Information sheet 
QUEENSLAND 
NATIONAL f=VkRKS 
and wildlife 
SERVICE 
Seabirds 
Capricorn/Bunker seabirds 
The Capricom/Bunker group in the 
Mackay/C^ricorn Section of the 
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 
includes 15 separate islands at the 
southern end of the Great Barrier 
Reef. This group of islands and 
reefs forms a special geographic 
area which is one of tne most 
important seabird nesting locations 
on the entire Great Barrier Reef. 
Importance of seabirds 
Seabirds are worthy of protection 
because: 
Seabird identification 
A pair of binoculars and a bird 
identification book are 
recommended. These hints may 
help to identify the more common 
species: - 
1. Wedge-tailed Shearwaters 
(muttonbirds) - These are medium¬ 
sized brownish birds that arrive 
early in October and leave during 
April and May. They nest by 
burrowing into ground. They 
conduct very noisy courtships at 
night and generally feed at sea by 
day. 
Waders 
1. Eastern reef egrets (herons) 
These common birds have long legs 
and bills. They occur in two colour 
phases - white and grey. 
2. Oystercatchers - These rather 
solidly built medium-sized birds 
have bright orange bills, eyes, and 
legs. They are generally found in 
pairs at the waters edge. Sooty 
oystercatchers are black whereas 
pied oystercatchers are black and 
white.' 
The other waders are less common. 
. these islands were their home 
thousands of years before humans 
arrived 
. seabirds transfer fertilizer from the 
sea (food) to the island (droppings) 
and thus play a major role in 
maintaining the luxuriant vegetation 
of the cays 
. seabirds transfer seeds from 
island to island ensuring the spread 
of vegetation and contribute to plant 
species diversity 
. seabirds are the subject of much 
scientific study 
. seabirds contribute greatly to the 
beauty and life of small islands; 
indeed these birds are living ’spirits’ 
of the islands. 
Common seabirds 
1. Wedge-tailed shearwater 
2. Brown booby 
3. Black noddy 
4. Bridled tern 
5. Roseate tern 
6 . Black-naped tern 
7. Lesser crested tern 
8 . Crested tern 
9. Silver gull 
10. White-breasted sea 
eagle 
Common waders: 
1. Eastern reef egret 
2 . Pied oystercatcher 
3. Sooty oystercatcher 
4. Ruddy tumstone 
5. Grey-tailed tattler 
6 . Easter golden plover 
7. Whimberel 
8 . Eastern curlew 
9. Bar-tailed godwit 
10. Mongolian sand plover 
Other spedes are recorded from 
time to time. Some waders are 
migratory, travelling from remote 
parts of the northern hemisphere 
during their harsh winter to the east 
coast of Australia. 
6. Black-naped terns are medium¬ 
sized. They are mostly white with 
black on the back of head alonp the 
nape of the neck. They are mainly 
summer breeding visitors although 
often a few are seen throughout the 
year. They nest In colonies near the 
oeach and ocojr on most islands. 
7. Silver gulls - These are the only 
gulls occurring on the islands. They 
are white and light grey in colour. 
They are very common, often - 
aggressive and noisy. 
8. Crested terns - The largest of 
the terns, they are mainly white with 
the top of their heads black. Their 
bill Is a pale lemon colour. They 
nest during summer with numbers 
present throughout the year; nests 
in open near beach; common on 
most islands. 
2. Brown boobies - These large 
brown and white birds are present 
throughout the year. During summer 
their numbers increase. They nest 
Fairfax and Hoskyn Islands. 
3. Black noddies - These medium¬ 
sized birds are dull black with a 
white cap. They nest in trees on 
most islands, often in very large 
numbers. The most common and 
abundant bird in the area, they are 
present throughout the year with 
numbers increasing in summer. 
4. Bridled terns - Occurring on 
most islands in the group, tnese 
medium- sized, brown and white 
terns have a conspicuous white 
mark above their eyebrows. They 
are summer-breeding visitors, and 
nest in vegetation above beach. 
Their alarm call sounds like a high 
pitched dog bark. 
5. Roseate terns - Endangered 
worldwide, these medium-sized 
terns nest in colonies on the^beach 
often just above the high tide mark 
on some of the islands in summer. 
They are mainly white with the top 
of their heads black. Their legs and 
bill may be orange. 
9. Lesser crested terns are similar 
In appearance to crested terns but 
are less common. They have bright 
orange bills. 
Wedge-tailed 
Shearwater 
Brown booby 
