Australian Waterbird Populations Drop 50% Following Drier Conditions in 2024
Annual aerial survey reveals significant declines in waterbird numbers, breeding activity, and wetland areas, highlighting long-term impacts of climate change and water management.
- The 2024 Eastern Australian Waterbird Survey recorded 287,231 birds, down nearly 50% from 579,641 in 2023, marking a return to below long-term average numbers.
- Key markers of waterbird health—overall numbers, species breeding, and wetland area—continue to show significant long-term declines over the survey's 42-year history.
- Drier conditions, exacerbated by climate change, have reduced wetland areas to 122,283 hectares, well below the long-term average, with southeastern Australia experiencing a 9% rainfall decline since 1994.
- The survey highlights the impact of reduced floodplain habitats due to river regulation, water extraction, and the drying of the Murray-Darling Basin, where water storages have significantly decreased compared to 2023.
- Despite the sharp decline in waterbird populations, no mass mortalities linked to avian influenza were observed, offering a small positive note in the findings.
Cosmos 
The Guardian 