Shorebird surveys are a test of endurance, requiring researchers to brave rocking waves for the sake of data. Photo: Dr Nur Munira Azman
Every year between July and April, thousands of birds descend upon the shimmering mudflats along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, in a gruelling journey of thousands of kilometres from the north.
To the casual observer, these are simply migratory birds passing through. But to ornithologist Dr Nur Munira Azman, these shorebirds carry a profound message of peace and love.
“I particularly love the Great Knot,” she says. “When you observe them closely, the dark spots on their body form a pattern that looks like little hearts.
“They travel from their breeding grounds in the Northern Hemisphere during winter to our shores, bringing peace and love, without causing any harm to the environment.”
This small bird, with its distinctive mottled plumage, is just one of 35 shorebird species recorded at the mudflats of Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda (TAT-KM) in Penaga, Penang.
The beauty of these feathered visitors disguises a sad reality. “Eleven of these species are listed as Endangered, Vulnerable or Near-Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List,” Nur Munira explains. “The Great Knot itself is classified as endangered.”
The 39-year-old lecturer at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) is the driving force behind the Shorebirds Peninsular Malaysia Project (SPMP), which established the Penaga mudflats as its primary study site.
Although she began her career researching forest and urban birds, her focus shifted when her husband, Mohd Nasir Azizan, 42 – an avid shorebird photographer – introduced her to coastal species.
What began as a shared interest evolved into a mission. In 2017, the couple established SPMP as a volunteer-based, independent research group dedicated to protecting these birds.
This labour of love was recognised when Nur Munira was one of two conservationists honoured with the Outstanding Malaysian Nature Conservationist Award 2025 at the Biji Alam Awards last year.
Rest stop in Malaysia
Identifying shorebirds is not as straightforward as forest birds, says Nur Munira, who graduated from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Wildlife Ecology and Management, specialising in birds.
“Many look very similar – brownish and greyish. Surveying them requires resilience. You are on a small boat with no shelter, under the hot sun, rocking on the waves for hours,” she shares.
But what makes these shorebirds special to her are the stories they carry. A year into the project, the husband-and-wife duo recorded a bird with a tiny leg tag for the first time.
“After researching, we discovered that the Great Crested Tern had been tagged by a researcher in Taiwan. That was a defining moment for me, sparking a desire to learn even more,” she says elatedly.
The finding moved her to share the discovery with the local community, as an effective way to raise awareness.
The SPMP uses bird topography and drawing sessions to introduce coastal species to the public. Photo: Dr Nur Munira Azman
“Such interesting stories happening in their own backyard helps people connect with the birds and understand why protecting them matters.”
For the unfamiliar, shorebirds are a subgroup of waterbirds, most of which are migratory.
They travel each year to their non-breeding grounds in tropical countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. These nations sit along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, one of the world’s most important migratory routes.
“Our rich mangrove forests and mudflat ecosystems provide essential feeding and resting areas,” explains Nur Munira who is also a member of the Shorebird Working Group for the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP).
“These sites function very much like R&R stops. Just as we rely on highways that connect Perlis to Johor, with pit stops to rest, eat and refuel, migratory shorebirds depend on these stopover sites.”
During these stops, shorebirds may spend one to two weeks feeding intensively to regain energy.
Two of the most important sites along the west coast are the TAT-KM mudflats and the North Central Selangor Coast; both are recognised as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), highlighting their global significance.
A fragile ecosystem
Why is the presence of these birds vital to Malaysian soil?
“Shorebirds are important indicators of ecosystem health,” Nur Munira says.
“When their population declines, it often signals deeper problems within wetland and coastal ecosystems, making their conservation crucial not only for the birds, but for the environment as a whole.”
Nur Munira and her team knew they were facing a pressing issue when part of their study habitat faced the threat of conversion into an industrial aquaculture zone.
“This solidified my focus to protect these birds and their habitats,” says Nur Munira who is also a research fellow at UPSI’s Centre of Biodiversity and Conservation.
Surveying shorebirds often involves hours on a small, unsheltered boat under the sweltering sun. Photo: Dr Nur Munira Azman
Beyond habitat loss, factors like human disturbance, pollution and climate change – specifically sea-level rise – threaten their survival.
“Another serious but often overlooked threat is illegal hunting. In some areas, shorebirds are still trapped or hunted for consumption,” she stresses.
Although not widely reported, she says, even low levels of hunting can have significant impact on species already under pressure across multiple countries.
Community effort
For Nur Munira, conservation cannot succeed without people. At the core of her work is empowering local communities.
By helping them understand wetlands and ecosystem functions, she believes they will see the direct benefits to their own lives – such as food security, fisheries, flood protection and climate resilience.
“When conservation becomes relevant to daily life, it stops being an abstract idea and becomes a shared responsibility,” she says.
At the core of Nur Munira’s work is empowering local communities to help protect these species. Photo: Dr Nur Munira Azman
Engagement, however, takes time. When she first began work at TAT-KM in 2018, fishermen were reluctant to take her out.
“Fishing is their livelihood, and taking researchers out was not a priority. Gaining their trust requires patience,” she adds.
The tide eventually turned. As rare bird sightings attracted birdwatchers, some fishermen found opportunities to earn extra income by renting out boats.
This led to a partnership with fishermen’s associations, with plans now underway to establish community-based ecotourism focused on birdwatching.
“We have also seen encouraging changes among young participants who joined out of curiosity and became dedicated volunteers,” she says.
Nur Munira shares a heartening example of Nurhafidzah Shaiful Bahri, a mother of seven, who joined the programme and later became an active member of a bird-related NGO.
A bustling high-tide roost featuring the Asian Dowitcher, Great Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, and various Sandplovers. Photo: Dr Nur Munira Azman
“She now brings her children along, extending awareness to her family,” Nur Munira says, noting that she herself brings her own children to field programmes to foster early appreciation in nature.
Her students at UPSI are currently developing artificial high-tide roosts – man-made platforms designed to give birds a safe place to rest when natural mudflats are swallowed by rising sea levels.
She is also planning intensive identification workshops in April to train young citizen scientists.
For Nur Munira, the future of Malaysia’s ecosystems lies in the hands of parents. “Step out of your comfort zones,” she urges.
“Take your children away from their gadgets and bring them out to the wetlands. If we don’t love these birds, who will protect them?”
