From Siberia with love – shorebirds descend on Moreton Bay

Published 08 September 2025

• City of Moreton Bay will soon welcome some 40,000 migratory shorebirds to its shores as they rest and recuperate after travelling thousands of kilometres
• One of those birds includes the Curlew sandpiper, some of which are known to travel 13,000km from Siberia every year
• The shorebirds will roost at several locations along the Pumicestone Passage with residents reminded to keep their distance to avoid disturbing them

A shorebird capable of making a 13,000km flight from Siberia will soon join thousands set to call Moreton Bay home for summer.

Identified by its distinctive black down-curved bill, the Curlew sandpiper will join some 40,000 shorebirds that will flock to the Pumicestone Passage in the next few weeks for their annual migration.

The tenacious traveller will eventually cover a distance equivalent to flying between the earth and moon over the course of its life and joins as many as 30 species of migratory shorebirds set to roost at any one of several sites across Moreton Bay.

That includes Kakadu Beach (located within Banksia Beach), Toorbul’s Ned Bishop Park and from Godwin Beach to Woody Point.

Other frequent fliers visiting the City include the Bar-tailed godwit, which takes a non-stop 11,000km one way trip from Alaska and the Eastern curlew - the world’s largest shorebird that drops in from northern China after spending their breeding season in the Amur River Valley.

Another Siberian tourist, the Grey-tailed tattler, will also set up shop.

The visitors will share the sand with some 1500 local resident shorebirds like the Pied oystercatcher and Beach stone-curlew along Pumicestone Passage to rest and recuperate before taking off again in April next year.

“Whether you arrive here on two legs or two wings it seems the secret is out about Moreton Bay being a destination of choice as we head into the warmer months of the year,” said City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery.

“Our City is home to a diverse array of wildlife and I’m sure our resident twitchers can’t wait to get on down and take some snaps.

“While our feathered friends spend this time to rest and recover after a long journey across the ocean, it’s important we remember to avoid disturbing them. Be sure to give shorebird roosts a wide berth as disturbances can cause them to lose energy and prevent them from gaining the weight needed for migration.

“Residents should avoid areas where shorebirds feed or roost and dogs should be kept on a leash unless they are in a designated off leash area.

“Together, we can all play a part in keeping our vulnerable visitors safe during their stay.”

Council’s Environmental Operations Team conduct monthly surveys of roost sites to monitor numbers and works closely with the Queensland Wader Study Group to gather information on different species.

Council also manages two hightide shorebird roosts at Kakadu Beach and Toorbul which provide long-term habitat for roosting shorebirds.

Environment officers ensure the gradient of those sites is appropriate for shorebirds and conduct regular weed and vegetation management, while bollards have been erected around the roost site at Toorbul to mark the roosting area.

Moreton Bay forms part of a bird migratory network known as East Asian–Australasian Flyway - one of only nine major flyways around the world. 

The flyway encompasses some 22 countries stretching from the Russian Far East and Alaska, southwards through East Asia and south-east Asia and south to Australia and New Zealand.

For more information on migratory and residential shorebird populations, head to https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Environment/Moreton-Bay-Wildlife/Local-Wildlife/Shorebirds    

For more information on bird watching locations, head to https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Environment/Moreton-Bay-Wildlife/Local-Wildlife/Birdwatching