Migratory Waterbirds are defined broadly as migratory birds ecologically dependent on wetlands. For the purpose of the Partnership, migratory waterbirds include populations of shorebirds, Anatidae (ducks, geese and swans), cranes, and seabirds (for example Divers, Cormorants, Gulls, Shearwaters, and Auks) and several other groups, which cyclically and predictably cross one or more national jurisdictional boundary (see Partnership Document, Appendix 2). Large numbers of migratory waterbirds often congregate at staging sites (typically, few such sites) for refueling during their journeys, especially before crossing large ecological barriers. Consequently, the loss of staging wetlands may have critical impacts on successful journeys and survival of migratory waterbirds. Taxonomic groups of waterbirds migrating within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Taxonomic Group English Name Anatidae Swans, Geese and Ducks Podicipedidae Grebes Phaethontidae Tropicbirds Heliornithidae Finfoots Rallidae Rails, Gallinules and Coots Gruidae Cranes Gaviidae Divers/Loons Hydrobatidae Northern storm petrels Oceanitidae Austral storm petrels Procellariidae Shearwaters and Petrels Ciconiidae Storks Threskiornithidae Ibises and Spoonbills Ardeidae Herons, Egrets and Bitterns Pelecanidae Pelicans Fregatidae Frigatebirds Sulidae Gannets and Boobies Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants and Shags Haematopodidae Oystercatchers Recurvirostridae Stilts and Avocets Charadriidae Plovers Jacanidae Jacanas Scolopacidae Sandpipers Glareolidae Pratincoles Laridae Gulls, Terns and Skimmers Stercorariidae Skuas and Jaegers Alcidae Auks, Murres and Puffins

The latest population size and trend estimates and 1% thresholds for identification of potential EAAFP Network Sites can be accessed here. The Waterbird Populations Portal (WPP), online database provides current and historic estimates, trends and 1% thresholds for over 800 waterbird species and 2300 biogeographic populations worldwide. This Tool has been developed by Wetlands International with the support of Environment Agency Abu Dhabi. Environment and Climate Change, Canada and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The online database makes it easy to obtain information on the status of waterbird species, providing a comprehensive basis for management and decision making. The latest Conservation Status Reports for the EAAFP and African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement and all previous editions of the Waterbird Population Estimates series are included in the Portal. The main objectives of these series has been to: (i) identify wetlands of international importance through the application of the 1% threshold criteria under the EAAFP and Ramsar Convention on Wetlands; (ii) identify priorities for conservation and research to maintain global waterbird biodiversity; (iii) identify gaps in knowledge of the world’s waterbird populations; (iv) support the implementation of three global conventions – the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on Biological Diversity; (v) support the development of regional/flyway initiatives, including the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) under the Convention on Migratory Species; the Convention on the Conservation of European Flora and Fauna (Berne Convention); the East Asian - Australasian Flyway (EAAF) Partnership; the European Union Birds Directive; and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). Related report: https://eaaflyway.net/migratory-waterbirds/