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Australian Fairy Tern (Sternula nereis)

The Australian Fairy Tern is a small, fish-eating coastal bird that breeds on sandy islands, spits, beaches, banks and other low, open sites around southern and western Australia. Breeding colonies can hold a large share of the local population, so clearing, vehicle access, construction noise and pedestrian activity near nesting sites need careful planning. The species is Vulnerable under the Commonwealth listing, and is Critically Endangered in Victoria.

Conservation status

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Critically endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Colonial breeder. Least concern in Queensland, but it breeds in colonies, so tampering with a breeding place needs a high risk species management program rather than the low risk program.

Migration and breeding season

Australian Fairy Terns breed in Australia mainly from September to January, with eggs recorded from November to March. Timing varies between regions. Some Tasmanian and south-western populations move north or along the coast during winter, while other populations are more sedentary.

Breeding mode: Colonial ground-nester. Both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the young. Colonies may contain 2 to 400 pairs, and colonies of up to 700 pairs have been recorded in Western Australia.

Clutch size: Usually two speckled eggs, with one to three eggs recorded.

Incubation: About 21 days, shared by both sexes.

Young: Chicks are brooded for about six days, then become mobile. Fledging age is Not recorded.

Nest and breeding place: A shallow scrape in sand, usually above the high-tide mark on sheltered beaches, spits, ridges, sandy banks, islands or other open sandy sites with low sparse vegetation. Small shells, seaweed, gravel or pebbles may line or rim the scrape.

Recognising an active colony: Look for repeated adult attendance, courtship, adults carrying fish, shallow scrapes, speckled eggs, downy chicks, mobile chicks sheltering under beachcast material, alarm calls and adults repeatedly flushing from the same sandy area. A colony may be spread across an open sandbank rather than concentrated in a visibly dense group.

Colony protection: Colonies and shared roosts need special care because a single disturbance can flush many adults and expose eggs and chicks to chilling, overheating, trampling or predators. Keep clearing, vehicle access, earthworks and public access outside the active nesting period where practicable. No species-specific disturbance distance is established here, so use a site-specific exclusion buffer advised by a qualified ecologist and increase it if birds flush or show alarm.

Breeding colonies can form or shift between years, and timing differs between Tasmania, south-western Australia, southern mainland sites and more sedentary populations, so inspect suitable sandy breeding places before works in any season.

  • Breeding and nesting in Australia: Breeding is recorded mainly from September to January, with regional and annual variation.
  • Eggs and dependent chicks: Egg laying has been recorded from November to March, and chicks remain dependent after hatching.
  • Late breeding and mobile young: Some nests and young may still be present in January to March, so late-season checks are needed before works begin.
  • Winter movement in Tasmania and south-western Australia: Tasmanian birds move away for winter, and south-western populations are migratory, but exact movement dates vary.
  • Coastal flocking, foraging and roosting: Adults and young may forage, rest or gather in coastal and estuarine areas throughout the year, with flock size varying by region.
  • Highest clearing risk: The highest risk is September to March, when clearing, vehicles, dogs, people or construction near colonies can destroy nests or cause abandonment and egg chilling.

Identification: Appearance

The Australian Fairy Tern is a small, bulky tern with a round-bellied shape and long, narrow wings. It is usually seen on coastal waters, beaches, islands, estuaries and lagoons, often in groups.

Adults in breeding plumage have a pale grey to white body, pearly grey upperparts, a white forehead, black crown and nape, and a black patch in front of the eye. The bill is orange-yellow, sometimes with black at the base of the upper bill, and the legs are dull yellow to orange-yellow.

In non-breeding plumage, the bill becomes blackish, the crown is more mottled, and the dark shoulder bar is absent. Immature birds have darker bills and legs, a dusky and buff-streaked crown, a dark ear patch and darker outer wings.

Length: 22 to 27 cm

Wingspan: 44 to 53 cm

Mass: About 70 g

Identification: Calls and similar species

Calls include a loud, low-pitched 'tchi-wik' or 'ker-vick'. Excited birds may give a repeated 'kirrikki-kirrikki' call.

Little Terns can occur with Australian Fairy Terns and may nest nearby. Little Terns are slimmer, with darker upperparts and outer primaries. In breeding plumage, they have a yellow, black-tipped bill and a black line through the eye that reaches the bill. Hybridisation has been recorded in eastern Australia.

Identification: Field signs

Look for shallow scrapes in bare or sparsely vegetated sand. Scrapes may be lined or edged with small shells, seaweed, pebbles, shell fragments or gravel.

Eggs are speckled and can be difficult to see against sand and shell grit. Adult birds may circle, call, mob an intruder, or repeatedly fly from a colony when disturbed.

Droppings, whitewash and odour are not reliable field signs for locating a Fairy Tern colony. Do not search by walking through suitable nesting habitat.

  • Small fish being carried by adults may indicate courtship or feeding of chicks.
  • Mobile chicks may shelter under beachcast flotsam after leaving the nest.
  • Use binoculars or a telescope from outside the site rather than approaching nests.

Distribution: States and regions

The Australian Fairy Tern occurs around the coast of southern and western Australia, with scattered breeding colonies and substantial gaps between some colonies. Records from Queensland are unusual and may represent vagrant birds or confusion with the New Caledonian Fairy Tern.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Its regular Australian range extends from the Dampier Archipelago and the Pilbara coast in Western Australia, around southern Australia, to the New South Wales coast and Tasmania.

In Western Australia, breeding occurs from the Dampier Archipelago south to at least Israelite Bay. In South Australia, important areas include the Coorong, Lakes Alexandrina and Albert, Gulf St Vincent, Spencer Gulf, and coastal sites near Beachport.

In Victoria, records and breeding sites include Western Port, Port Phillip Bay and the Gippsland Lakes. Tasmania supports colonies in the south east and other coastal areas, including the Glamorgan Spring Bay and Sorell municipalities. New South Wales has very small numbers and widely separated records.

Distribution: Regional populations

Western Australia supports the largest population. A sedentary population occurs along the Pilbara and upper Gascoyne coasts, while another population moves south to breed between the Houtman Abrolhos Islands and the Recherche Archipelago.

The south eastern population includes South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Tasmania and Victoria may form a single subpopulation, but local colonies can be separated by substantial distances.

Distribution: Seasonal movements

Some Tasmanian birds leave for winter, possibly moving to mainland Australia. In Western Australia, birds winter on the mid west coast, with many at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, then move to breeding areas in spring and summer.

South Australian and Victorian birds are more sedentary or locally mobile. Movement patterns differ between regions, so records from nearby beaches, islands and wetlands should be considered when planning works.

Habitat: Landforms and substrates

On a works site, look for open coastal and estuarine habitat with bare sand, shell grit, shallow water and a clear view across surrounding water. The most suitable sites are generally low and sparsely vegetated, rather than densely covered by shrubs or tall grasses.

Habitat includes offshore, inshore, estuarine and lake islands, sheltered beaches, sandy spits, sandy banks, ridges and mainland coastal margins.

Nesting and roosting areas may be made from natural sand, shell grit or beachcast material. Reclaimed or engineered sites can also be used where they provide elevated shelly sand, direct access to water and nearby fish.

  • Sandy islands and spits
  • Sheltered embayments and inlets
  • Estuaries, lagoons and wetlands
  • Sandy patches among rocks or low vegetation
  • Beaches above the high tide mark
  • Shelly banks and coastal ridges

Habitat: Wetland and coastal settings

The species uses estuaries, saline and freshwater wetlands, lakes, salt ponds, harbours, sewage farms and sheltered coastal waters. For site assessment, inspect both the potential nesting surface and the adjacent shallow water used for feeding.

Low, sparse vegetation is often suitable. Weed encroachment or dense vegetation can make a former nesting site unsuitable, but newly cleared or replenished sand can also attract birds.

Habitat: Site assessment

Map open sandy areas, shell banks, islands and spits that are above the high tide mark or high water mark. Check whether vehicles, pedestrians, dogs, horses, machinery or construction activities can access the site.

Review recent bird records, aerial imagery, water levels, tidal exposure and links to nearby beaches or islands. A site that appears empty during one visit may be used later in the season.

Foraging habitat: Feeding behaviour

Australian Fairy Terns feed close to breeding and roosting sites when suitable fish are available. Works that reduce shallow-water habitat, alter water quality or change water levels can affect the colony even when the nesting scrape is outside the work footprint.

The species feeds almost entirely on fish. Adults plunge into shallow water, sometimes hovering briefly before diving at a steep angle. They swallow fish head first.

Young birds are fed small fish from shallow, inshore waters. Adults may carry fish back to the colony for courtship or to feed chicks.

  • Shallow estuarine and coastal waters
  • Sheltered embayments and lagoons
  • Wetlands and near-coastal lakes
  • Waters adjacent to islands, beaches and spits

Foraging habitat: Works risks in foraging areas

Dredging, reclamation, sediment disturbance, pollution and changes to salinity can affect prey fish. In the Coorong, increased salinity has been associated with local declines in prey fish and Fairy Tern numbers.

Water management needs to consider both the nesting surface and surrounding feeding waters. Avoid sudden or poorly timed changes that reduce fish habitat or cause excessive turbidity near active colonies.

  • Control spills, concrete washout, fuel loss and contaminated runoff.
  • Retain shallow-water feeding areas where practicable.
  • Coordinate water-level changes with an ecologist when a colony is present.
  • Include nearby feeding waters in impact assessments, not only the nest scrape.

Foraging habitat: Field observations

Record the direction of flight, repeated plunge dives, fish carried by adults and any regular flight path between water and the colony. These observations can identify important feeding areas and help position access routes or exclusion zones.

Breeding habitat: Nest sites

Breeding sites are usually open, sandy places above the high tide or high water mark, with little vegetation and a clear view of the surrounding water. The nest is a shallow scrape, so eggs and chicks are easily damaged by footsteps, vehicles, dogs, horses and machinery.

Nests occur on sandy beaches, spits, banks, ridges, islands and sandy patches among rocks or low vegetation. Scrapes may contain small shells or seaweed and may be edged with shell fragments, pebbles, gravel or beachcast material.

Fairy Terns usually nest once per season. Breeding is generally from September to January, although a Western Australian sanctuary recorded egg laying from November to March. Confirm local timing before scheduling works.

Eggs: Usually two speckled eggs, with up to three recorded

Incubation: About 21 days

Early chick care: Chicks are brooded for about six days, then become mobile

Breeding habitat: Recognising an active breeding place

Treat a site as potentially active when adults repeatedly land on the sand, sit low over scrapes, carry fish, give alarm calls, circle or mob people and vehicles, or lead chicks away from an approaching person.

Look from outside the area for adults, eggs, chicks, fresh scrapes, tracks and concentrated bird activity. Do not enter to confirm a nest. A breeding place can include the colony, access routes to water and nearby chick shelter areas.

  • Fresh or occupied scrapes
  • Adults sitting tightly on the sand
  • Speckled eggs or downy chicks
  • Adults carrying fish towards the colony
  • Repeated alarm flights or calling
  • Chicks sheltering under beachcast flotsam

Breeding habitat: Planning works

Keep clearing, earthworks, vehicle movements, beach access and noisy construction outside the local nesting period where practicable. If works cannot be avoided, obtain site-specific advice before entering suitable habitat.

Use visible signage, fencing and controlled access before birds establish nests. Keep machinery, workers, dogs and public access away from the colony and avoid driving across sandy banks, spits or beach margins.

Sheltering habitat: Roost and shelter features

Adult Fairy Terns commonly roost on beaches and may use nearby islands, banks and sheltered coastal margins. Chicks can move away from the scrape once mobile and may shelter under beachcast flotsam, making the area used by a colony larger than the nest cluster.

Look for open beaches, sandy banks, islands, spits, shell banks and quiet margins of estuaries, lagoons and wetlands. Night roosts can contain birds of different ages and may change in composition over time.

Mobile chicks may shelter hundreds of metres from the nest under beachcast flotsam. Keep beach cleaning, vehicle access, stock access and material storage away from likely chick shelter areas during the breeding season.

  • Beachcast seaweed and flotsam
  • Quiet upper beach areas
  • Sheltered sandy banks
  • Island margins above the high tide mark
  • Low vegetation near, but not over, the nesting surface

Sheltering habitat: Roost observations

Record the location, number and age classes of birds, time of day, tide or water level, and any disturbance response. Avoid approaching a roost, especially at night, when birds may be difficult to detect and more easily flushed.

Sheltering habitat: Access controls

Use existing access routes where possible. Close informal tracks that lead onto beaches, islands, spits or banks used by birds. Keep dogs on approved routes and prevent them entering nesting and chick shelter areas.

Set the exclusion area around the active colony and associated roosts with advice from a qualified ecologist and the relevant land manager. Review it if birds flush, chicks move into new areas or the colony shifts.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony looks like

The Australian Fairy Tern is a colonial breeder. Colonies may be small or very large, and one site can hold a substantial share of the local population, so even short visits by people or machinery can have serious consequences.

A colony is a group of pairs nesting close together on open sand, shell grit or low, sparse vegetation. Nests are shallow scrapes and may be difficult to see, while adults are often more obvious than the nests.

Colonies may occur on offshore, estuarine or lake islands, sandy beaches, spits, banks, ridges and reclaimed coastal sites. They are not normally associated with wetland trees, lignum, reedbeds, cliffs, culverts, bridges or caves.

  • Open sandy islands
  • Estuarine and lake islands
  • Sheltered beaches and spits
  • Sandy banks above high water
  • Shell banks and low coastal ridges
  • Reclaimed land with elevated shelly sand

Colonies and breeding places: Colony size and site fidelity

Australian colonies generally contain 2 to 400 pairs. Colonies of up to 700 pairs have been recorded in Western Australia. A colony may therefore range from a few nesting pairs to hundreds of pairs, and flock size should not be mistaken for breeding colony size.

Some populations show regional natal philopatry, meaning birds can return to the same broad region. A site may be used in different years, may shift after flooding or disturbance, or may be occupied after a period with no breeding.

Typical colony size: 2 to 400 pairs

Largest reported colonies: Up to 700 pairs in Western Australia

Example of a managed site: About 220 breeding pairs were recorded at the Rous Head sanctuary in 2018 to 2019

Colonies and breeding places: Active breeding place checks

Before works, inspect suitable habitat from a distance and check recent records. Look for repeated adult activity, alarm calls, fish deliveries, fresh scrapes, eggs and chicks. A colony should be treated as active when birds are nesting or defending the site, even if only a small number of nests are visible.

Do not walk through the colony to count nests. Use binoculars or a telescope, and arrange monitoring by an experienced ecologist. Record the colony boundary, nearby roosts, access points, chick shelter areas and the route birds use to reach feeding water.

  • Stop work if adults flush repeatedly or chicks are moving through the work area.
  • Do not approach an apparently empty scrape until it has been assessed by an ecologist.
  • Check islands and nearby beaches, not only the area shown in the original work plan.

Colonies and breeding places: Disturbance controls

Flushing exposes eggs to chilling, overheating and predators, and can cause nest abandonment. Vehicles, bikes, horses, dogs, pedestrians, boats, drones, lighting and construction noise can all disturb a colony.

Set a clearly marked buffer around active nests, the colony edge, nearby roosts and chick shelter areas. The buffer distance should be determined by a qualified ecologist and adjusted if birds show disturbance. Keep all non-essential people and equipment outside it.

Schedule works outside the local nesting period wherever possible. If works must occur during breeding, use a written fauna management plan, controlled access, daily checks and a stop-work procedure. Do not rely on a fence alone if birds can be flushed by activity outside the fence.

  • Install signs and rope or temporary fencing before birds establish nests where a site is known to attract Fairy Terns.
  • Keep works outside the nesting period where practicable.
  • Prevent dogs, horses, bikes and vehicles from entering the colony and chick shelter areas.
  • Use the smallest practical workforce and avoid repeated site visits.
  • Review controls after storms, flooding, water-level changes or movement of chicks.

Colonies and breeding places: Flooding and water management

Water levels that are too high can flood nests. Water levels that are too low may create a route for predators to walk to an island or colony. Changes in salinity can also reduce prey fish in waters beside breeding sites.

Coordinate water releases, drainage, dredging and other water-management activities with the breeding season and current colony location. Monitor the colony after major rainfall, flooding, tidal events or planned changes in water levels.

  • Maintain access to suitable shallow feeding water where practicable.
  • Avoid rapid water-level changes near active nests.
  • Inspect for predator access after low water levels.
  • Include adjacent feeding waters and likely alternate nesting sites in the management plan.

Threats: Direct disturbance and nest damage

Most works-site risks arise from disturbance and direct damage to shallow nests. Threats can continue after adults leave the colony because eggs, chicks, roosts, feeding waters and access routes may all be affected.

Foot traffic, vehicles, bikes, horses and machinery can crush scrapes, eggs and chicks. Repeated disturbance can cause adults to desert nests, leaving eggs exposed to chilling, overheating and predators.

Keep access routes, laydown areas, turnarounds and stockpiles away from sandy nesting and roosting habitat. Use physical barriers and signs, then brief all workers and contractors before mobilisation.

Threats: Predators and domestic animals

Foxes, dogs, cats and Black Rats can take eggs or chicks. Silver Gulls, Pacific Gulls, harriers and ravens also prey on eggs and young. Disturbance can make predation more likely by leaving nests unattended or exposing chicks.

Control domestic animal access and follow approved predator-management programs at important sites. Do not attract gulls or other predators with food waste, fish scraps or unsecured rubbish.

Threats: Habitat change and development

Housing, port works, reclamation, beach modification, weed encroachment and overgrown vegetation can remove or degrade nesting habitat. Clearing or grading a sandy site can destroy scrapes before they are detected.

Retain open sandy areas and shell banks where practicable. Keep works outside breeding periods, avoid unnecessary vegetation changes, and inspect potential replacement or adjacent sites before altering a known colony site.

Threats: Water, climate and pollution

Flooding, extreme weather, sea-level change and unsuitable water management can reduce breeding success. Increased salinity can reduce prey fish near colonies. Oil spills and contaminated runoff can affect both breeding habitat and feeding waters.

Include tides, flood levels, drainage, salinity, sediment, spill response and storm events in the environmental management plan. Recheck the site after major weather events because the colony may move to a nearby sandbank, island or beach.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey Fairy Terns as a colonial coastal bird, with particular attention to sandy islands, spits, beaches, banks and sheltered wetlands. Surveys should cover both breeding places and nearby roosts because birds may move between nesting, feeding and night roosting areas.

Review recent records, aerial imagery, shoreline change, tidal levels, access tracks, dog and vehicle use, predator records and proposed works. Map sandy areas above the high tide mark, low sparse vegetation, shelly sand, beachcast flotsam and nearby shallow feeding waters.

Check whether the site is near a known or historic colony, night roost, important wetland, island or estuary. Colonies can be separated by substantial distances, so search adjacent shorelines and nearby islands as well as the project footprint.

  • Obtain current threatened species information and local breeding records from the relevant state agency, land manager and local experts.
  • Check Commonwealth protected matter requirements and whether the project may affect a listed population or an important breeding colony.
  • Treat Queensland records cautiously. The species is an uncommon visitor or vagrant there, but any breeding place or colony requires specialist regulatory advice.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection and timing

Use experienced observers with binoculars and a telescope where safe. Walk or scan from outside suitable nesting habitat before approaching the shoreline. Look for small grey and white terns with orange yellow bills and yellow legs in breeding plumage.

Survey during September to January when breeding activity is most likely. In Western Australia, also consider spring and summer movements to breeding areas. Repeat surveys across suitable tides and conditions if birds are absent during the first visit.

Search early in the day or during periods of good visibility, low glare and manageable wind. Avoid entering sandy nesting areas to improve detection and reduce flushing.

  • Scan offshore waters, sandbanks, spits, beaches, islands, estuarine margins and wetland edges.
  • Watch for repeated flights to one sandy area, courtship, fish being carried, adults circling or alarm calling, and chicks moving from nests towards cover.
  • Inspect likely night roosts from a distance, especially beaches and sheltered shorelines, without entering the roost.
  • Use repeat visits where birds are mobile, weather is poor, the site is difficult to view, or breeding status is uncertain.

Survey methodology: 3. Colony and breeding-place assessment

A colony is usually an open group of shallow sand scrapes above the high tide mark, often on a sheltered beach, spit, ridge, island, wetland margin or sandy bank. Nests may be lined or rimmed with shells, seaweed, pebbles or gravel, and are commonly among low sparse vegetation.

Colonies in Australia generally contain 2 to 400 pairs and can reach 700 pairs in Western Australia. These figures describe breeding pairs, not every bird using the site. Flocks and roosts can be larger, with flocks of 50 to 150 birds commonly recorded and much larger flocks reported in north western Australia.

An active breeding place may contain occupied scrapes, eggs, downy chicks, mobile chicks, adults carrying fish, defensive adults, fresh tracks around nests or repeated movements between the colony and nearby water. Do not rely on seeing eggs, as nests and chicks are well camouflaged.

  • Record the colony boundary, nest locations or nest density where this can be done without entering the colony.
  • Record adult, nest, egg and chick counts separately, with the date, time, tide, weather and observer names.
  • Map nearby roosts, access points, dog areas, vehicle routes, predator pathways and likely flight paths.
  • Record whether birds flush, how far they move, whether eggs or chicks are exposed, and how long adults take to return.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey records and reporting

Record all observations in a consistent format. Include positive and negative results, because colony use can change between visits and between years.

Photograph birds and habitat from outside the breeding area where this can be done without disturbance. Do not enter a colony to obtain a closer image.

  • Record scientific and common names, number of adults, pairs, nests, eggs, chicks and fledglings where known.
  • Record behaviour, flight direction, fish carrying, courtship, alarm calls, flushing and return times.
  • Record GPS tracks, colony and roost polygons, photographs, weather, tide, survey duration and access conditions.
  • Report a possible active colony promptly to the project ecologist and relevant land manager or authority.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and regulatory checks

Avoid Fairy Tern breeding places, night roosts and access routes wherever practicable. Plan works around the breeding season and obtain project specific advice before setting buffers, because a colony can contain a large share of the local population and no single distance suits every site.

Have the project ecologist assess whether the action may affect the Australian Fairy Tern, its breeding place, roost or feeding habitat. The species is listed as Vulnerable under the Commonwealth EPBC Act and is listed as threatened in several states, including Critically Endangered in Victoria under the relevant state listing.

Refer proposed actions to the Commonwealth under the EPBC Act where a significant impact may occur. Obtain state permits, approvals and wildlife authorisations before clearing, earthworks, access changes or disturbance near a colony.

In Queensland, obtain advice from the relevant department before interfering with any breeding place. For a least concern colonial breeder, tampering with the breeding place requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020, rather than the low risk program used for other least concern animals. Confirm the current classification and approval pathway for the individual project.

  • Do not assume that a colony is unprotected because it is outside a reserve.
  • Use approval conditions as the minimum control, not as a substitute for site specific ecological advice.
  • Document agency advice, permit numbers, referrals, conditions and responsible contacts before mobilisation.
  • Escalate any proposed destruction, relocation or alteration of an active breeding place to the approving authority and project ecologist.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and timing

Retain the colony, sandy substrate, low vegetation, nearby roosts and unobstructed access to feeding waters. Keep works, vehicle movements, recreation changes, lighting and predator access away from breeding areas.

The main breeding season is September to January. Some populations move seasonally, including Tasmanian birds that leave for winter and Western Australian birds that move to breeding areas in spring and summer. Confirm local timing before setting the work window.

  • Schedule noisy, high traffic and ground disturbing works outside the local nesting period where practicable.
  • Keep works outside the nesting period until a competent ecologist confirms that the colony has dispersed and no dependent chicks remain.
  • Do not alter water levels, drainage, shoreline profiles or salinity near colonies without assessing flooding, prey fish and predator access risks.
  • Avoid works after heavy rain, storm events or high tides until the colony has been checked for flooding, exposure or relocation.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Buffers, exclusion and site layout

Establish a no entry buffer around every active colony and roost. Set the distance from observations of flushing, the colony layout, topography, sight lines, noise, machinery and approval conditions. A buffer that prevents people entering the colony may still be too small if adults repeatedly flush.

Fence or rope off the colony before works begin. Include the whole breeding area, likely chick movement routes and a practical margin beyond the outer nests. Do not place fencing through a colony or across the route to nearby feeding water.

  • Use signs that prohibit entry, dogs, horses, bikes and vehicles.
  • Provide a marked access route that remains outside the buffer and does not separate chicks from water or shelter.
  • Inspect fencing daily during active works and after strong wind, flooding or public access incidents.
  • Do not remove protective fencing until the ecologist confirms that breeding has finished and chicks are independent.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Pre clearance survey and induction

Complete a final pre clearance inspection immediately before works start, even if an earlier survey found no birds. Inspect the footprint, access routes, stockpile areas, shoreline and nearby roosts from outside suitable habitat.

Brief all workers, supervisors, contractors, boat crews and fauna spotter catchers. Fairy Tern nests are shallow scrapes and can be difficult to see.

  • Show the colony boundary, exclusion zones, approved access routes and stop work contact on the site plan.
  • Explain that eggs, chicks and nests must not be handled by unapproved personnel.
  • Provide a simple stop work procedure for any tern, nest, egg, chick, colony or roost found during works.
  • Make the fauna spotter catcher and site supervisor responsible for confirming that controls are in place before starting.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and supervision

Use a staged, low impact work sequence. The fauna spotter catcher has authority to stop work whenever a Fairy Tern, active breeding place, colony, roost or unexpected wildlife risk is found.

Start with the least sensitive areas and work progressively towards the cleared boundary. Keep machinery, people and vehicles out of exclusion zones. Use a fauna spotter catcher who can see the work face and communicate directly with operators.

Do not use machinery to push through beach vegetation, sandbanks, flotsam or low cover where chicks may shelter. Fairy Tern chicks can move away from the nest and may shelter under beachcast material.

  • Conduct a pre start inspection each day and after interruptions.
  • Clear small sections only after the spotter catcher has checked the section and adjoining shelter.
  • Keep stockpiles, spoil, lighting towers, generators and parked vehicles outside buffers.
  • Stop if visibility is poor, birds are repeatedly flushing, or the colony boundary cannot be confirmed.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Response to a colony, nest or roost

If an active breeding place or colony is found, stop work immediately and withdraw people and machinery along the access route. Keep observers outside the likely disturbance area and prevent dogs, vehicles and other workers from entering.

A breeding place may include nests, eggs, chicks, adults carrying fish, repeated defensive behaviour or a group of birds using one sandy area. A night roost may contain birds of different ages and should also be treated as sensitive.

  • Establish a temporary exclusion area without walking through the colony.
  • Notify the site supervisor, project ecologist and relevant authority or land manager.
  • Have the ecologist assess the colony boundary, breeding status, disturbance risk, access needs and required buffer.
  • Do not resume work until the ecologist confirms the controls and any approval requirements.
  • If flooding, erosion or a change in water level threatens the colony, contact the land manager and authority rather than moving nests or chicks.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injured animals

Only authorised and appropriately trained wildlife personnel may handle Fairy Terns, eggs or chicks. Do not catch a flying adult, move a nest, incubate an egg or relocate a chick as a routine response to construction.

A bird that is injured, grounded, entangled or contaminated should be approached only when necessary to prevent immediate harm and under the relevant wildlife authority or wildlife rehabilitator direction.

  • Stop nearby work and reduce noise, people and vehicle movement.
  • Contact the project ecologist, state wildlife authority, wildlife rescue service or authorised rehabilitator.
  • Keep the area secure and prevent public access, dogs and predators.
  • Record the location, condition, suspected cause, photographs and actions taken without delaying treatment.
  • Do not release or relocate an animal unless directed by an authorised wildlife professional.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Records and incident control

Maintain a daily wildlife and disturbance log. Record both planned controls and unexpected events so that the project can demonstrate how the colony was protected.

Treat repeated flushing, nest exposure, egg chilling, chick separation, predator entry, vehicle intrusion or fence failure as incidents requiring review.

  • Record date, time, location, activity, personnel, equipment, weather, tide and the bird response.
  • Record the number and life stage of birds affected, if this can be done safely.
  • Record stop work times, photographs, notifications, advice received and the time work resumed.
  • Update the site map and induction material when the colony boundary or access conditions change.
  • Report any death, injury, nest destruction, abandonment or unauthorised entry under the approval and incident reporting requirements.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post clearance inspection

Do not treat completion of earthworks as the end of the risk period. Check the site for residual hazards, dependent chicks, injured birds, altered drainage and continued use of the area by Fairy Terns.

Complete a final inspection of the work area, buffers, access routes, spoil areas, shoreline and adjacent roosts. Look for nests, eggs, chicks, carcasses, trapped animals, exposed substrate, loose fencing and new predator or public access routes.

Use the same observers and mapping approach where possible so the results can be compared with pre work records.

  • Remove temporary hazards only after the ecologist confirms that no breeding or dependent chicks remain.
  • Check pits, trenches, pipes, netting, erosion controls and water infrastructure for trapped or injured wildlife.
  • Check that fencing and signs remain effective until breeding has finished.
  • Photograph the completed site and record any changed habitat, water level or shoreline condition.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and monitoring

Prepare a close out report that links the works to the approved controls. Include the survey results, colony status, incidents, corrective actions and any outstanding risks.

Continue monitoring where the project has affected a colony, roost, nesting substrate, access pattern, water regime or nearby feeding habitat.

  • Submit statutory reports and incident notifications within the required timeframes.
  • Provide colony, nest, egg, chick and fledgling records to the relevant land manager or monitoring program where requested.
  • Repeat monitoring during the next local breeding season when residual effects or habitat changes are possible.
  • Record whether birds returned, whether breeding was successful and whether disturbance or predator activity changed.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated or rescued animals

Track every animal handled, rescued or temporarily held. The preferred outcome is usually return to the original location or care by an authorised rehabilitator, not an informal release elsewhere.

Do not return a chick or adult to a site until an authorised wildlife professional confirms that it is safe and that the bird can be reunited with its colony or appropriate habitat.

  • Record the finder, location, time, species, condition, identification marks, handler and receiving organisation.
  • Record transport, treatment, release or rehabilitation outcome.
  • Keep wildlife authority and rehabilitator advice with the project records.
  • Review whether the work method, fencing, lighting or access arrangements contributed to the event.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review and adaptive management

Hold a review after any colony disturbance, injury, nest loss, flooding event, predator incursion or public access breach. Use the findings to change the work method before the next stage or project season.

Include the fauna spotter catcher, site supervisor, project ecologist, land manager and relevant authority where required.

  • Identify the immediate cause and any underlying planning failure.
  • Strengthen buffers, fencing, signs, supervision, timing or water controls where needed.
  • Update the fauna management plan, induction and emergency contacts.
  • Share lessons with contractors before similar works begin at another site.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore breeding substrate

Rehabilitate Fairy Tern habitat as open, low vegetation coastal breeding habitat with safe access to nearby feeding waters. Restoration should retain natural sandy processes and avoid creating new disturbance, predator access or water level problems.

Reinstate sandy beaches, spits, ridges, islands and shelly banks where these habitats have been removed or compacted. Keep suitable nesting areas above the high tide mark, with open sight lines and low sparse vegetation.

Use clean, locally suitable sand or shell material only after checking sediment quality, stability, erosion risk and approval conditions. Match the local substrate rather than creating a raised mound that floods or attracts predators.

  • Remove construction debris, compacted spoil, weeds and invasive vegetation from the agreed restoration area.
  • Retain some natural shell fragments, gravel or seaweed where they form part of the local nesting surface.
  • Avoid dense planting in the active nesting area.
  • Keep pedestrian, vehicle, dog and horse access away from restored breeding habitat.
  • Inspect the site after high tides, storms and extreme weather.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Artificial or replacement breeding sites

Artificial nest sites may suit Fairy Terns when they reproduce the conditions of a sheltered sandy beach or spit. They should be designed by a coastal ecologist and approved by the relevant authority before construction.

Nest boxes and bat boxes are not suitable replacement structures for this species. Fairy Terns nest in shallow ground scrapes, not hollows or boxes. Roost structures should not be installed unless a specialist has identified a genuine need and the design will not attract predators or increase disturbance.

  • Design any artificial nest site with open sandy or shelly substrate, suitable elevation and direct access to nearby feeding water.
  • Keep the site free of dense vegetation, public access and artificial lighting.
  • Do not move nests, eggs or chicks to an artificial site as a routine mitigation measure.
  • Monitor prospecting, nesting, flooding, predation and human access before deciding whether the site is functioning.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, predators and access

Control weed encroachment so that the nesting surface remains open and low. Use methods that do not disturb active nests, contaminate feeding waters or leave cover for predators.

Manage foxes, cats, rats, dogs and other predators in accordance with an approved program. Predator control should be planned with the land manager and should not increase risks to Fairy Terns or other wildlife.

  • Remove invasive plants before seed set where practicable and dispose of material away from the colony.
  • Maintain fences and signs before each breeding season.
  • Close or reroute tracks that direct vehicles, bikes, horses or dogs towards the breeding place.
  • Control rubbish and food sources that attract gulls, ravens, foxes or rats.
  • Inspect for predator tracks and access after rain and during breeding monitoring.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Water, lighting and long term monitoring

Manage nearby water levels and drainage so that nests are not flooded and low water does not create a land bridge for predators. Consider salinity and prey fish because changes in adjacent waters can reduce food availability.

Limit night lighting near colonies and roosts. Use the lowest practical intensity, shield lights from the shoreline, avoid lighting the colony or flight path and turn off temporary lighting when work stops.

  • Monitor erosion, water levels, salinity where relevant, flooding, predator access and prey fish indicators used by the local management program.
  • Monitor the restored site annually through the local breeding season and after major storms or water management changes.
  • Record adult numbers, pairs, nests, eggs, chicks, fledglings, roost use and disturbance responses.
  • Review the restoration design if birds do not prospect or breed, if vegetation closes over the site, or if flooding and predation continue.
  • Keep habitat and monitoring records with the project environmental management system for the life of the approval.

Sources