Increasing waterbird abundances and maintaining waterbird species diversity are explicit objectives of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) Plan and MDB Environmental Watering Strategy. Rates of wetland habitat loss are increasing, and waterbird populations have declined. Australia also has international and national obligations to protect waterbirds and their habitats.
Waterbird breeding, foraging, stopover and refuge sites are associated with wetlands and are managed through decisions affecting water, habitat and other pressures that are made by a range of agencies. However, many waterbird species are highly mobile and can move across jurisdictional boundaries. In the context of climate change and competition for water resources, selection and prioritisation of sites for management requires information on ecological requirements, site use and connectivity for a range of waterbird species capable of moving from local to continental scales.
Our research aims to provide better understanding of the spatial and temporal scales and drivers of waterbird movements and site use, to inform adaptive management of water and wetlands to support waterbirds through their life cycles and assist with meeting the objective of maintaining or increasing populations. It uses the latest technology in avian satellite transmitters to track the movements of waterbirds at local, area and Basin scales. It provides never-before-seen detail describing the spatial and temporal scales and drivers of waterbird movements and site use, including breeding, foraging, stopover, refugia and Ramsar sites. This information assists with interpreting how site or selected area scale waterbird responses to environmental watering measured through local monitoring and evaluation are influenced by basin and national scale responses and drivers. It provides new understanding of species movements and requirements to inform adaptive management actions and help explain waterbird response or lack of response to environmental watering. Here, we give an overview of the latest results of our research and their implications.