Integrative Ecology Education
Introduction to Migratory Shore Birds
In Australia we have roughly 37 Migratory shore birds that visit our coastal areas, beaches and mudflats during summer. In Victoria they feed on invertebrates on the mudflats of coastal and inland wetlands. Migratory shore birds migrate the greatest distance of any known species, from their breeding grounds in places like Northeast Asia, in northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere arctic, stopping at feeding grounds in counties like New Zealand and Australia. We are yet to known exactly how these birds navigate their migration but we do know that they can sense the earth's magnetic field to direct them towards the south or the north, and we believe that they can distinguish markers such as stars and mountains to assist in navigation. When the weather cools, migratory shore birds sense the change and prepare for migration by eating extreme amounts to double their body weight in fat, which will be converted to energy during flight.
To learn more about the Migratory Shore birds that visit Australia, click on the link below for BirdLife Australia.
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Dr Marcel Klaassen's talk at the Deakin University Integrative Ecology Teaching symposium and an interview with a Bar-tailed Godwit by BirdsLife Australia
http://www.farewellshorebirds.org.au
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Activity 1
Sand-tail Sandpiper adaptation worksheet
Adaptations are physical or behavioural characteristics that assists the individuals survival in its environment and inherited (passed down from parents to child) .
To complete the first activity download the document, read the background information provided about the sharp-tail sandpiper and answer the questions based on your knowledge of adaptions and evolution and the background information provided.
Extension Activity
Complete your own research on another migratory shore bird that visits Australia during migration.
- You can display the information in a short paragraph adding images
- You could choose to create a PowerPoint or short animated video using https://www.powtoon.com.
- Another option is creating a comedic skit in teams such as the following example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bndabWDDX8o&list=PLJe8R7wWkPekoblwfuAVCfT1SYSdvaEv5
Use the following questions to guide your research and task:
Which country/countries do they breed in?
Which country/countries do they migrate to during the winter?
Which countries other than Australia do they visit on their way?
What habitats are they usually found in when they visit Australia?
What physical and behavioural adaptions do they have to assist survival and migration?