The Grey-tailed Tattlers of Scarborough (Southeast Queensland)

20 March 2025

Scarborough Harbour in Moreton Bay Southeast Queensland is a busy light industry area supporting the storage and maintenance of marine vessels. It also provides boating facilities including ramps and parking for trailer boats. The harbour is also surrounded by a significant urban coastal area including the suburbs of Newport and Scarborough.

The surrounding bay is fringed by remnant mangroves as well as a rocky wall that was constructed in order to reclaim land for the harbour precinct. The sheltered bay is a mecca for many shorebirds including migratory waders. The bay also provides mooring sites for a number of marine craft.

At high tide the mangroves and rocky wall provide roosting sites for many waterbirds and waders. One species of migratory wader takes advantage of the rocky shoreline is the Grey-tailed Tattler. It arrives in the bay in September of each year from its breeding grounds in Northeastern Siberia. There they nested on the stoney creeks and rivers associated with mountain areas.

They stay in Moreton Bay until late March or April before returning to their breeding grounds. Whilst in Australia they feed and forage on the intertidal flats and during high tide will also roost in mangroves as well as man-made structures.

A recent shorebird survey revealed that over 2400 of these Tattlers reside in Moreton Bay during their non-breeding season. Like many of our visiting migratory waders they face increasing threats from habitat loss due to human activities such as urban development and climate change. Habitat degradation on their migratory route including the Yellow Sea region impacts on their ability to complete their remarkable migration.