Friendly reminder on coastal dangers for shorebirds

Members of Friends of Shorebirds SE recently observed an Australian Pied Oystercatcher with both legs entangled with discarded fishing line on the beach near Piccaninnie Ponds. The bird was obviously having great difficulty moving about as it was unable to put its left foot on the ground and could only painfully hop about on the right leg. The bird was unable to run from any perceived danger, instead needing to fly if disturbed.

The Australian Pied Oystercatcher is a quite large mostly black and white shorebird, with red bill and legs. It is probably familiar to regular beach goers, being found on many beaches in the south east and around the entire Australian coastline.

With assistance from National Parks and Wildlife Service members, Friends of Shorebirds SE members returned to the beach soon after it was first seen and were successful in capturing the bird and removing the long piece of fishing line. It was so tight that it had cut into the legs, causing some nasty injuries. It is hoped that in time the injuries might heal and the bird may be able to walk more normally.

This is not the first time that volunteers from Friends of Shorebirds SE have removed fishing line from Australian Pied Oystercatchers. On a number of occasions members have been called upon to carry out similar rescues in the area of Port Fairy, Victoria, mostly being successful in removing the entanglements.

Australian Seabird Rescue advise that entanglements are all too common. Ninety percent of injuries sustained by sea and shorebirds are caused by discarded fishing tackle and line. Birds of all sizes, from plovers to pelicans, can become entangled with line around legs or wings (or both!). It’s not only debilitating, but it can also eventually cause a slow and painful death. Line with hooks attached swallowed by birds can cause horrific internal injuries. Fishers are urged to please dispose of all unwanted fishing tackle and line responsibly, rather than leaving it in the environment where it can cause significant problems. Please place unwanted or tangled line in a rubbish bin rather than dropping it on the beach.