The Invisible Migration

Every year, beginning in late July and peaking through September and October, tens of thousands of shorebirds pass through Vietnam's central coast. They come from breeding grounds in Siberia, Alaska, and the high Arctic tundra — and they are heading south to wintering grounds across Southeast Asia and Australia. Da Nang sits directly on this highway. Yet most people here have never noticed a single one.

A mixed flock of Dunlin and Curlew Sandpipers feeding at low tide on the Thu Bồn estuary.

Challenges in Da Nang

The situation for shorebirds in Da Nang is precarious. Habitat loss is the most serious threat — the tidal flats and shallow coastal lagoons that shorebirds depend on for feeding are being progressively reclaimed for tourism development and urban expansion. Disturbance is a constant problem. Hunting, while technically illegal, continues.