Beach stone curlew

beach-stone-curlew-graham-winterflood-thumbnail.jpg
This table has 3 columns about scientific name, Queensland conservation status and local species status.
Scientific name Esacus magnirostris
Queensland conservation status Vulnerable
Local species status Priority species for conservation

What does it look like?

The beach stone-curlew is a large, heavy-set wader bird, emphasised by its chunky bill, strong legs and a short tail. Adults have grey-brown upperparts with a distinctive black-and-white striped face and shoulder-patch. The throat and breast are a paler grey and the belly white. The wings are broad and long, pale grey with dark leading and trailing edges to the inner wing and a bold black-and-white outer wing. The eyes are yellow and there is a yellow patch at the base of the bill.

Where does it live?

The beach stone-curlew is found along the Australian coastline from Point Cloates in Western Australia, across northern and north-east Australia, south to north-eastern New South Wales. They are occasionally recorded in south-eastern New South Wales and Victoria.

On the Gold Coast, the species is found in the Broadwater but can sometimes be seen in Tallebudgera Creek and Currumbin Creek estuaries.

Ecology & habitat

The beach stone-curlew inhabits a wide range of coastal habitats, including beaches, islands, reefs, estuarine sand and mudflats as well as mangroves. Usually seen alone or in pairs, they can also gather in small groups of up to 6 birds. They are mainly active at dawn, dusk and at night. They forage along the foreshore (intertidal zone) feeding on crabs and other marine invertebrates by spearing them with their bills.

Breeding season is from September to November. Nests are located just above the high-tide mark on sandbanks, sandpits, or islands in estuaries, coral ridges, among mangroves or on beaches. A single egg is laid onto the sand in a shallow scrape, but the female may lay a second egg if the first one is lost. Both parents defend the nest and care for the young. The young are born in advanced state of development (precocial) but appear not to be independent until they are 7 to 12 months old.

Jumpinpin/northern South Stradbroke Island, and Curlew Island (the Broadwater) are important breeding sites on the Gold Coast.

How is its survival threatened?

  • Human disturbance at breeding sites and while foraging can impact survivorship and/or breeding success
  • Nest inundation by high tides, storms and other flooding events
  • Predation of eggs and chicks by other fauna, including monitors, crows, gulls, foxes and domestic dogs and cats
  • Loss of foraging habitats from coastal development

How can we help?

  • Improve understanding of important foraging, sheltering and breeding sites across the city
  • Protect existing populations and remaining habitat areas from human disturbance and other high impact activities
  • Reduce egg and chick predation rates at important breeding sites

Image credit: Graham Winterflood