“The students, teachers, parents and community of Abbotsford Public School have been an essential part of the Dog Saves Bird campaign.
“The campaign is a wonderful addition to the community awareness of our local natural habitat,” said Mayor McCaffrey.
Dog Saves Bird is a joint effort between the school, Birdlife Australia, and Our Living River, with Council providing the funding that has enabled the excellent project to come to fruition. Dog Saves Bird encourages dog owners to keep their pets on a leash in order to protect migratory shore birds.
Bar-tailed Godwits are migratory birds that arrive in Canada Bay from Siberia each year to feed on the molluscs, worms and aquatic insects found in our mudflats. Unfortunately, the birds are vulnerable to a number of threats including disturbance as a result of recreational activities.
When chased by dogs, the birds stop feeding and may not eat enough to fly home to breed. Canada Bay residents can help by keeping dogs out of the water while the visiting birds feed at our muddy shores, which occurs particularly during the early Summer months.
The Bar-tailed Godwit is one of five mascots for the Parramatta River, as part of the Our Living River initiative. Habitat protection for these and other shore birds will play an important role in the mission to make the Parramatta River swimmable again. For more information, visit