to shorebirds. The network ensures there are safe and convenient stopover points for migrating shorebirds to rest and feed along their "endless summer" between the Arctic north and the warm south. Each year about 15 per cent of the migrating shorebirds that visit Moreton Bay in the summer stay for the whole year. These include birds that are too young to breed or adults that are not strong enough for the journey north.

You can help protect shorebirds

Shorebirds are not like streetwise urban birds such as noisy miners, crows, pigeons or magpies; they are very easily disturbed by close activity. When shorebirds are disturbed they waste hard-earned energy reserves, reducing their ability to survive.

Dogs, in particular, disturb shorebirds. In local government areas adjoining Moreton Bay, dogs must be on a leash at all times unless in a designated "off leash" area. Penalties apply.

Remember, that it is an offence to unreasonably disturb shorebirds or their habitat in Moreton Bay Marine Park. On-the-spot fines of up to $300 apply.

Moreton Bay Marine Park

A marine wonderland at the doorstep of Brisbane, Moreton Bay is a special place for people and wildlife. What happens in the catchments, along the shore and on the water can all have an effect on the quality of the park. People need mudflats, sandbanks and seagrass beds as much as shorebirds do.

The marine park’s importance for shorebirds has been acknowledged with its listing as a Ramsar site, which means it is protected by an international treaty that conserves wetlands and their resources around the planet.

The Moreton Bay Shorebird Management Strategy (PDF, 751K)* provides guidelines for the protection of Moreton Bay’s shorebird populations, by promoting their values and managing threats to their survival.

By looking after shorebirds and Moreton Bay in general we are participating in world conservation by thinking globally and acting locally. 

Shorebirds in Moreton Bay

 

Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris)

Great knots have been known to fly more than 7,000 km without stopping. You will often see great knots flocking with bar-tailed godwits and red knots.

 

Pied oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris)

The pied oystercatcher is a well-known resident of Moreton Bay. Pairs mate for life and defend their feeding territory all year. Enjoy watching these birds probe for pippies after each wave recedes down the shore.

 

Bush stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius)

Eerie wailing calls at night are often the only sign that bush stone-curlews are about. They feed at night on the ground and rest during the day.

 

Beach stone-curlew (Esacus neglectus)

Beach stone-curlews are resident shorebirds, which are a threatened species listed as Vulnerable under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992, and only about 1,000 remain in Queensland.

 

Red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis)

The red-necked stint is one of the smallest migratory shorebirds in the world and weighs only 30 g. It flies up to 25,000 km during migration.

 

Grey-tailed tattler (Heteroscelus brevipes)

The grey-tailed tattler breeds in the most remote and mountainous parts of Siberia. In Moreton Bay it often roosts on rocks or mangrove branches.

 

Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica)

 

Curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Curlew sandpipers fly 13,000 between Siberia and Australia. In its lifetime it will fly the distance between the earth and moon.

 

Eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)

The eastern curlew is the largest shorebird in the world. It is a threatened species that is listed as Near Threatened Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.These birds breed at high altitude in the Amur River Valley in northern China.

Related information

Participate in shorebird monitoring and conservation by contacting the Queensland Wader Study Group at Birds Queensland.

 

Read more about Moreton Bay Marine Park.

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Last updated 11 May 2011

Shorebirds

• Shorebirds in Moreton Bay