Bird of the Festival

Far Eastern Curlew

The Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) is one of the largest migratory shorebirds in the world. It is found only in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway where it breeds in the northern hemisphere in northern China and southern Siberia. It then migrates south through the Yellow Sea region, through Japan and the Philipines, then to South East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sadly, the Far Eastern Curlew has suffered serious population declines over the last 30-40 years. There has been an 80% reduction in the species’ numbers during that time. The main cause driving this decline is the loss and alteration of habitat in the Flyway. There is a Single Species Action Plan and a Task Force in place to recover the population.

The Far Eastern Curlew is listed as Critically Endangered in Australia under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

We can protect this bird and other shorebirds in Australia by retaining safe and high quality habitat where it can rest and feed. And also by keeping a distance of 200 metres from shorebirds at the beach and not letting dogs chase after these birds.