Ramsar Wetlands
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps: a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar)
The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps were designated a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar) on October 21, 2002. The wetlands are Ramsar site 1224, and the 62nd Australian Ramsar site.
Ramsar Criteria
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps qualify as a Wetland of International Importance against the following five of eight Ramsar criteria
- “A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.”
- “A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.”
- “A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.”
- A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.”
- “A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.”
Justification of the criteria selected
Criterion 2:Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities
Australasian Bittern. Photo courtesy of NSW NPWS
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps support Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) which is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ globally by the World Conservation Union (IUCN 2000). These Swamps are important sites for this species, supporting more than 1% (10 birds) of the estimated population in south-eastern Australia (Rose and Scott 1997). Australasian Bittern were recorded at only six other sites during the 1994-97 Murray – Darling Waterbird Project (Hutchinson in Glazebrook and Taylor 1998).
The Murrumbidgee Field Naturalists have recorded numerous sightings of the Bittern over the years 1994-2001 (Stevens et al. 1994-2002). Taylor and Richardson (2000) recorded Australasian Bittern five times during surveys from October 1999 to January 2000. Two of these counts (14 and 17 birds) were greater than the 1% population threshold for the species.
Australasian Bittern have been recorded at Fivebough Swamp since prior to 1940 (Hindwood in Glazebrook and Taylor 1998). The site remains important habitat for the Bittern as much of the habitat needed to maintain this species in the Riverina bioregion has been lost (Mike Schultz pers comm.). Bittern favour wetlands with large areas (>5ha) of tall, dense vegetation (eg Typha spp. and Phragmites australis) which is primary habitat for the species (DLWC 2002). Fivebough Swamp has large patches of Cumbungi (Typha spp.).
Criterion 3: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
Photograph taken by the late Graham Pizzey, and included here with the kind permission of Sue Pizzey
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps are important for maintaining a high diversity of species of waterbirds within the Riverina bioregion, an area with few other non-riparian wetlands. The number of species listed under international treaties, or as threatened species and the abundances of some bird species are amongst the highest recorded in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Fivebough Swamp had the highest, and Tuckerbil Swamp the second highest number of waterbird species recorded (65 and 64 species respectively) in the 1994-97 Murray – Darling Waterbird Project that surveyed 360 wetlands (Hutchinson in Glazebrook and Taylor 1998). Fivebough Swamp ranked number two of the 360 sites for the maximum number of species recorded in a single survey (43 species). Tuckerbil Swamp ranked seven, with 33 species recorded in a single survey.
A total of 84 species of waterbirds have been identified at Fivebough Swamp and 69 species at Tuckerbil Swamp.
Several waterbird species classified as threatened in NSW are found at Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps, including Brolga.
Criterion 4: Supports populations of plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps have special value as a breeding ground for many species of waterbirds. Twenty-two species of waterbird have been recorded breeding at Fivebough Swamp and eleven species of waterbird have been recorded breeding at Tuckerbil Swamp (Appendix 1). At least 12 of these species are known to breed regularly at the Swamps. Tuckerbil Swamp is also a flocking area for Brolga (Grus rubicunda) (see under Criterion 6 below).
Fivebough Swamp provides important feeding habitat for Great Egret (Ardea alba), Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), and Cattle Egret (Ardea ibis) during their breeding season from September/ October to January/ February. An Egret breeding colony with around 500-700 nests and located approximately 600m south of Fivebough Swamp is regularly used each year (Glazebrook and Taylor 1998; Richardson 1999).
Fivebough Swamp may be a drought refuge as part of the Swamp (Management Zone 2, see Map 3) retains water year round and provides habitat during dry periods (Glazebrook and Taylor 1998; Taylor and Richardson 2000).
The site is important for migratory waterbirds: Twenty-four species recorded at Fivebough Swamp and 13 species recorded at Tuckerbil Swamp are listed under the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and/or the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) (Appendix 1)
Criterion 5: Regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
Surveys of the abundance of waterbirds have not been undertaken for the entire Ramsar site however the Swamps have regularly been recorded supporting over 20,000 waterbirds. At Fivebough Swamp counts of 20,000 Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybridus) and 20,000 Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) are the highest recorded for Australia (Hutchison in Glazebrook and Taylor 1998). On 28 December 1995, a total of approximately 50,000 birds were counted at Fivebough Swamp by local naturalists and verified by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (RAOU) (Glazebrook and Taylor 1998).
Taylor and Richardson (2000) recorded in excess of 20,000 waterbirds across the eastern half of Fivebough Swamp in November and December, 1999.
Criterion 6: Regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.
Fivebough and Tuckerbil Swamps have recorded five species of waterbird at numbers estimated to represent greater than1% of their population (based on Rose and Scott 1997) (see Appendix 1 for further details):
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) – Counts of 20,000 recorded at Fivebough Swamp and 500 at Tuckerbil Swamp; the 1% threshold is 10,000.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) – Counts of 2015 recorded at Fivebough Swamp and 2253 at Tuckerbil Swamp; the 1% threshold is 1,700.
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) – Counts of 20,000 recorded at Fivebough Swamp and 900 at Tuckerbil Swamp; the 1% threshold is 10,000.
Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) – Counts of 17 recorded at Fivebough Swamp and 6 at Tuckerbil Swamp; the 1% threshold is 10.
Brolga (Grus rubicunda) – Counts of nine recorded at Fivebough Swamp and 81 at Tuckerbil Swamp; the 1% threshold is 10. Tuckerbil Swamp is particularly important as a regular flocking area for Brolga.
