Some of the longest journeys in the animal world are helping local ecologists understand changes to our local environment. Northern Beaches Council led a community workshop on Saturday to help raise awareness about the role played by migratory shorebirds and the importance of healthy coastal ecosystems.

Council’s Deputy General Manager Ben Taylor said the workshop actively engaged the community and he thanked those who attended.

“We know that things like climate change and increasing human encroachment on the coastline can impact the habitat of shorebirds.

“Northern Beaches Council is proud to be working with Birdlife Australia and their Shorebirds 2020 Program to help protect our migratory shorebirds and protect their habitat.

“I’d like to thank the community who surveyed these birds over the weekend. The information gathered will help us to better understand what factors are affecting the populations,” Mr Taylor said. 

Around 25 community volunteers along with the Long Reef Waders group spent the workshop learning surveying techniques and participating in one of the monthly shorebird surveys.   

Australia is home to many of the shorebirds that migrate to the Arctic during winter to breed and nest.

No fewer than 22 different species of migratory bird have been recorded at Dee Why Lagoon and Long Reef Headland, with four being listed as vulnerable.