Peterborough and surrounds are rich in birdlife with more than 150 species recorded there in recent times. Birds seen at Peterborough range from resident species that remain all year round to migratory shorebirds that fly along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway all the way from their homelands in the northern hemisphere; from places such as Japan, Siberia and Alaska, to visit the local wetlands, beaches, estuary and nearby islands during our spring and summer.
Birds are part of the everyday experience at Peterborough: Normally shy Rufous Bristlebirds, Latham’s Snipe, Buff-banded Rails and Australian Spotted Crakes can be commonly seen foraging on lawns and roadsides at different times of the year. Oystercatchers and plovers, beach-nesting birds, are present on the beaches all year round. Raptors including White-bellied Sea Eagles, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Swamp Harriers and Whistling Kites are regularly seen overhead patrolling the heathland, estuary and dunes; while Peregrine Falcons, Australian Hobbies and Nankeen Kestrels tend to focus their attention on the cliffs and beaches. Large flocks of Black Swans and squadrons of Pelicans thrive on the Curdies River Estuary when the conditions are right.
Peterborough is a place where you can also expect to see the unexpected. Orange-bellied Parrots refreshing themselves in a birdbath in town (seen by residents through their kitchen window); a Cape Barren Goose visiting a local wetland out of the blue; a flock of Banded Stilts striding about looking lost at the Bay of Martyrs; a Little Penguin popping up briefly among swimmers enjoying a dip on a hot day at Worm Bay; a ‘not so’ Inland Dotterel foraging among the beach wrack at Massacre Bay and a Wedge-tailed Eagle roosting on a Hills-hoist clothesline in a backyard are among some of the more memorable sightings in recent years.
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Habitats
Bird species have specific habitat requirements in terms of food, shelter and suitable nesting sites. Peterborough and surrounds encompass a range of different habitats which each support a different mix of bird species. Land meets the sea here which means it is a place where vastly different species frequently meet and interact.
Wetlands-
Curdies River and Estuary: Water is the basis of all life and a healthy river is crucial for the plants and animals at all levels of the food chain that it supports, including birds. Waterbirds, Seabirds & others: Black Swans (high-count 1,300 Jan-2023), Australian Pelicans, Royal and Yellow-billed Spoonbills, Great Egrets, Australian White and Straw-necked Ibis, and several species of ducks including Grey and Chestnut Teal, Pacific Black Ducks and Australian Shelducks are regularly seen. Also, Little Pied, Little Black, Great and Black-faced Cormorants. White-headed Stilts and the elegant Red-necked Avocet are also present when conditions are right. Crakes and rails are usually adept at keeping out of sight, though some years they are bold enough to feed out in the open in daylight. Critically Endangered Australasian Bitterns are occasionally seen and more often heard. Silver Gulls are common and Terns are frequently seen; particularly Crested Terns roosting at the river’s edge on the sandbar, when the mouth is closed and Whiskered Terns and Caspian Terns are observed at different times of the year. Australian Terns and Fairy Terns are only sighted occasionally. Hoary Headed and Australasian Grebes can frequently be seen along with the occasional Great-crested Grebe. Beach-nesting Birds- Red-capped Plovers were once common around the estuary where they nested and reared their young, but their numbers have dropped as conditions have changed. Conditions suit them best when the water level drops enough to expose a sandy shoreline around the outside of the estuary and rich flats for a lengthy period during Spring and Summer (which has not occurred for some time). Visiting Migratory Shorebirds roost and forage around the edges of the estuary too (late Spring – early Autumn). Numbers have been generally quite low during recent years due to the water level remaining high throughout the whole of Spring and Summer with the mouth closed for most of the year. Red-necked Stints and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are generally the most numerous. Other species observed in recent years include Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Pacific Golden Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones, Greenshanks and the occasional Red Knot. Most return to the northern hemisphere during the Autumn for their breeding season, though small numbers of Red-necked Stints stay behind over Winter. Raptors regularly patrol the estuary including the heathland, with Swamp Harriers and Whistling Kites the most numerous, together with Wedge Tailed Eagles, Brown Falcons, Brown Goshawks, Black-shouldered Kites and White-bellied Sea Eagles.
Town Wetlands: Waterbirds and Migratory Shorebirds populate the wetlands dotted in and around the town. The wetlands together form a complex, with each pond or swamp playing an important part in supporting birdlife at different times of the year. A nationally significant population of Latham’s Snipe begins to arrive annually in late August after their breeding season in the northern hemisphere to spend the spring and summer at Peterborough. After spending the night foraging in wet paddocks, ditches and flooded areas they return to the wetlands to roost and rest during the daylight hours. They make the long flight back to their breeding grounds in South-east Siberia and Japan in March. Other migratory shorebirds share the wetlands with the Snipe, including Wood Sandpipers, an uncommon bird in this part of the World and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. The wetlands also provide habitat for a wide range of waterbirds including Black Swans (nesting), White-headed Stilts, egrets, spoonbills and ducks.
Wetlands on Farms: The area between the Old Peterborough Road and the Great Ocean Road is dotted with wetlands. Some of these can be seen from the roadside and those that are in a healthy state appear to host a similar range of birds to the town wetlands.
Heathland: The heathlands of the Bay of Islands Coastal Park to the west, Port Campbell National Park to the east and the Peterborough Coastal Reserve and some privately owned land fringing parts of the estuary support many different species of birds. These include Rufous Bristlebirds, Striated Fieldwrens, White-fronted Chats, Golden-headed Cisticolas, Superb Fairy-wrens, New Holland and Singing Honeyeaters, Red and Little Wattlebirds and Grey Shrike-thrush. Species seen less frequently include Southern Emu-wrens, Crescent Honeyeaters, Chestnut-rumped Heathwrens and Eastern Spinebills. Blue-winged Parrots also frequent the heath and in past times Orange-bellied Parrots were regularly seen there.
Beaches and Dunes: Beach nesting birds namely Hooded Plovers and Pied and Sooty Oystercatchers are regularly seen while Red-capped Plover numbers appear to be declining. Hooded Plovers are a species listed as Vulnerable to Extinction and are the focus of the Beach-nesting Birds Project. Local volunteers and Birdlife Australia staff work together with the goal of increasing the success rate of their nesting attempts during their breeding season which generally runs from September to April. Nests are fenced and monitored, and signage is put up alerting the public of their presence. While the adults are hardy little birds, their nests and chicks are extremely vulnerable, with dogs, cats and foxes as well as disturbance by humans being among their main threats. Double-banded Plovers, visitors from New Zealand, spend much of the Autumn and Winter along our coast. Seabirds and others- At certain times of the year Crested Terns roost in their hundreds near the mouth of the Curdies (on the sandbar when its closed). One or two Caspian Terns can sometimes be spotted roosting with them. Silver, Pacific and Kelp Gulls are frequently encountered, and Australasian Gannets are often seen fishing offshore. Shy and Black-browed Albatross are occasionally seen out at sea with binoculars, particularly during the winter months. A colony of Fairy Penguins resides at nearby London Bridge. Great views can be had of them in their natural environment, returning from a day’s fishing and marching up the beach to their burrows just after Sunset. A flock of Banded Stilts (Nov-2020) at the Bay of Martyrs and a not so Inland Dotterel (Nov-2022) at Massacre Bay are two of the more unusual sightings on the beaches around Peterborough in recent years. Species of the Dunes- The dunes support scrub and grassland, and host a variety of birds including Brush Bronzewings, Blue-winged Parrots, New Holland, Singing and Crescent Honeyeaters, Nankeen Kestrels, Little Ravens.
Islands and Cliffs: Islands: Being mostly pest free, and generally out of the range of people, islands provide a refuge for a variety of birds at different times of the year. Black-faced Cormorants nest on rocky ledges on some of the islands, including the one just off the west end of Crofts Bay and on specific islands at the Bay of Islands. Like many species of birds Spring is a favoured nesting time, but it is not unusual for them to also nest at other times of the year, even during winter. Silver Gulls and Crested Terns prefer the less precarious position on top of several of the larger islands, including those off Worm Bay and Massacre Bay. Other species ranging from Starlings to Shelducks and Long-billed Corellas to Nankeen Kestrels are also seen on the islands at different times. A large population of Short-tailed Shearwaters nests on Muttonbird Island further east. The lookouts and carparks at neighbouring Bays are good locations from which to observe the island birdlife. Cliffs: Mainland cliff faces provide similar advantages to the islands in that they are largely inaccessible to people and at least some of the introduced pests. Several species nest in the cliffs, including Nankeen Kestrels and the occasional Peregrine Falcon.
Ocean: Seabirds: Silver Gulls remain the most common seabirds observed, while Pacific and Kelp Gulls are also regularly seen. Australian Gannets can sometimes be observed fishing close to shore, with occasional sightings of Albatross further out to sea. High ground such as the carpark at the Irvine Memorial overlooking the main beach and estuary, and the heights above the neighbouring bays provide good vantage points to watch for seabirds. Beach washed bodies of Fairy Prions and Short-tailed Shearwaters and other species provide evidence that they are also active offshore.
Farmland: Much of the area surrounding Peterborough has been cleared for farmland, with varying amounts of native vegetation being retained. The open farmland suits a range of species that have moved into the area to take advantage of the changed conditions. These include Galahs, Long-billed Corellas, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, Black-shouldered Kites, Brown Falcons, Australian Magpies, Little Ravens, Willie Wagtails, Australian Pipits, Crested Pigeons, Eastern Cattle Egrets, Australian White and Straw-necked Ibis and Yellow-rumped Thornbills as well as introduced species.
Township: The settlement of Peterborough is home to numerous species of birds, both native and introduced. Rufous Bristlebirds, Superb Fairy-wrens, New Holland Honeyeaters, Red and Little Wattlebirds, Brown and Yellow-rumped Thornbills, Crimson Rosellas, Australian Magpies, Magpie Larks, Masked Lapwings and the introduced Greenfinches are commonly encountered. Seasonal visitors include Blue-winged Parrots and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos as well as the occasional Eastern Yellow Robin. Waterholes in the town provide Peterborough residents and visitors with the unique opportunity to live side by side with a range of migratory species such as Latham’s Snipe, Wood Sandpipers and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers as well as waterbirds, raptors and numerous other birds. In fact, Peterborough’s location on the Southern Ocean at the mouth of the Curdies River is ideal for birdwatching.
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Threatened Bird Species at Peterborough and surrounds
Critically Endangered
- Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus (FFGA). Endangered (EPBC)
- Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (EPBC, FFGA)
- Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster (EPBC, FFGA) ***
Endangered
- Australian Tern Gelochelidon nilotica macrotarsa (FFGA)
- Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia (EPBC, FFGA)
- Gang Gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum (EPBC, FFGA)
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta nigripes (FFGA)
- Red Knot Calidris canutus (FFGA). Vulnerable (EPBC)
- Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres (FFGA)
- Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta (EPBC, FFGA)
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster (FFGA)
- Wood Sandpiper (FFGA)
Vulnerable
- Australasian Shoveler Spatula rhynchotis (FFGA)
- Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica (FFGA)
- Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma (EPBC)
- Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia (FFGA)
- Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Calamanthus pyrrhopygius (FFGA)
- Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos (FFGA)
- Eastern Great Egret Ardea alba modesta (FFGA)
- Hooded Plover Thinornis cucullatus cucullatus (EPBC, FFGA)
- Inland Dotterel Peltohyas australis (FFGA)
- Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii (EPBC)
- Lewin’s Rail Lewinia pectoralis (FFGA)
- Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides (FFGA)
- Musk Duck Biziura lobata (FFGA)
- Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva (FFGA)
- Rufous Bristlebird Otway. Dasyornis broadbenti caryochrous (FFGA)
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata (EPBC)
- White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus (EPBC)
Key= EPBC : Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
FFGA : Victorian Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act
*** Orange-bellied Parrot is No. 2 on the Threatened Species Recovery Hub list of Australian
birds most at risk of Extinction
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Threats
Habitat loss (the biggest threat to biodiversity worldwide)
- Land clearing
- Wetland drainage
- Inappropriate / over development
- Habitat fragmentation
Habitat degradation
- Curdies River (Blue-green algae etc.)
- Ocean, dunes and beaches (pollution - including plastics, erosion etc)
Introduced species
- Foxes
- Cats (feral and domestic- estimated to kill 1 million birds a day Australia wide)
- Dogs (particularly off-lead on beaches)
Disturbance
- Particularly threatened and migratory species (key stages- nesting, recovery after migration)
Challenges
- Balancing visitor and recreation opportunities with the conservation of habitat and wildlife
- Balancing expansion of built environment with the conservation of habitat and wildlife
Development and conservation are not mutually exclusive. Keywords= Balance and Sustainability
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Key Organizations and Projects
Birdlife Australia
https://birdlife.org.au/
Beach-nesting Birds Project (Birdlife Australia)
https://birdlife.org.au/programs/beach-nesting-birds/
Latham’s Snipe Project
https://lathamssnipeproject.wordpress.com/
Bittern Project (Birdlife Australia)
https://birdlife.org.au/projects/bittern-project/
Bitterns on Farms Project (Birdlife Australia and Heytesbury District Landcare Network)
https://www.heytesburylandcare.org.au/bitternsonfarms
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Peterborough Bird News & Further Reading
Newsletter with monthly editions September to February plus Spring and Winter editions
https://sites.google.com/view/peterboroughbirdnews/home