Shorebirds are fighting for their lives in Australia, as the nation's wetlands and coastal estuaries continue to be swallowed by development.

Experts believe as humans spread their towns and cities over Australia's estuarine environments, the competition for coastal habitats is becoming more intense, putting many species at risk of extinction.

What is a Ramsar wetland? It contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region

It contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region It supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities

It supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities It supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity

It supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity It supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles

It supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles It regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds

It regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds It regularly supports 1 per cent of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird

It regularly supports 1 per cent of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird It supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages

It supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages It is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery

It is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery It regularly supports 1 per cent of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species

Botany Bay in Sydney and Moreton Bay near Brisbane were once safe havens for migratory shorebirds, but their populations have plummeted by 40 per cent, with the area being transformed for things like an airport and development.

Richard Fuller is a Professor in conservation biology at the University of Queensland and said we need to stop developing these sites if we want to see shorebirds into the future.

"Sometimes we can adjust development proposals so they don't affect these ecosystems," Professor Fuller said.

"But development is systematically removing, bit by bit, the habitats these birds are using," he said.

Development 'threatens' Lake Wollumboola

Lake Wollumboola on the south coast of NSW is home to more than 100 migratory and native bird species and is considered an internationally significant site.

It too, is in an area slated for development with a rezoning proposal and a possible 600 homes.

Residents have formed a protection association for the lake and are pushing for it to be classified as a Ramsar site, an international classification recognising the importance of particular wetlands.

Currently there are 66 Ramsar sites in Australia, and 2,300 around the world.

Lake Wollumboola is a haven for migratory birds at Culburra Beach on the NSW South Coast. ( ABC Illawarra: Jessica Clifford )

It meets much of the criteria for a Ramsar wetland but the Federal Government is not making a decision while a rezoning plan lingers over the lakeside.

President of the Lake Wollumboola Protection Association Frances Bray said the area is under real threat.

"There is the potential to lose the lake if development proceeds," Mrs Bray said.

"It poses a threat to the water quality of the lake because it is closed to the sea, so what goes in stays there.

"There is a re-zoning application and studies happening to determine which areas can be approved for development and which areas need to be protected further.

"Hopefully it will show Lake Wollumboola is very sensitive,: she said.

Frances Bray is part of the Lake Wollumboola Protection Association, fighting to save the lake and have it classified as a Ramsar wetland. ( ABC Illawarra: Jessica Clifford )

Professor Fuller also said it was crucial to maintain sites like Lake Wollumboola because they are in a location that is otherwise inhospitable for wetland birds.

The Federal Department of Environment issued a statement saying it had not received any recommendation from the NSW Government, to nominate Lake Wollumboola as a Ramsar wetland.

It also stated that the Minister for Environment, Sussan Ley, has the power to list a significant wetland, but there was no comment on whether it would happen here.

Biological superhighway flyway

Australia lies at the end of a biological superhighway known as the East-Australasian flyway, with millions of migratory birds making their way from the Arctic to Australia each year.

The most recent data shows that some species of birds, such as the Eastern Curlew, which migrates 12,000 kilometres from Siberia to Australia, has declined by 80 per cent during the past 30 years.

They are listed as critically endangered, along with fellow migratory birds, the bar-tailed godwit, great knot and the curlew sandpiper.

An Eastern Curlew, which migrates to the South Coast lakes and estuaries from Siberia every year, flying more than 12-thousand kilometres. ( Supplied: Kim Touzel )

Even those who stay closer to home all year round, the hooded plover and the beach stone curlew are both listed as critically endangered as they struggle with introduced predators.

"It's death by a thousand cuts," said Professor Richard Fuller.

"We wonder whether we should make a fuss each time a bit gets lost.

"But over time, more habitats around the country are disappearing," he said.

And while community volunteers like Frances Bray continue the fight to protect the habitats of the 3 million shorebirds that call Australia home for at least part of the year, people continue to flock to the coast in direct competition with birds.

"If development goes ahead here around Lake Wollumboola, birds will have nowhere to go," Mrs Bray said.

"If that happens to other wetlands, we will be in a very sad situation."