Evidence of regular seasonal migration by Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula Australis) to the Queensland tropics in autumn and winter

We report a series of sightings of Australian Painted Snipe in the marine plain wetlands of tropical Queensland, including two breeding records. Ten records from nine locations were all in the autumn and winter, the period when records of Australian Painted Snipe in south-eastern Australia are extremely rare. Examination of historical records of Australian Painted Snipe confirmed this pattern for coastal Central and North Queensland. We suggest that there may be a regular seasonal migration of a significant part of the Australian Painted Snipe population between south-eastern Australia and wetlands of central and north coastal Queensland, to exploit the favourable seasonal conditions.