Migratory shorebirds

Migratory shorebirds are among the most spectacular migratory species in the world, travelling many thousands of kilometres between their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere (eg Siberia and Alaska), to feed and rest in the southern hemisphere, during their non-breeding phase.

 

The route they travel along, known as the East-Asian Australasian flyway, passes through more than 22 countries from Australia and New Zealand in the south, heading north through Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Northern China and Mongolia. An exception is the Double-banded Plover, which breeds in New Zealand and migrates to Australia from February to September.

Resident shorebirds

Resident shorebirds live and breed in Australia. Some nest on beaches (eg. Hooded Plover), ephemeral freshwater wetlands (eg. Painted Snipe), hypersaline lakes (eg. Banded Stilts), grasslands (eg. Plains-wanderer), woodlands (eg. Bush Stone-Curlew) and agricultural and urban landscapes (eg. Masked Lapwings).

Vagrant shorebirds

Vagrant shorebirds are less common because Australia is not part of their normal range.