Use of sandbanks by terns in Queensland, Australia: a priority for conservation in a popular recreational waterway

Ken Chan; J Dening

doi:10.1007/s10531-005-6197-8

Back

Use of sandbanks by terns in Queensland, Australia: a priority for conservation in a popular recreational waterway

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Use of sandbanks by terns in Queensland, Australia: a priority for conservation in a popular recreational waterway

Ken Chan and J Dening

Biodiversity and Conservation, Vol.16(2), pp.447-464

2007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-005-6197-8

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-005-6197-8View

Published Version

Abstract

area of international importance

Caloundra sandbanks

human recreation

migration

overwintering

terns

Many terns (Laridae) from the northern hemisphere overwinter in Australia, but they are rarely covered comprehensively in bird counts in Australian coastal waterways. We conducted censuses over 3 years on terns in an increasingly popular recreational waterway at the northern end of Moreton Bay, known as Caloundra sandbanks, to provide the first overview of the relative abundance of non-breeding tern species on estuary-type sandbanks in Australia. The maximum number of birds counted was > 43,000, of which over 90% belonged to six species of terns. The most abundant tern species was the common tern Sterna hirundo longipennis which reached > 38,000 in one Austral summer. Other northern-breeding migrant terns were the white-winged black tern Chlidonias leucopterus ( > 17,000) and the little tern S. albifrons sinensis ( >11,000), which also breeds in Australia. These migrant terns arrived at Caloundra sandbanks at around late-October and a vast majority had departed by mid-April. Numbers were generally highest from late-December through to early-April. An additional three Australian-breeding terns of smaller population sizes frequented the sandbanks. Density of terns using the habitats could reach a peak of 600 ha-1 during the warmer months of the year, coinciding with peak human recreational activities. In light of the results, Caloundra sandbanks should be regarded as an Area of International Importance based on criteria contained in the Ramsar Convention. The situation at Caloundra sandbanks presents challenges to recreational and tourism issues, requiring review of traditional government priorities in the conservation of wetlands based primarily on waders.

Details

Title: Use of sandbanks by terns in Queensland, Australia: a priority for conservation in a popular recreational waterway
Authors: Ken Chan (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health and Education
J Dening (Author) - Jinan University
Publication details: Biodiversity and Conservation, Vol.16(2), pp.447-464
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Date published: 2007
DOI: 10.1007/s10531-005-6197-8
ISSN: 0960-3115
Organisation Unit: Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449126902621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

1 File views/ downloads

568 Record Views

7 Times Cited - Web of Science

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Biodiversity Conservation; Ecology; Environmental Sciences

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

Source: InCites