Download Shorebirds in Tasmania - Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service

WILDLIFE
Shorebirds in Tasmania
Shorebirds (also called ‘waders’) comprise plovers,
oystercatchers, lapwings, sandpipers, stints, stilts, snipe,
curlews, knots and godwits. Shorebirds typically feed on
the coast and inland wetlands.
Terns and gulls, also found on our coasts are classed as
seabirds.
With nearly 5,000km of coastline and more than 300
islands, Tasmania provides extensive breeding and feeding
habitat for resident and migratory shorebirds.
Resident shorebirds
Spending their entire lives feeding, breeding and
roosting on Tasmania’s shores, coastal shorebirds are
highly vulnerable to human disturbance (eg from dogs,
horses, vehicles and people using the beaches). They are
especially vulnerable during the breeding season between
1 October and 31 March.
Resident shorebirds include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Australian Pied Oystercatcher
Sooty Oystercatcher
Red-capped Plover
Black-fronted Dotterel
Hooded Plover
Masked Lapwing
Banded Lapwing
Hooded Plovers are often spotted on the shore feeding and
breeding on sandy beaches (Alan Fletcher).
Migratory shorebirds
As summer food supplies decrease at their Arctic
breeding grounds, migratory shorebird species ready
themselves for the flight from the northern hemisphere
to their wintering grounds in Australia. Some will make
stopovers along the way
to re-fuel, others such as
the Bar-tailed Godwit, have
been recorded as flying
their 11,000km journey
non-stop. More than 50
species of shorebird migrate
to and from Australia and
New Zealand along the East
The East Asian-Australian Flyway
Asian-Australasian Flyway.
Migratory shorebirds include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Eastern Curlew
Sanderling
Whimbrel
Pacific Golden Plover
Great Knot
Grey-tailed Tattler
Red Knot
Bar-tailed Godwit
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Red-necked Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Double-banded Plover
Terek Sandpiper
Grey Plover
Common Greenshank
Lesser Sand Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Latham’s Snipe
Bar-tailed Godwit fly from their breeding grounds in the Arctic
to Tasmania without stopping, the longest nonstop migration of
any bird.
Depar tment of Pr imar y Industr ies, Par ks, Water and Environment
Breeding
Depending on the species, Tasmania’s shorebirds lay
clutches of up to 4 eggs. The nest is often no more than
a shallow scrape in shingle or sand. Eggs are typically
more pointed than those of other birds so they are less
likely to roll away. The eggs and chicks are extremely
well camouflaged as the parents cannot guard them all
of the time. In most species, the chicks can run around
and feed themselves within hours of hatching.
Threats to Shorebirds
• Predation of eggs, chicks and adults by domestic and
feral cats, dogs, foxes and rats
• Destruction of nests, chicks and eggs from trampling by
people, vehicles and horses
• Nesting failure caused by human disturbance to
brooding parents
• Invasive weeds – sea spurge and marram grass alters
shorebird habitat
• Removal of seaweed and beach debris, a source of food
and protection, particularly for shorebird chicks
• Ingestion or entanglement in discarded litter or fishing
line
• Increased sea level rise from climate change
Shorebird eggs like these of the Pied Oystercatchers,
are well camouflaged to avoid detection by predators.
Unfortunately, this can result in unintentional damage by
humans, vehicles, horses and bikes on beaches.
Feeding
Shorebirds feed on a variety of worms, insects, fish,
molluscs and crustaceans found on and in exposed
intertidal flats and in shallow water. Some, like the
plovers, have good eyesight for finding their prey, while
others such as the Eastern Curlew have long, sensitive
beaks for probing in the sand to detect their food
Shorebird beaks vary in shape and length depending on the
food they eat and the method of foraging they use.
Longevity
Shorebirds are relatively long lived compared with
other birds. Small species may live for 20 years, while
larger species can live for more than 30 years. Failing
to produce offspring successfully several years in a row
can result in a ‘blink out’ effect where, even though
birds are seen, they are not producing the young birds
needed to sustain the population.
Dogs instinctively love to chase things - walk your dog on a
lead near the water, away from known breeding sites and
respect all dog control measures on beaches
How you can help
• Keep your dog away from shorebirds by keeping them
on a lead. Respect all dog control signs on beaches.
• Walk on the wet sand below the high-tide mark to
minimize your chance of stepping on eggs and chicks.
• Don’t drive vehicles on beaches.
• Be aware of nesting shorebird species.
• Don’t collect seaweed, or other beach material.
• De-sex cats and keep them inside at night.
• Pick up any litter and fishing line you find on the beach.
• Join a Wildcare group.
Useful links
www.birdlife.org.au/tasmania
www.parks.tas.gov.au
www.wwf.org.au
www.shorebirds.org.au
www.wetlands.org.au
www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au
www.wildcaretas.org.au
Internet: www.parks.tas.gov.au
D ep a r t m e n t o f Pr im ar y In du str ie s, Par k s , Wa t e r a nd Env i r o nm e nt
2013 © State of Tasmania