It used to be easier to say that the chances of a shark attack were slim. Now I feel as though that pretence of safety has been shattered
After nearly a year’s break, I started ocean swimming again this May, delighting in the clarity of the water and the quieter beaches of Sydney’s winter. I’d stopped because of an injury but then found that the longer I was out of the water the harder it was to get back in.
It only took that first return swim, however, to remember the absolute euphoria of winter ocean swimming. Part of it is the cold water, how alive it makes you feel, and part is the wildness of it: seeing the variety of underwater marine life, the distant spray of a migratory whale. It is utterly different from swimming laps in a pool.
Birdwatching is one of the most common and popular ways people experience nature. But it’s not often that even the most enthusiastic birdwatcher returns to the same place more than 800 times to witness the changes over four decades.
In a recent paper, we documented 40 years of change in the bird life of a suburban park in Melbourne. Long-term studies such as this, often by citizen scientists, play a vital role in understanding the extent and nature of transitions in bird populations and their implications.
Australians are all too familiar with the devastating environmental changes caused by extreme events such as floods, bushfires and cyclones. Yet gradual but consequential environmental changes brought about by urban expansion, the spread of invasive weeds and animals, and climate change often pass unnoticed.
We observed many changes over 40 years. Some species declined and disappeared, new species became established, others came and went as conditions changed, and a steady stream of rare birds passed through.
A kookaburra sits on the welcome sign at Birrarung Park.Heather Ferguson
An urban park with a long history
Birrarung Park, 33 hectares in size, lies on the Yarra River floodplain, at the confluence of the Plenty and Yarra Rivers.
This area has always been an important meeting place for the Wurundjeri people, whose name for the Yarra River was Birrarung, meaning “a place of mists and shadows” in the Woi-wurrung language.
The park was established in 1984 on what was largely cleared farmland, bordered by a narrow strip of river red gums along the Yarra River. Since then, it has been transformed by extensive planting of trees and shrubs into a mix of woodland and open grassed areas for recreational use. Two ephemeral wetlands provide habitats for waterbirds.
One of us (Mike Connor) visited the Park more than 800 times between 1985 and 2024, and made notes on the birds seen on each visit.
How many bird species were detected?
Over almost 40 years, 153 species of birds were recorded, including 11 introduced species and 35 species associated with wetlands.
A core group of birds were present throughout the 40 years. This includes widespread species of open country, such as welcome swallows and Australian magpies, woodland species such as red wattlebirds and white-browed scrubwrens, and common waterbirds such as Pacific black ducks and dusky moorhens.
Some species, particularly the waterbirds, occurred irregularly, while others were only noted during part of the study period. Notably, more than a third of species (54 out of 153) were rare visitors, seen on less than 1% of surveys. It’s always exciting to see such rarities and it reminds us how many species may visit an urban parkland over time.
White-faced herons sunning themselves near the river.Heather Ferguson
What changed?
We noted five main changes in the bird community.
First, revegetation in the early years provided new habitat for forest species, such as the brown thornbill, grey fantail and grey shrike-thrush. The numbers of forest birds seen on visits increased from 1985 to 2000, as trees and shrubs became established. But these numbers gradually declined thereafter.
Second, new species colonised the park. Dry-country species such as the long-billed corella, crested pigeon and little corella have expanded their range into southern Victoria, including the greater Melbourne area.
Some predominantly mountain forest species became increasingly common; these include the crimson rosella, king parrot and yellow-faced honeyeater. The rainbow lorikeet, rare in suburban Melbourne in the 1970s, is now common and widespread, likely because of widespread plantings of flowering native shrubs and trees.
Third, for reasons that are unclear, a suite of species declined and later disappeared (for example, the crested shrike-tit and white-plumed honeyeater). Others remained, but the declining frequency of sightings in later years suggests they too may disappear in the future, such as the willie wagtail and rufous whistler. Surprisingly, several introduced species thought to be well-adapted to urban environments, including the house sparrow, goldfinch and song thrush, also declined and disappeared.
Fourth, colonisation of the park by the noisy miner, an aggressive native species well known to detrimentally affect bird communities in both regional and urban areas, had a profound impact on small native birds.
First recorded in 1998, noisy miners became established across the park by 2004. This coincided with a marked decline in small birds – such as thornbills, pardalotes and whistlers – whose numbers had been relatively stable from 1985 to 2003.
The numbers of wetland species varied greatly through time, responding to fluctuations in rainfall and incidences of drought and flooding. Peaks in numbers corresponded with times when there was plentiful water in the larger of the park’s two wetlands.
A tawny frogmouth peers down from a tree.Heather Ferguson
A long-term view
Long-term changes, like those we observed at Birrarung Park, are not an exception; they occur in many locations, both in urban and regional areas. But revealing them requires sustained observation, well suited to citizen science.
The dynamic nature of bird communities reflects the ability of many mobile species to move to where suitable habitat is available. But for communities to persist, the mix of suitable trees, shrubs and other habitat has to be preserved.
Urban environments, green spaces and parks, especially those connected along river systems, play a key role in conservation. They offer a variety of food, they facilitate bird movements through cities and towns, and they allow populations to spread into urban residential areas that otherwise have depleted bird communities.
Birdwatching offers multiple benefits: being out in nature, the excitement of detecting a new species, and the opportunity to contribute to understanding of how birds are responding to a changing world.
Andrew Bennett has received funding in the past from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Parks Victoria, and Natural Hazards Research Australia, for a range of ecological research.
Michael Anthony Connor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
El Niño events linked with extreme weather around the world – and can increase risk of bushfires in Australia and coral bleaching on Great Barrier Reef
The Bureau of Meteorology has officially declared an El Niño – the phenomenon linked to hotter and drier conditions for Australia – is now locked in place in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
The bureau warned climate change would amplify the effects on Australia, including the risk of extreme heat and bushfires.
Our supermarket shelves are lined with meat and dairy products, ranging from cheese to milk and minced beef.
The average Australian consumes more than 22 kilograms of meat and 90 kilograms of dairy each year.
But over the past five years, Australians have increasingly turned to alternative proteins. Six in ten people report trying, or being interested in trying, plant-based products.
As demand for plant-based foods grew, so did the market for plant-based eateries and alternative protein products. In 2022, Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, launched its “protein roadmap” which estimated the alternative protein market would be worth A$13 billion by 2030.
However, recent trends show we may be losing our appetite for meat and dairy alternatives.
Restaurants closing and products disappearing
Over the past decade, Australia has appeared to be on the cusp of a food revolution as plant-based businesses popped up around the country.
However, this trend has ground to a halt. In Sydney alone, more than ten up-market plant-based restaurants have shut up shop in the past three years. This includes Sydney’s first vegan pub, The Green Lion, which now only operates as a takeaway and commercial catering business. Leading hotel chain, the Ovolo Hotels group, also closed its Sydney Alibi restaurant in 2024, winding back its pledge to promote plant-based cuisine across its eight locations.
This trend is also reflected on supermarket shelves. Plant-based products – such as the Birds Eye plant-based range – have been disappearing from the stores of supermarket giant, Woolworths. This has prompted some community backlash, in the form of public petitions and a formal letter from organisations including Vegan Australia, the Vegan Society of Aotearoa and Doctors For Nutrition. But in a statement, Woolworths cited “poor and declining” sales of plant-based products as the main reason for its decision.
Why is this happening?
Here are three possible reasons why meat and dairy alternatives are becoming less popular.
First, these products seem to have lost their cultural appeal. Recent lifestyle trends such as “protein-maxxing” – which involves consuming as much protein as possible to lose weight or build muscle – may have shifted attention away from alternative proteins to diets that revolve around animal products. Research suggests identity politics may be contributing to this, particularly the perceived link between meat and masculinity. And the widespread uptake of GLP-1 weight-loss medications could also be increasing demand for high-protein foods.
Second, concerns about whether plant-based products are actually healthy may also be dampening demand. That is based on research showing not all alternative proteins are created equal, with some containing high levels of sodium and additives.
Third, the meat and dairy industries are reshaping how their products are perceived, by emphasising the importance of livestock for food production and downplaying its effect on climate change. This is influencing the decisions of both consumers and policymakers, with worrying consequences for climate action.
Where to from here?
The future of alternative protein production is uncertain, to say the least.
That’s especially true after, in March this year, the CSIRO announced major cuts to its food science program. This signals its shift from investing in precision fermentation – which uses yeast and fungi to produce animal proteins with the same taste, texture and nutrition profiles as real meat – and other alternative protein research. This shows alternative proteins are no longer a priority for the national science agency.
The evidence is clear that Australia’s livestock industries are already facing the worrying realities of climate change. So the case for transitioning away from animal proteins is stronger than ever. But without robust research and policy, we may compromise the health of our planet in pursuit of passing trends.
Milena Bojovic is affiliated with Farm Transitions Australia.
