Port Fairy is a coastal town in western Victoria, Australia that is home to a wide variety of migratory birds. Its location on the shores of the Southern Ocean and proximity to wetlands, rivers, and farmlands make it an ideal stopover point for birds migrating between Tasmania, mainland Australia, and beyond.
Why Do Birds Migrate Through Port Fairy?
There are a few key reasons why migratory birds visit Port Fairy:
- Stopover site – Port Fairy provides crucial resting and refueling grounds for shorebirds and seabirds migrating long distances between breeding and non-breeding grounds.
- Food availability – The bountiful fish stocks offshore and productive wetlands inland supply migrating birds with plenty of food resources.
- Habitat diversity – Port Fairy has a mix of habitats including beaches, reefs, islands, wetlands, forests, and farms that support diverse migratory bird species.
- Sheltered location – Being situated in a bay provides migrating birds some protection from the elements during long flights.
Its combination of geographical features makes Port Fairy a pivotal stopover for migratory birds traveling along southeastern Australia’s East Asian-Australasian Flyway between Australia and New Zealand. Timing of migrations coincide with seasons and food availability along the route.
When Do Migratory Birds Visit Port Fairy?
The timing of migratory bird arrivals and departures from Port Fairy depends on the species, but generally correlates with seasonal patterns:
- Spring (August to November) – Many species arrive for breeding after overwintering further north.
- Summer (December to February) – Some species breed while others prepare for southward migrations.
- Autumn (March to May) – Departures of shorebirds, seabirds, and others to northern latitudes for the winter.
- Winter (June to July) – Lower numbers present, mostly southern species that overwinter.
These patterns connect to migration between breeding and non-breeding grounds, availability of seasonal food sources, and weather conditions. Some species only pass through briefly during migrations, while others will spend weeks or months in Port Fairy.
What Are Some Key Migratory Shorebird Species in Port Fairy?
Many migratory shorebirds stop at Port Fairy along their journeys along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Some significant species include:
- Bar-tailed godwit – Large long-billed shorebird that breeds in Alaska and Siberia and migrates to Australia and New Zealand for the non-breeding season.
- Red knot – A rotund sandpiper with a red chest that makes one of the longest known migrations from Arctic breeding grounds all the way to Australia and New Zealand.
- Curlew sandpiper – A small shorebird with a distinctive downcurved bill that stops by the thousands as they migrate between Siberia and Australia.
- Ruddy turnstone – Stocky, short-legged shorebird with a chestnut and black pattern that annually migrates between the Arctic, Africa, and Australia.
- Great knot – Medium shorebird on migration between northeast Siberia and Australia, sometimes in huge flocks number 10,000+ birds.
These and other shorebirds form large congregations as they rest and feed in Port Fairy’s wetlands to fuel up for lengthy migratory journeys.
What Seabird Species Visit Port Fairy?
Port Fairy entertains migratory seabirds as well as shorebirds. Key species making migratory stopovers include:
- Short-tailed shearwater – Abundant tubenose seabird that nests in southern Australia and migrates all the way to the Bering Sea off Alaska in the northern summer.
- Crested tern – Large and graceful tern that nests across northern Australia and visits Port Fairy during migrations farther south.
- Flesh-footed shearwater – Makes one of the longest migrations of any bird between New Zealand and northern North America.
- Sooty shearwater – Another tubenose that traverses the entire Pacific Ocean in figure 8 migrations between hemispheres.
- Arctic jaeger – Northern hemisphere migrants that frequent southern oceans during the austral summer.
Port Fairy provides an abundance of fish, squid, and other marine life to sustain migrating seabirds for the long haul.
Featured Wetland and Coastal Sites
Some of the best locations to observe migratory birds in Port Fairy include:
The Belfast Lough
This sheltered coastal lagoon adjacent Port Fairy supports many migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. Large gatherings of birds occur, especially in summer including species like red-necked stint, sharp-tailed sandpiper, banded stilt, and chestnut teal.
Griffiths Island
The sandy beaches, dunes, and scrub here provide nesting habitat for migratory terns and feeding grounds for Ruddy turnstones, Pacific golden plovers, and red knots on migration.
Port Fairy Bay and Moyne River
The expansive intertidal flats, islands, and shorelines around Port Fairy Bay are inhabited seasonally by thousands of migrating shorebirds. The Moyne River hosts species such as Latham’s snipe and painted snipe.
Lake Yambuk
This large coastal salt lake with surrounding woodlands is an excellent site for migrating shorebirds, such as sharp-tailed sandpipers, as well as pale-bellied brent geese arriving from Siberia.
Why is Port Fairy Important for Migratory Birds?
For many migratory species, Port Fairy provides critical habitat needed to successfully complete their annual journeys between hemispheres. Key reasons it is internationally important include:
- Mid-way stopover location along migratory routes in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
- Supports over 20 migratory shorebird species identified as threatened or near threatened.
- Up to 40,000 migratory shorebirds use its wetlands annually.
- Diverse coastal and inland habitats support diverse migratory species.
- Declared an internationally significant site under the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Site Network.
Protecting stopover habitats like Port Fairy is crucial to protecting migratory bird species vulnerable to population declines worldwide.
Major Threats Facing Migratory Birds
Migratory birds face an array of threats on their lengthy annual journeys, especially at stopover sites like Port Fairy. Major issues include:
- Habitat loss from wetland drainage, filling, and degradation.
- Disturbance of birds from human activity, vehicles, dogs, boats, etc.
- Climate change affecting habitat and timing of migrations.
- Pollution from oil spills, plastics, and other contaminants.
- Overharvesting along migratory routes and in wintering areas.
Habitat conservation, limiting disturbances, climate action, reducing pollution, and sustainable harvesting practices are all needed to protect migratory birds into the future.
Conclusion
Port Fairy plays an integral ecological role in supporting many migratory bird species that breed at northern latitudes and overwinter in Australia and New Zealand along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. These migratory shorebirds, seabirds, waterfowl, and others rely on this region’s productive wetlands and coasts to rest and refuel during migrations. Maintaining the quality of stopover habitats in Port Fairy and beyond is crucial to the survival of vulnerable migratory birds into the future in the face of myriad threats they face during epic intercontinental migrations.