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A number of surveys have been undertaken to determine Lake MacLeod's significance for shorebirds (also called waders). Given the recent global declines in shorebird populations, a current understanding of the significance of Lake MacLeod to shorebirds is timely. We review all survey data in the context of the following criteria: presence of significant national, international and staging populations in the East Asia-Australasian Flyway; species covered by international agreements; and species listed as being of conservation concern in the Action Plan for Australian Birds 2011. Lake MacLeod hosts significant populations of 10 shorebird species. Of these, three species occurred in internationally significant numbers (red knot Calidris canutus, red-necked stint Calidris ruficollis and curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea), five species occurred in numbers representing significant proportions of the Australian populations (common greenshank Tringa nebularia, black-winged stilt Himantopus leucocephalus, banded stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus, rednecked avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae and red-capped plover Charadrius ruficapillus) and two species (sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata and greater sand plover Charadrius leschenaultii) had populations that met the significant population staging criterion. The most notable of these populations were those of the curlew sandpiper and banded stilt that accounted for up to 31% and 47% of their Flyway and Australian populations, respectively. Lake MacLeod is of great importance to shorebird conservation both in Western Australia and internationally. We recommend that future management strategies focus on maintaining and enhancing shorebird habitats at Lake MacLeod.
KEYWORDS: East Asian-Australasian Flyway, Lake MacLeod, monitoring, shorebirds.
INTRODUCTION
Lake MacLeod is a large salt lake (2200km 2 ) located between 23°30'S and 24°40'S and 113°30'E and 114°00'E, on the northwestern coast of Australia, north of Carnarvon (Davis et al. 2001; Ellison & Simmonds 2003). The northern sections of the lake are fed seawater via a karst system that connects the lake bed to the Indian Ocean and results in 2000 km 2 of the lake being permanently inundated (Logan 1987; Davis et al. 2001; Russel 2004). This results in a unique, permanent, inland saline wetland that is of national and international importance to migrant and resident bird species as a stopover, wintering and drought refuge area (Rio Tinto Minerals 2008; George 2009).
Currently, 37 species of shorebirds have been recorded at the lake (Jaensch & Vervest 1990; George 2009). Of these,...