Conserving migratory waterbirds and the coastal zone: the future of South-east Asia's intertidal wetlands

Abstract South-east Asia's diverse coastal wetlands, which span natural mudflats and mangroves to man-made salt pans, offer critical habitat for many migratory waterbird species in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Species dependent on these wetlands include nearly the entire population of the Critically Endangered spoon-billed sandpiper Calidris pygmaea and the Endangered spotted greenshank Tringa guttifer, and significant populations of several other globally threatened and declining species. Presently, more than 50 coastal Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in the region (7.4% of all South-east Asian IBAs) support at least one threatened migratory species. However, recent studies continue to reveal major knowledge gaps on the distribution of migratory waterbirds and important wetland sites along South-east Asia's vast coastline, including undiscovered and potential IBAs. Alongside this, there are critical gaps in the representation of coastal wetlands across the protected area networks of many countries in this region (e.g. Viet Nam, Indonesia, Malaysia), hindering effective conservation. Although a better understanding of the value of coastal wetlands to people and their importance to migratory species is necessary, governments and other stakeholders need to do more to strengthen the conservation of these ecosystems by improving protected area coverage, habitat restoration, and coastal governance and management. This must be underpinned by the judicious use of evidence-based approaches, including satellite-tracking of migratory birds, ecological research and ground surveys.

Download Full-text

Diversity of waterbirds in mudflat and fishpond habitats in coastal Wetlands of East Lampung, Indonesia

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/948/1/012025 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 948 (1) ◽

pp. 012025

Author(s):

A R A Khalil ◽

Y A Mulyani ◽

A Mardiastuti ◽

D Iswandaru

Keyword(s):

Coastal Wetlands ◽

Diversity Indices ◽

Migratory Species ◽

Study Objective ◽

Field Surveys ◽

Concentration Method ◽

Migratory Shorebirds ◽

Waterbird Species ◽

Vantage Points ◽

Far Eastern

Abstract Coastal wetlands provide habitat for waterbirds. However, changes in land use in coastal wetlands in East Lampung, Lampung Province, might affect the use of habitats by waterbirds. The study objective was to identify waterbird species using wetland habitat in coastal areas of East Lampung. Field surveys were conducted in November 2020 in two habitat types, i.e., mudflats and fishponds, employing a concentration method from several vantage points, then calculating Shannon-Wienner diversity indices (H’). A total of 23 species from 9 families of waterbirds were recorded. Mudflat had a higher diversity (H’½2.21) than fishpond (H’=1.74). Sixteen species were found on mudflats, dominated by shorebirds from the families of Scolopacidae and Charadriidae, which are primarily migratory species. Fishponds were used by 12 species, dominated by the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) and Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus). Two endangered species, i.e., Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) and Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea), and one vulnerable species, Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus), were observed using mudflats. This study showed that mudflat in coastal wetlands of East Lampung provides essential habitats for conserving threatened waterbirds and migratory shorebirds.

Download Full-text

Migratory songbirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway: a review from a conservation perspective

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270914000276 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 1-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

DING LI YONG ◽

YANG LIU ◽

BING WEN LOW ◽

CARMELA P. ESPAÑOLA ◽

CHANG-YONG CHOI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

East Asia ◽

Habitat Loss ◽

Migratory Birds ◽

Southern China ◽

East Asian ◽

Mainland China ◽

Conservation Priorities ◽

Migratory Species ◽

Long Distance ◽

Migratory Songbirds

SummaryThe East Asian-Australasian Flyway supports the greatest diversity and populations of migratory birds globally, as well as the highest number of threatened migratory species of any flyway, including passerines (15 species). However it is also one of the most poorly understood migration systems, and little is known about the populations and ecology of the passerine migrants that breed, stop over and winter in the habitats along this flyway. We provide the first flyway-wide review of diversity, ecology, and conservation issues relating to 170 species of long-distance and over 80 short-distance migrants from 32 families. Recent studies of songbird migration movements and ecology is limited, and is skewed towards East Asia, particularly Mainland China, Taiwan, Russia, Japan and South Korea. Strong evidence of declines exists for some species, e.g. Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola, but tends to be fragmentary, localised or anecdotal for many others. More species have small breeding ranges (< 250,000 km2) and/or are dependent on tropical forests as wintering habitat than those in any other Eurasian migratory system, and are thus more vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation throughout their ranges. Poorly regulated hunting for food and the pet trade, invasive species and collisions with man-made structures further threaten migratory songbirds at a number of stop-over or wintering sites, while climate change and habitat loss may be of increasing concern in the breeding ranges. A key conservation priority is to carry out intensive field surveys across the region while simultaneously tapping into citizen science datasets, to identify important stop-over and wintering sites, particularly for poorly-known or globally threatened species across South-East Asia and southern China for targeted conservation actions. Additionally, the advent of miniaturised tracking technology, molecular and isotopic techniques can provide novel insights into migration connectivity, paths and ecology for species in this migration system, complementing data from banding exercises and observation-based surveys, and could prove useful in informing conservation priorities. However, until most states along the East Asian-Australasian flyway ratify the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and other cross-boundary treaties, the relative lack of cross-boundary cooperation, coordination and information sharing in the region will continue to present a stumbling block for effective conservation of migratory passerines.

Download Full-text

Key conservation issues for migratory land- and waterbird species on the world's major flyways

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270908000439 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 18 (S1) ◽

pp. S49-S73 ◽

Cited By ~ 168

Author(s):

Jeff S. Kirby ◽

Alison J. Stattersfield ◽

Stuart H. M. Butchart ◽

Michael I. Evans ◽

Richard F. A. Grimmett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Migratory Birds ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Bird Species ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Red List ◽

Neotropical Migrants ◽

Infrastructure Development ◽

Migratory Species ◽

Waterbird Species ◽

Near Threatened

AbstractAn estimated 19% of the world's 9,856 extant bird species are migratory, including some 1,600 species of land- and waterbirds. In 2008, 11% of migratory land- and waterbirds were classed by BirdLife International as threatened or near-threatened on the IUCN Red List. Red List indices show that these migrants have become more threatened since 1988, with 33 species deteriorating and just six improving in status. There is also increasing evidence of regional declines. Population trend data show that more Nearctic–Neotropical migrants have declined than increased in North America since the 1980s, and more Palearctic–Afrotropical migrants breeding in Europe declined than increased during 1970–2000. Reviews of the status of migratory raptors show unfavourable conservation status for 51% of species in the African–Eurasian region (in 2005), and 33% of species in Central, South and East Asia (in 2007). Land-use change owing to agriculture is the most frequently cited threat affecting nearly 80% of all threatened and near-threatened species. However, while agricultural intensification on the breeding grounds is often proposed as the major driver of declines in Palearctic–Afrotropical migrants, some species appear to be limited by the quantity and quality of available habitat in non-breeding areas, notably the drylands of tropical Africa. Forest fragmentation in breeding areas has contributed to the declines of Nearctic–Neotropical migrants with deforestation in non-breeding areas another possible factor. Infrastructure development including wind turbines, cables, towers and masts can also be a threat. Over-harvesting and persecution remain serious threats, particularly at key migration locations. Climate change is affecting birds already, is expected to exacerbate all these pressures, and may also increase competition between migratory and non-migratory species. The conservation of migratory birds thus requires a multitude of approaches. Many migratory birds require effective management of their critical sites, and Important Bird Areas (IBAs) provide an important foundation for such action; however to function effectively in conserving migratory species, IBAs need to be protected and the coherence of the network requires regular review. Since many migratory species (c. 55%) are widely dispersed across their breeding or non-breeding ranges, it is essential to address the human-induced changes at the wider landscape scale, a very considerable challenge. Efforts to conserve migratory birds in one part of the range are less effective if unaddressed threats are reducing these species' populations and habitats elsewhere. International collaboration and coordinated action along migration flyways as a whole are thus key elements in any strategy for the conservation of migratory birds.

Download Full-text

Local temperature and El Niño Southern Oscillation influence migration phenology of East Asian migratory waterbirds wintering in Poyang, China

Integrative Zoology ◽

10.1111/1749-4877.12248 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 303-317 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Fei XU ◽

Guanhua LIU ◽

Yali SI

Keyword(s):

El Niño ◽

El Nino ◽

Southern Oscillation ◽

East Asian ◽

Local Temperature ◽

El Niño Southern Oscillation ◽

El Nino Southern Oscillation ◽

Migration Phenology ◽

Migratory Waterbirds

Download Full-text

Even worms matter: cave habitat restoration for a planarian species increased environmental suitability but not abundance

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605318000741 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 216-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Raoul Manenti ◽

Benedetta Barzaghi ◽

Gianbattista Tonni ◽

Gentile Francesco Ficetola ◽

Andrea Melotto

Keyword(s):

Endemic Species ◽

Protected Area ◽

Habitat Restoration ◽

Illustrative Case ◽

Stable Pool ◽

Invertebrate Species ◽

Environmental Suitability ◽

Local Organizations ◽

Human Use ◽

Cave Habitat

AbstractInvertebrates living in underground environments often have unusual and sometimes unique adaptations and occupy narrow ranges, but there is a lack of knowledge about most micro-endemic cave-dwelling invertebrate species. An illustrative case is that of the flatworm Dendrocoelum italicum, the first survey of which was performed 79 years after its description. The survey revealed that the underground stream supplying water to the pool from which the species was first described had been diverted into a pipe for human use, thus severely reducing the available habitat for the species. Here we describe the results of what we believe is the first habitat restoration action performed in a cave habitat for the conservation of a flatworm. The water-diverting structure was removed, with the involvement of local protected area administrators, citizens and volunteers from local organizations. The intervention resulted in the restoration of a large, stable pool inside the cave, thus creating an optimal habitat for this threatened planarian, with increased availability of prey and a stable population. This report of habitat restoration for a neglected invertebrate offers insights for the protection of other micro-endemic species.

Download Full-text

Bilateral agreements for the protection of migratory birdlife: the implementation of the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA)

Asia Pacific Journal of Environmental Law ◽

10.4337/apjel.2019.01.07 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 137-159

Author(s):

Evan Hamman

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

South Korea ◽

Migratory Birds ◽

East Asian ◽

Migratory Bird ◽

Asia Pacific ◽

Specific Reference ◽

Bilateral Agreements ◽

Chinese Law ◽

Effective Conservation

Every year, millions of migratory birds journey along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). The scope of the EAAF encompasses Asia Pacific nations like Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. The effective conservation of these birds rests upon the implementation of bilateral legal agreements as well as non-binding regional initiatives along this North-South nexus. This article evaluates the implementation of one of the most important bilateral bird agreements in the region – the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA). The main obligations in CAMBA are identified; as are the legal initiatives adopted by both China and Australia which reflect CAMBA's obligations. Whilst Australian law makes specific reference to CAMBA, Chinese law is far less direct, though perhaps no less effective. The argument is made that the findings in this article have relevance for an improved understanding of the mechanisms for transboundary governance of migratory birdlife, especially in the Asia Pacific.

Download Full-text

Potential impacts of wind farms on migratory birds crossing Spain

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270908008137 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 131-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

JOSÉ LUIS TELLERÍA

Keyword(s):

Iberian Peninsula ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Migratory Birds ◽

Cumulative Effect ◽

Wind Farms ◽

Main Flow ◽

Rapid Expansion ◽

Migratory Species ◽

Northern Spain ◽

Potential Impact

SummaryOver recent years, Spain has undergone a huge expansion in the number of wind farms, many of which extend across regions crossed by migratory birds that winter in the Iberian Peninsula and Africa. This paper explores the potential impact these structures have on the massive flow of birds along the western Pyrenean flyway. Ringing recoveries of migratory Wood Pigeons Columba palumbus were used in the study to depict the movements of migratory birds and these were then compared to the distribution of wind farms. The main flow of pigeons (50% of ringing recoveries) was concentrated in a belt 50 km wide. Although the wind farms were mainly distributed outside this central belt, they intercepted an adjacent sector where a considerable number of ringed pigeons (30%) were recorded. This means that the two central bands (100 km wide) accounted for around 80% of the total number of Wood Pigeons crossing the region. These results suggest the need for a scrupulous evaluation of the potential impact of wind farms on migratory birds along this flyway, particularly the cumulative effect on populations crossing the region regularly. In view of the rapid expansion of wind farms in northern Spain, enforcement of the application of EU regulations on preventive measures to protect migratory species is urgently needed.

Download Full-text

Defining Moults in Migratory Birds: A Sequence-based Approach

10.1101/2021.10.04.463090 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Peter Pyle

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Migratory Birds ◽

Autumn Migration ◽

Evolutionary Approach ◽

Breeding Period ◽

P System ◽

Migratory Species ◽

Cycle System ◽

Factors Influencing

Two broad nomenclatures have emerged to describe moult strategies in birds, the "life-cycle" system which describes moults relative to present-day breeding and other life-history events and the Humphrey-Parkes (H-P) system which reflects the evolution of moults along ancestral lineages. Using either system, challenges have arisen defining strategies in migratory species with more than one moult per year. When all or part of two moults occur in non-breeding areas they may fail to be recognized as two moults or have been discriminated temporally, whether feathers are replaced in fall, winter, or spring. But in some cases feather replacement can span the non-breeding period, and this has resulted in an inability to identify inserted moults and to compare moult strategies between species. Furthermore, recent analyses on factors influencing the extent of the postjuvenile or preformative moults have either confined this moult to the summer grounds or presumed that it can be suspended and resumed on winter grounds, which has lead to quite divergent results. Evolutionarily, the timing, extent, and location of moults are very plastic whereas the sequence in which feathers are replaced is comparatively fixed. As, such, I propose taking an evolutionary approach to define moults on the basis of feather-replacement sequences as opposed to timing or location of replacement, including strategies in which moults can overlap temporally. I provide examples illustrating the functionality of a sequence-based definition in three migratory North American passerines that can undergo feather replacement twice in non breeding areas, and I demonstrate how this system can effectively apply to moults in many other passerine and non-passerine species. I recommend that authors studying the evolutionary drivers of moult strategies in migratory birds adopt a sequence-based approach or carefully consider replacement strategies both prior to and following autumn migration.

Download Full-text