Eastern Curlew - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Numenius madagascariensis

Conservation status in NSW: Not listed

Commonwealth status: Critically Endangered

Profile last updated: 06 Apr 2023

Description

The Eastern Curlew is a large wader (55-61 cm). They have a very long down-curved black bill which is pink at the base. They are streaked dark brown and buff above The chin and throat are whitish and there is a prominent white eye-ring; the iris is dark brown and they have a pale eyebrow. They are streaked dark brown and buff above with the feathers of the upper parts of the body brown, with blackish centres, and have broad pale rufous or olive-brown edges or notches. They have a long neck and long blue/grey legs.

Distribution

Within Australia, the Eastern Curlew has a primarily coastal distribution. The species is found in all states, particularly the north, east, and south-east regions including Tasmania. Eastern Curlews are rarely recorded inland. In NSW the species occurs across the entire coast but is mainly found in estuaries such as the Hunter River, Port Stephens, Clarence River, Richmond River and ICOLLs of the south coast.

The Eastern Curlew breeds in Russia and north-eastern China but its distribution is poorly known. During the non-breeding season a few birds occur in southern Korea and China, but most spend the non-breeding season in north, east and south-east Australia.

Habitat and ecology

It generally occupies coastal lakes, inlets, bays and estuarine habitats, and in New South Wales is mainly found in intertidal mudflats and sometimes saltmarsh of sheltered coasts.
Occasionally, the species occurs on ocean beaches (often near estuaries), and coral reefs, rock platforms, or rocky islets
It forages in or at the edge of shallow water, occasionally on exposed algal mats or waterweed, or on banks of beach-cast seagrass or seaweed.
It roosts on sandy spits and islets, especially on dry beach sand near the high-water mark, and among coastal vegetation including low saltmarsh or mangroves. May also roost on wooden oyster leases or other similar structures
The Eastern Curlew is carnivorous, mainly eating crustaceans (including crabs, shrimps and prawns), small molluscs, as well as some insects.
The birds may delay breeding until three to four years of age. Within Australia, immature birds, which do not migrate, move northward in winter.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

The dominant threats to the Eastern Curlew are associated with development pressure and human disturbance in foraging sites in coastal areas, both in Australia and especially their staging grounds during migration.
Their tidal feeding grounds on the Yellow Sea are undergoing a rapid rate of transformation due to land reclamation, agriculture and industry with about 10% of the world's human population occupying the river catchments draining into the Yellow Sea.
Eastern Curlews are also likely to be displaced from foraging and roosting sites by heavy human recreational use of beaches, shorelines and estuaries.
Hydrological changes to estuaries and similar waterbodies may modify or remove important areas of suitable habitat

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified 0 priority actions to help recover the Eastern Curlew in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Control dogs on beaches and in estuaries.
Raise visitor awareness of the presence of this and other threatened shorebird species; provide information on how visitors' actions will affect the species' survival.
Conduct searches for the species in suitable habitat in proposed development areas.
Manage estuaries, inland water bodies and the surrounding landscape to maintain the natural hydrological regimes.
Protect coastal areas from pollution.
Protect and maintain known or potential habitat; implement protection zones around recent records.
Protect foraging and roosting areas from disturbance or inappropriate development.
Assess the importance of sites to the species' survival, including linkages provided between ecological resources across the broader landscape.

Information sources

Higgins PJ, Davies SJJF (1996) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds
Marchant, S. and Higgins, P.J. (Eds) (1993) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings. (Oxford University Press, Melbourne)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Yuraygir	Known	None
Ocean	Batemans Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Manning Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	South Pacific Ocean	Known	None
Ocean	Tweed-Moreton	Known	None
Ocean	Twofold Shelf	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Northern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Southern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Other State	Jervis Bay Territory	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Other State	SA	Known	None
Other State	VIC	Known	None
South East Corner	Bateman	Known	None
South East Corner	East Gippsland Lowlands	Known	None
South East Corner	South East Coastal Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Burringbar-Conondale Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Sunshine Coast-Gold Coast Lowlands	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Jervis	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Sydney Cataract	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None

Images

Single individual Botany Bay Image 1 of 2.
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Nature conservation

Threatened species