Donate this Christmas to save our spectacular shorebirds

Earlier this year, along with seven other migratory shorebirds, our Sharp-tailed Sandpiper was officially listed as a threatened species in Australia under our Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act.

This significant increase is a solemn reminder of the plight and struggle many of our native birds are facing. In fact, migratory shorebirds are now one of the most endangered groups of birds in the world.

You can help us reverse this trajectory today.

Sharpies rely on our rich, healthy wetlands upon their yearly return from Russia and Alaska, travelling the long East Asian-Australasian flyway, all the way to Australia. Our shores have always been a welcome home for these intrepid travellers — until recently. Habitat loss, destruction and climate change have severely impacted our lands, and once abundant bird populations.

Since European settlement, approximately 50 percent of Australia’s non-tidal wetlands have been lost due to human influence.

Please donate today to help us monitor and restore critical shorebird habitats, to save the incredible shorebirds who call Australia home.

With your support we can:

• Expand our monitoring of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers to reach all ends of Australia to identify key sites in need of protection.
• Protect vital habitats that migratory birds rely on to build their resilience against impending threats like avian influenza and climate change, such as in the Coorong National Park in South Australia.
• Collaborate with Traditional Owners and Indigenous Ranger groups, councils, land managers, local environment groups, citizen scientists and even schools – to work alongside each other to conserve shorebird habitat.
• Advocate for stronger environmental protections to safeguard Australia’s migratory shorebirds.

Please donate today to help ensure our Sharpies have a home to return to this Christmas and into the future.

This summer our wild bird populations and marine wildlife are also facing the impending threat of Avian Influenza, or ‘bird flu.’ Australia is the last continent on earth yet to face this challenge. Large-scale outbreaks of a new strain called H5N1 elsewhere in the world have shown that with healthy habitats and steady populations many species can recover from the flu’s devastating impact. This makes it even more crucial to protect the habitat that remains for our spectacular Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.

Please give today to help protect the remaining sanctuaries of Australia’s threatened shorebirds.

Banner Image: Godwit by McKinley Moens, Common Greenshank by Andrew Silcocks.  Below image: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper by Jason Moore. Other photos, left to right: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper by Mark Locker, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper by J.Harrison, third and fourth images – Sharp-tailed Sandpiper by Andrew Silcocks.