These Port Fairy volunteers wake up at 3am to help baby birds fly 16,000 kilometres to Alaska

The fledglings are three months old when they depart on their maiden flight.

Author

Zara Cuthbertson
May 01, 2026

For a few weeks each autumn, Port Fairy witnesses one of nature’s most remarkable journeys: the departure of thousands of short-tailed shearwaters bound for a 16,000-kilometre migration to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.

What’s going on: From mid-April through to mid-May, fledgling birds leave Griffiths Island under the cover of darkness, guided by the moon. But bright street lighting can disrupt that instinct, with young birds mistaking artificial lights for the moon and veering off course.

  • To counter this, the “Switch Off for Shearwaters” campaign, now in its third year, encourages residents and businesses to turn off non-essential outdoor lighting during the critical fledging window.

Higher numbers: Friends of Griffiths Island president and marine biologist Tracey Gray said this year’s monitoring had recorded their strongest bird numbers yet.

  • “In early morning monitoring, volunteers have observed around 800 fledglings, up from about 500 last year, which is a great indicator,” she said.

  • “It means our Shearwaters generally are healthy and able to breed, and get all the food they need to feed this beautiful little baby, then fly off on their own flight … then the chicks are healthy enough to reduce their weight, get their flight feathers, and then get off on their journey.” 

The Port Fairy locals guiding baby birds to their first flight

“The whole community have become shearwater warriors.”

Early birds: The effort relies on dedicated local volunteers, some heading out as early as 3am to check bird activity, track footprints and watch for signs the young shearwaters are preparing for flight.

  • Only a handful of grounded birds have been found in town this season, with volunteers safely returning them to the island.

A community effort: Gray said the partnership with Moyne Shire Council, including temporary street light reductions and fox control, was helping improve survival rates.

  • “What I love is watching the Friends of Griffith Island members get so engaged and excited, it becomes this little CSI Shearwater, you know, we're working out what's going on.”

  • “[It’s special in] the fact that you're able to really get in sync with this natural event.”