Welcome to the Shorebirds 2020 Shorebird Conservation website
This website aims to:
- Provide information and resources on the Shorebirds 2020 national shorebird population monitoring program
- Increase awareness and understanding of shorebirds and their conservation needs
- Improve the sharing of information between shorebird research and conservation groups and the broader community
- Provide resources to assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of shorebird conservation projects around Australia.
About the Shorebirds 2020 Program
Shorebird roost, Roebuck Bay, NW Australia. © 2006 Ricki Coughlan.
There is increasing evidence that migratory shorebird populations throughout the world are declining. Shorebirds using the East-Asian Australasian Flyway are under threat from widespread habitat destruction, especially prevalent at staging areas in East Asia. Australia, home to 38 species of migratory shorebird during the non-breeding season, is uniquely placed to assess the impacts of these threats on shorebird numbers.
SHOREBIRD MONITORING has been carried out by various groups at key sites around the country since 1981. Shorebirds 2020 is a program designed to reinvigorate and coordinate national shorebird monitoring in Australia in order to detect population trends nationally and at individual areas. We need to conduct annual counts at over 150 key shorebird areas in order to detect national population trends. We also hope to be able to discover what is driving any population changes, both locally and throughout Australia.
Shorebird Monitoring Volunteers Needed
Shorebird survey workshop Lake Victoria. © 2009 Ashley Herrod.
There is already a large, dedicated group of volunteers involved in shorebird monitoring in Australia, however more volunteers are needed to reach the target of regular monitoring at 150 sites. We would like to hear from anyone with an interest in shorebirds conservation, and who would like to assist with population counts in their local area. Shorebird identification and counting training resources can be found on this website or accessed through Shorebirds 2020 training workshops. Getting in touch with existing shorebird contacts in your area is the best way to find out about existing counting activities as well as get support from experienced shorebird counters whilst learning.
What’s on this site?
On this website you will find:
- Information about the Shorebirds 2020 program, methods, sites and contacts
- Program updates, other shorebird conservation related news and a forum to communicate with other people interested in shorebird conservation
- Count forms, instructions, schedules, site maps and links to online data entry
- Shorebird identification and counting training resources and information about upcoming workshops
- Information about shorebirds, migration, habitats, threats and declines
- Information about shorebird conservation frameworks & management
- Resources and case studies to assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of shorebird conservation projects
This project is supported by Birds Australia and the Australasian Wader Studies Group, through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country and Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and WWF – Australia.