Migratory species in Australia

Shorebirds of the Yellow Sea

Importance, threats and conservation status
Mark Barter
Wetlands International, 2002
ISBN 90 5882 009 2

4. Shorebirds occuring in internationally important numbers at Yellow Sea sites (continued)

4.4 Species accounts (continued)

4.4.9 Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis

Subspecies None.

Distribution in the EAAF

Breeding range: w. and e of L. Baikal, central Yakutia and ne. China.

Non-breeding: Coastal and inland. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, s. and e. China, Japan, se. Asia, New Guinea and Australia.

Usage and importance of Yellow Sea

Occurrence: Intertidal areas and adjacent non-tidal wetlands. NM and SM Common in China from Chang Jiang Estuary to n. Liaodong Wan, with large numbers in Yancheng NNR and around Bohai Wan; none recorded at Yalu Jiang NNR and scarce in South Korea. NB Present in good numbers at Yancheng NNR. Numbers are probably underestimated, as this species often occurs on non-tidal wetlands which were generally less well surveyed than intertidal areas.

Movements: NM Limited information indicates that main arrivals occur in late April, with large numbers still present in mid-May. SM No information. Probably migrates on a broad front through inland China and along the Chinese coast.

Significance of Yellow Sea: The Yellow Sea is important for this species during NM when it supports about 40% of the estimated flyway population. Also common on SM.

Key sites: 5 sites of international importance have been identified, all in China; 3 of the sites are important during NM and 4 during SM (see site location maps below), with Yancheng NNR and Huang He NNR being important during both NM and SM. Yancheng NNR supports 10% of the estimated flyway population during NM and >5% during SM.

Status of key sites: 2 of the 5 sites are in Protected Areas.

Major gaps in knowledge: Incomplete geographical and temporal information from China, particularly from Bohai Wan and non-tidal areas.

Site count references

  1. Barter et al. in prep.
  2. Barter et al. 2001
  3. Zhu et al. 2000
  4. Wang 1997
  5. Wang et al. 1991
  6. F. Heintzenberg in litt
  7. Wang & Barter 1998

EAAF POPULATION ESTIMATE: 90 000
YELLOW SEA
Status: Passage migrant and non-breeding visitor
Estimated minimum numbers:
NM: South Korea: Scarce; China: 39 000.
SM: South Korea: Scarce.
INTERNATIONALLY IMPORTANT SITES (and Protected Area status)
China: 5 (2)

Sites of international importance for Marsh Sandpiper
Sites of international importance for Marsh Sandpiper
   China
1 1 Dong Sha
2 2 Yancheng NNR
3 3 Huang He NNR
4 4 Tianjin Municipality
5 5 Shi Jiu Tuo
   
Sites of international importance for Marsh Sandpiper during northward migration
Sites of international importance for Marsh Sandpiper during northward migration
   Site Country Count Ref
1 Yancheng NNR China 9 026 1
2 Tianjin Municipality China 2 425 2
3 Huang He NNR China 1 135 3
         
         
         
Sites of international importance for Marsh Sandpiper during southward migration
Sites of international importance for Marsh Sandpiper during southward migration
   Site Country Count Ref
1 Yancheng NNR China 6 022 4
2 Huang He NNR China 4 246 5
3 Shi Jiu Tuo China 3 500 6
4 Dong Sha China 1 140 7
         
         

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