Western Plains wetlands are at the heart of ongoing research into bird life and ecosystems, shedding light on the vital link between water management and wildlife in the Murray-Darling Basin.

As part of the FLOW-MER (Monitoring, Evaluation, Research) program led by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CWEH), scientists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) are closely monitoring the outcomes of water delivery and management across the basin.

This year, the Lower Balonne River system which includes the internationally significant, Ramsar-listed Narran Lakes (Dharriwaa) joined the network of study areas which also includes the Macquarie Marshes, located north of Warren.

Heading the Lower Balonne Flow-MER project team is UNSW’s Dr Kate Brandis, who collaborates with researchers and stakeholders to maximise the impact of water management on bird breeding success.

According to Dr Brandis, conditions following the floods two years ago have been ideal for aggregating waterbirds—species that breed in large colonies.

“These species include ibises, pelicans, egrets, cormorants, and herons,” Dr Brandis said.

“They are opportunistic breeders, nesting only when conditions are suitable.

"Natural flooding, combined with environmental water management, has led to significant breeding events throughout the northern and central southern Murray-Darling Basin.”

The team’s work included fortnightly visits to wetlands and rural sites, enabling real-time updates to water managers to help decision making that would best sustain healthy wetlands and support thriving bird populations.

A flock of pied stilt can be heard calling in the Narran Lakes audio recording.

Cutting-Edge Monitoring Techniques

From mid-August to early September this year, advanced acoustic monitoring was deployed at Narran Lakes.

Three recorders at Back Lake, Long Arm, and South Arm collected approximately two weeks of data.

Using Cornell University’s BirdNET artificial intelligence models, researchers identified 190 bird species.

Highlights of the findings include:

• • Back Lake: 129 species, with 15 unique to the site.

• • Long Arm: 131 species, with 17 unique to the site.

• • South Arm: 145 species, with 25 unique to the site.

As more data is retrieved, researchers will analyse seasonal shifts in species composition, weather impacts, and water availability.

The vast amount of data anticipated will require UNSW’s High-Performance Computing system for processing.

Dr Brandis emphasised the broader significance of the observation work.

“By focusing on indicator species like ibis and cormorants, we can ensure conditions are suitable for a wide range of waterbirds and maintain robust ecosystems,” she said.

Keen bird lovers can test their knowledge by listening to the UNSW recording of the bird calls at Narran Lake.

Experienced ears can hear little grassbirds, black swans, Eurasian coots, pied stilts (a flock flying over) and Australian reed warblers in the recording.