What is the WaterbirdTracker?
Why track waterbirds?
Many waterbirds rely on our inland rivers and wetlands for all or part of their life cycle. They can move across large areas of our region in search of suitable habitats which provide the different food types they need to survive.
The WaterbirdTracker Project is a new project that provides a community website for recording waterbird sightings and to highlight the threats that can harm their habitats and their long term survival across the region.
These habitats are the wet places in the landscape that need protection and regular water flows to be in a healthy condition to provide food and nesting places.
Over time, the movement and locations of waterbirds will be better known across the northern region of the Murray-Darling Basin by you taking part.
Source: Daryl Albertson/OEH
The tracker webpage is a community based platform for recording waterbird sightings and to highlight the threats that can harm their habitats and long term survival across our region. In conservation circles this type of project is termed a ‘Flagship Species’ project which is has been used across the world with great success.
Source: Curtis Hayne
Flagship Species Project
Local native species or groups of species have the ability to focus community attention on the conservation of their habitats and the threats they are under.
Flagship species are often selected for they unique, charismatic and easily identified. They then have the ability to capture the imagination and serve as symbols that stimulate conservation, awareness and action.
Worldwide, examples are using the Bald Eagle in the forests of the United States, the Tiger in remnant forests of India and Lynx in Poland as their flagship species.
Tanzania uses their African Buffalo, Black Rhino and Savanna Elephant on their monies to raise awareness and action on conservation of natural habitats and species decline.
Waterbird Tracker seeks to raise the awareness of habitat loss, reduced or loss of water flows and feral animals, which are the main threats to our regional wetlands.
The use of Magpie Goose, Brolga, Black Swan, Glossy Ibis and Black-necked Stork serve as our flagship species, to conserve our waterbirds and their habitats, for future generations.
The NSW Office of Environment & Heritage in collaboration with FeralScan (www.feralscan.org.au) and local Environmental Water Advisory Groups in the Gwydir and Macquarie Valleys have developed this web based application for the community, to assist in conservation of our wet places.
Source: Joanne Ocock/OEH