Are We Being Misled About Waterbird Decline?

Australia's waterbird numbers have reportedly halved, but here's the kicker: these claims rely on aerial surveys over limited sites, year after year. Birds are migratory—they follow resources, not just floodplains. Counting them from an aeroplane over the same areas? That’s not science, it’s guesswork.

Floods can help ecosystems, but to say birds breed only in Ramsar-listed wetlands is oversimplified. Our migratory water birds aren't that stupid, they don't have permanent habitat, and they don't pay mortgages. They have wings and they understand our ephemeral environment. They're called MIGRATORY for a reason,

They fly to where the conditions are good!!! And these surveys don’t capture that.

Shouldn't we demand better data—ground studies and more comprehensive research—before sounding alarms? The health of our ecosystems matters, but let’s get the facts straight first.