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Migratory shorebird research in north west Australia. Photo: Jan van de Kam. Kim Onton , Danny Rogers, Chris Hassell & Ken Gosbell. Roebuck Bay and Eighty Mile Beach are the most important shorebird sites in Australia (>550,000 birds). AWSG have undertaken research for 30+ continuous years.
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Migratory shorebird research in north west Australia Photo: Jan van de Kam Kim Onton, Danny Rogers, Chris Hassell & Ken Gosbell
Roebuck Bay and Eighty Mile Beach are the most important shorebird sites in Australia (>550,000 birds). • AWSG have undertaken research for 30+ continuous years. • Populations surveys • Migration studies (banding, flagging, telemetry) • Disturbance and roost choice studies • Feeding ecology and invertebrate communities • Determine population trends and drivers to guide management and policy. • Pressures: • Local: Disturbance, increased nutrient inputs, mangrove incursion. • International: Large-scale reclamation projects in the Yellow Sea. Photos: Kim Onton, Adrian Boyle
Current research priorities • Analysis of the effects of the loss of the Saemangeum estuary in South Korea on north west Australian shorebird populations. • Analysis of changing roost site preference in Roebuck Bay in response to local habitat pressures. • Ongoing surveys and studies in north west Australia, enabling shorebird populations in the region to continue to act as a barometer for the health of both local ecosystems and for shorebird populations throughout the entire East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Photos: Adrian Boyle, Jan van de Kam, Danny Rogers