Shorebirds migrating through the East Asian-Australasian Flyway between their Arctic breeding and Australian non-breeding grounds have experienced severe population declines, leading to concerns about long-term population viability. Rapid climate warming in the Arctic breeding grounds is one potential cause, with evidence that the changing climate is driving a trophic mismatch in the timing of tundra productivity and energy demands for shorebird chick rearing. Further south along their migration, shorebirds are significantly hindered by conversion of vital tidal mudflat habitats to land, with up to 65% habitat loss along parts of the East Asian coast. Understanding the demographic processes underpinning these declines is critical for conservation of these long-distance migrants. Here, we present survival analyses and recruitment data based on 50 years of banding and resighting data, largely collected by dedicated volunteers along Australia’s coasts. Modelling this extensive dataset offers a unique opportunity to assess how these already struggling species are influenced by changing climate conditions and habitat availability, and provides crucial insights to inform management strategies of coastal wetland habitats.