$250k project to protect Bundaberg shorebirds launched

An internationally-backed $250,000 project aims to protect the future of the critically endangered migratory birds which make Bundaberg coastlines their home.

Barubbra Island will be the home of a project protect shorebirds including the Bar-tailed Godwit and the Curlew Sandpiper.

A “groundbreaking project” to protect the future of critically endangered shorebirds is being launched by the Burnett Mary Regional Group along the Bundaberg coast.

The project will trial artificial roosts at Burnett Heads’ Barubbra Island, in the hope of improving monitoring and habitat longevity for migratory birds.

The floating roosts will consist of 40 pillow-shaped diamond mesh bags per line, which will be filled with two to three kilograms of oyster shells.

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The shells serve to partially submerge the bags, while also allowing for long term foraging by marine and bird species.

Th bags will serves as a low cost and low impact alternative to previous roosting measures in the hopes of improving roosting rates for critically endangered species including Australia’s largest shorebird, the Eastern Curlew.

“The Eastern Curlew takes an annual migratory flight to Russia and northeastern China to breed, returning to Australia in August to feed on crabs and molluscs in intertidal mudflats,” a Burnett Mary Regional Group spokesman said.

Through the support and funding of the Gladstone Ports Corporation, backed by volunteers from Birdlife Bundaberg shorebird monitoring will continue to improve.

Land and sea rangers from the Gidarjil Development Corporation will assist in the assembly and installation of the floating roosts at the island.

The roosts also improve oyster yields for migratory birds.

Burnett Mary Regional Group project officer Samuel Groom said the project was based on previously successful works undertaken by Birdlife Australia in Philip Bay, Victoria, the Hunter Estuary in NSW and the Geum Estuary in Korea.

“Bundaberg serves as a major feeding and roosting ground for shorebirds, receiving 42 species of migratory shorebirds along our shoreline from September to April,” he said.

“Shorebirds have experienced extreme loss of habitat over recent decades due to global urbanisation.”

GPC Executive General Manager for Safety & Environment Social and Governance Richard Haward said he is proud of the corporations investment and involvement in the project.

“This is a fantastic project that sees us investing $250,000 into the partnership over the next five years,” he said.