Birds found in NSW Wetlands - Waders and Plovers

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The Birds of NSW Wetlands - Waders and Plovers:
Terns, Sandpipers & Allies

Order - Charadriiformes

Every year, hundreds of thousands of birds migrate between Australia and the Northern Hemisphere, covering a distance of approximately 9000 km. The majority of these birds belong to the order Charadriiformes or Waders. Most of these birds breed on the tundras and swamps in countries such as Alaska, Japan, China and the USSR and migrate to Australia to escape the rigorous environment during winter. Some waders also migrate between New Zealand and Australia.

Whiskered Tern or Marsh Tern
Gullbilled Tern
Comb-Crested Jacana or Lotus Bird (A vulnerable species)
Latham’s Snipe
Grey-tailed Tattler
Ruddy Turnstone
Black-winged stilts
References and Further Reading

Whiskered Tern or Marsh Tern

Chlidonias hybrida

General Characteristics:

White plumage with a black crown during breeding period, sooty coloured upper wings and tail.

Nomadic and migratory in Australia. Head north over winter often going as far as Indonesia.

Breeds in colonies.

Nest is made of twigs, grasses and rushes and sits on the water surface.

Diet:

Insects, frogs, small fish and crustaceans.

Habitat:

Prefers shallow freshwater and brackish swamps.

Distribution in NSW:

Distributed throughout NSW.

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Gullbilled Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Source: Gould League

General Characteristics:

White plumage with a black crown, grey coloured upper wings and tail.

Migrates to southern Australia in summer.

Nest in colonies.

Nest is usually constructed on mudflats or small islands.

Diet:

Mice, insects, frogs, small fish and crustaceans.

Habitat:

Prefers inland salt swamps.

Distribution in NSW:

Distributed throughout NSW.

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Comb-Crested Jacana or Lotus Bird (A
vulnerable species)

Irediparra gallinacea

General Characteristics:

Have very long legs and toes.

Often move very delicately across the water surface using waterlilies or similar plants.

Females are usually mush larger than males.

Have a fleshy red comb on head. Black crown, neck, breast band and tail. Back and upper wings are olive brown. Yellow eye. Bill is yellow with a brown tip.

Nest is a raft of grass sedge and aquatic plants.

Listed as vulnerable under Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Sensitive to altered flow regimes which reduce or modify foraging habitat and nesting sites.

Diet:

Aquatic plants, seeds and insects.

Habitat:

Prefers deep, permanent freshwater swamps and billabongs.

Distribution in NSW:

Only found on the north east coast of NSW. It can occasionally be found as far south as the Hawkesbury River.

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Latham’s Snipe

Gallinago hardwickii

General Characteristics:

Plumage is brown and black.

Breeds in Japan, migrates to Australia during the northern hemisphere winter.

Arrives in Australia in late spring and leaves again in late summer.

Feeds by probing in the mud.

Diet:

Insects, worms and seeds.

Habitat:

Well vegetated swamps and grassed marshes.

Distribution in NSW:

Distributed throughout the eastern half of NSW.

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Grey-tailed Tattler

Tringa brevipes

General Characteristics:

One of the most common waders to visit Australia.

Leaves its breeding grounds in northeastern Siberia in mid-August arriving in Australia sometime in September. They stay until they following April.

Males and Females are light grey on top and white below. Light brown with white specks on the lower back and tail. Black bill and brown eyes.

Diet:

Crustaceans and other invertebrates.

Habitat:

Frequent tidal mudflats, estuaries and mangroves.

Distribution in NSW:

Common to the north coast areas of NSW, although they can also be found along the rest of the NSW coast.

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Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

General Characteristics:

Has a very sharp, stout bill.

Brown speckled plumage on back and head. White underneath. Black band around the chest. Bill is also black.

Flies from Siberia or Alaska to Australia in August -September each year.

Diet:

Limpets, mussels, worms, small fish, sea urchins.

Habitat:

Frequent beaches.

Distribution in NSW:

Only found along the coast of NSW.

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Black-winged Stilts

Himantopus himantopus

General Characteristics:

Nomadic.

Has long, thin, spindly red legs.

Back of head, lower back and bill are black. Rest of body is white. Eye is red.

It is limited to foraging in shallow water.

Diet:

Molluscs, aquatic insects, shrimps and diatoms.

Habitat:

Most commonly found around the edges of still, shallow water, both fresh and brackish.

Distribution in NSW:

Found throughout NSW.

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References and Further Reading

Readers Digest. 1988. Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds. Reader’s Digest, Sydney.

Van Gessel, F. 1983. Waders. Suborder: Charadrii. In "Wetlands in New South Wales". (Ed C. Haigh). National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW.

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Copyright © 2000 - NSW Department of Natural Resources
www.naturalresources.nsw.gov.au

Wetlands Facts about Wetlands Wetland Plants and Animals Birds Search: [ HOME ] [ CONTACT ]		The Birds of NSW Wetlands - Waders and Plovers: Terns, Sandpipers & Allies *Order - Charadriiformes* Every year, hundreds of thousands of birds migrate between Australia and the Northern Hemisphere, covering a distance of approximately 9000 km. The majority of these birds belong to the order Charadriiformes or Waders. Most of these birds breed on the tundras and swamps in countries such as Alaska, Japan, China and the USSR and migrate to Australia to escape the rigorous environment during winter. Some waders also migrate between New Zealand and Australia. Whiskered Tern or Marsh Tern Gullbilled Tern Comb-Crested Jacana or Lotus Bird (A vulnerable species) Latham’s Snipe Grey-tailed Tattler Ruddy Turnstone Black-winged stilts References and Further Reading Whiskered Tern or Marsh Tern *Chlidonias hybrida* *General Characteristics:* White plumage with a black crown during breeding period, sooty coloured upper wings and tail. Nomadic and migratory in Australia. Head north over winter often going as far as Indonesia. Breeds in colonies. Nest is made of twigs, grasses and rushes and sits on the water surface. *Diet:* Insects, frogs, small fish and crustaceans. *Habitat: Prefers shallow freshwater and brackish swamps. Distribution in NSW: Distributed throughout NSW. [ TOP ] Gullbilled Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Source: Gould League General Characteristics: White plumage with a black crown, grey coloured upper wings and tail. Migrates to southern Australia in summer. Nest in colonies. Nest is usually constructed on mudflats or small islands. Diet:* Mice, insects, frogs, small fish and crustaceans. *Habitat: Prefers inland salt swamps. Distribution in NSW: Distributed throughout NSW. [ TOP ] Comb-Crested Jacana or Lotus Bird* (A vulnerable species) *Irediparra gallinacea* *General Characteristics:* Have very long legs and toes. Often move very delicately across the water surface using waterlilies or similar plants. Females are usually mush larger than males. Have a fleshy red comb on head. Black crown, neck, breast band and tail. Back and upper wings are olive brown. Yellow eye. Bill is yellow with a brown tip. Nest is a raft of grass sedge and aquatic plants. Listed as vulnerable under Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Sensitive to altered flow regimes which reduce or modify foraging habitat and nesting sites. *Diet: Aquatic plants, seeds and insects. Habitat: Prefers deep, permanent freshwater swamps and billabongs. Distribution in NSW: Only found on the north east coast of NSW. It can occasionally be found as far south as the Hawkesbury River. [ TOP ] Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii* General Characteristics: Plumage is brown and black. Breeds in Japan, migrates to Australia during the northern hemisphere winter. Arrives in Australia in late spring and leaves again in late summer. Feeds by probing in the mud. *Diet:* Insects, worms and seeds. *Habitat:* Well vegetated swamps and grassed marshes. *Distribution in NSW:* Distributed throughout the eastern half of NSW. [ TOP ] Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes *General Characteristics:* One of the most common waders to visit Australia. Leaves its breeding grounds in northeastern Siberia in mid-August arriving in Australia sometime in September. They stay until they following April. Males and Females are light grey on top and white below. Light brown with white specks on the lower back and tail. Black bill and brown eyes. *Diet: Crustaceans and other invertebrates. Habitat: Frequent tidal mudflats, estuaries and mangroves. Distribution in NSW: Common to the north coast areas of NSW, although they can also be found along the rest of the NSW coast. [ TOP ] Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres* *General Characteristics:* Has a very sharp, stout bill. Brown speckled plumage on back and head. White underneath. Black band around the chest. Bill is also black. Flies from Siberia or Alaska to Australia in August -September each year. *Diet: Limpets, mussels, worms, small fish, sea urchins. Habitat: Frequent beaches. Distribution in NSW: Only found along the coast of NSW. [ TOP ] Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus* *General Characteristics:* Nomadic. Has long, thin, spindly red legs. Back of head, lower back and bill are black. Rest of body is white. Eye is red. It is limited to foraging in shallow water. *Diet: Molluscs, aquatic insects, shrimps and diatoms. Habitat: Most commonly found around the edges of still, shallow water, both fresh and brackish. Distribution in NSW: Found throughout NSW. [ TOP ] References and Further Reading* Readers Digest. 1988. Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds. Reader’s Digest, Sydney. Van Gessel, F. 1983. Waders. Suborder: Charadrii. In "Wetlands in New South Wales". (Ed C. Haigh). National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW.

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	Copyright © 2000 - NSW Department of Natural Resources www.naturalresources.nsw.gov.au