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Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis moluccus)

The Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis moluccus, is a large native waterbird found across much of Australia, including wetlands, floodplains, coastal areas and urban parks. On works sites, colonies, nests, roost trees and flight paths can be easily disturbed, while clearing or construction near a breeding place may require specific approvals. The species is listed as least concern, but it remains protected native fauna, and in Queensland it is treated as a high risk colonial breeder for breeding place management.

Conservation status

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.

Breeding season

Australian White Ibis breeding activity is generally recorded from July to December, although timing can vary between regions, wetlands and years. Colonies may occur in natural wetlands, urban lakes and small islands, and local conditions such as water levels and food availability can affect activity.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. Australian White Ibis nests in large colonies, sometimes alongside Straw-necked Ibis. One colony can contain a substantial proportion of the local breeding population.

Breeding frequency: One or two broods may be reared in a year.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation: Not recorded.

Young and fledging: Young are born naked and helpless. Fledging timing and the period of dependence are not recorded.

Age at maturity: Some birds can obtain adult plumage, breed and care for chicks at about two years of age.

Colonies and breeding places: Colonies commonly occur near water, including on small islands in urban wetlands, estuaries and parks. Other breeding places include tall wetland trees, palms, paperbarks, ground-layer vegetation and floating wetland structures. Major Sydney colonies have been defined as containing at least 100 nests. A management plan also distinguishes small colonies of fewer than 50 individuals from medium to large colonies of more than 50 individuals. Site fidelity is strong, with birds returning to hatching or breeding sites. An active breeding place may show adults carrying nesting material, territorial or courtship behaviour, occupied nests, eggs, naked or downy young, repeated adult flights between the colony and feeding areas, concentrated calls, fresh droppings and recently damaged vegetation. Colonies need special care because disturbance can flush many adults at once, expose eggs and young, damage nests and vegetation, and affect birds that travel between the colony, roosts and feeding sites.

Breeding can start earlier, finish later or occur outside this general window when rainfall, flooding, water management and food availability change, so active colonies should be assessed in every season.

  • Breeding and nesting activity: Breeding colonies generally become active from July to December, but inspect the site rather than relying on the calendar.
  • Eggs, nestlings and dependent young: Eggs and dependent young may be present during the breeding period, and their exact timing is not consistent enough to set a narrower window.
  • Colony, roost and feeding movements: Adults may move daily between nesting or roosting sites and feeding areas, including wetlands, pastures, intertidal mudflats, parks and landfills.
  • Colony protection and disturbance sensitivity: Keep clearing, construction, vegetation removal, noisy plant and access changes outside the nesting period where possible, and establish a site-specific buffer around any active colony.
  • Highest clearing risk: July to December is the highest risk period because works may disturb colonies and harm eggs, nestlings, dependent young or nesting habitat; there is no single species-specific disturbance distance, so a qualified ecologist should set a conservative buffer and stop works if birds repeatedly flush.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Australian White Ibis is a large, mostly white wading bird with a bare black head and neck. It is usually conspicuous on open ground, around water and in flight, but young birds can look darker around the neck.

Adults have a white body, black featherless skin on the head and neck, black legs and a long, downcurved black bill. Adults also have a small cream plume at the base of the neck.

The underside wing skin can change from dull pink to dark scarlet during the breeding season. Young birds resemble adults but have black feathers covering the neck.

Typical length: About 72 cm

Sex differences: Males are larger and have longer bills. In one Victorian study, female bill lengths were 131 to 164 mm and male bill lengths were 180 to 198 mm.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The call is a drawn out croak. Large flocks may also be detected by repeated calling, wingbeats and movement between a colony, roost and feeding area.

Straw-necked Ibis may occur in the same breeding colonies. Check the whole bird rather than relying on a quick view of a flock, especially where both ibis species are present.

  • Australian White Ibis has a mostly white body and a black bare head and neck.
  • In flight, flocks commonly form a V shape.
  • Straw-necked Ibis is a related species that may nest in the same colony.

Identification: Field signs

Look for accumulations of whitewash, droppings, feathers, broken twigs and other nesting material beneath trees, on islands and around colony margins. Strong odour, noisy calling and repeated bird traffic can indicate a long established roost or breeding place.

Droppings and nesting material can build up on vegetation, paths, structures and ground surfaces. Bare or damaged vegetation may occur where birds repeatedly roost, nest or collect material.

  • Fresh twigs and other material wedged into branches.
  • Whitewash on branches, trunks, rocks, platforms or ground.
  • Repeated flight lines between the site and nearby wetlands, landfills or other feeding areas.
  • Adults carrying twigs, birds sitting tightly on nests, eggs, chicks or recently fledged young.

Distribution: Range in Australia

The Australian White Ibis is widespread and mobile. It uses both natural inland wetlands and newer coastal and urban habitats, with local movements linked strongly to water and food availability.

The species is recorded across northern, eastern and south western Australia. It is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

It is common in many eastern Australian cities. Its range and abundance in Western Australia have expanded, and it was reported as absent from Western Australia before the 1950s.

  • Northern Australia, including the Northern Territory and northern Queensland.
  • Eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
  • South Australia and Western Australia.
  • Tasmania is included in the mapped project distribution.

Distribution: Overseas records and movement

The species is native to Australia and also occurs in southern Papua New Guinea and surrounding islands. An ibis banded in Victoria was found in Papua New Guinea in the 1960s.

It can be highly nomadic and may fly great distances between feeding and breeding areas. In southern Victoria, birds were recorded flying up to 30 km from a breeding wetland to feed and returning during the day and evening.

  • Expect movement between colonies, roosts, wetlands, pastures, estuaries, parks and waste facilities.
  • A colony may remain occupied even when much of the feeding occurs away from the site.

Distribution: What this means on a work site

A quiet site may still be part of a colony's wider movement area. Record birds flying to and from the site, and check nearby wetlands, islands, tall trees, landfills and other regular feeding areas before planning clearing or construction.

  • Survey early enough to identify seasonal use.
  • Map flight paths and nearby roosts as well as nests.
  • Treat repeated bird traffic as a prompt for a more detailed colony assessment.

Habitat: Natural habitat

Look for the Australian White Ibis wherever shallow water, wet ground and open feeding areas occur together. The species also uses highly modified sites when they provide reliable food, water and safe trees or islands.

Natural habitats include swamps, lagoons, floodplains, shallow freshwater marshes, grasslands, intertidal mudflats, estuaries and river floodplains. Inland wetlands can become especially valuable after flooding or renewed waterflows.

Wetland vegetation may include Swamp Paperbark, Melaleuca species, riparian trees and other dense wetland plants. Pastures and marshes near wetlands can form part of the same habitat.

  • Shallow freshwater wetlands and marshes.
  • Floodplains and river edges.
  • Intertidal mudflats and estuaries.
  • Grasslands and grazing pastures near water.

Habitat: Urban and modified habitat

Urban ibis use parks, gardens, ovals, artificial wetlands, waste facilities and landscaped waterbodies. Palms and other tall trees near water can provide breeding or roosting sites.

Small islands are commonly used in urban colonies because water can reduce access by people and some predators. Check islands, floating wetlands, lake margins and woody vegetation even where the surrounding landscape is heavily developed.

  • Urban lakes and artificial wetlands.
  • Parks, gardens and sporting ovals.
  • Waste processing centres, rubbish tips and landfills.
  • Small islands and vegetated lake margins.

Habitat: Water management

Water availability affects inland wetland use, breeding opportunities and movements. Drought and changes to river or water management have reduced natural habitat and contributed to movement into coastal and urban areas.

Avoid assuming that a dry wetland has no value. Assess wetland condition, recent flooding, retained pools and nearby feeding areas together.

  • Record water depth and the extent of wet ground.
  • Check whether water levels are likely to change during the works.
  • Consider downstream and nearby wetlands when assessing dewatering, drainage or fill activities.

Foraging habitat: Natural feeding areas

Australian White Ibis feed in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. On development sites, open wet ground, mud, pasture and human waste can all attract birds.

The long bill is used to probe soil, mud and shallow wetland substrates. Natural foods include terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, freshwater crayfish, mussels and insects.

Birds may travel from a colony to pastures, marshes, wetlands, intertidal mudflats, river floodplains and suburban gardens. Locust outbreaks can attract large mixed flocks of Australian White Ibis and Straw-necked Ibis.

  • Mudflats and shallow water margins.
  • Wet grassland, pasture and floodplain soil.
  • Marshes, swamps and riparian zones.
  • Urban lawns and gardens where invertebrates are available.

Foraging habitat: Urban food sources

Urban populations often use landfill sites, rubbish tips, open bins, litter and food scraps. Waste facilities can support large numbers and may be linked to colonies many kilometres away.

Keep food and waste secured throughout the project. A new food source can quickly attract birds to an otherwise low use work area.

  • Use closed, secure bin lids.
  • Remove food scraps from site each day.
  • Do not feed birds or leave pet food and water where birds can access them.
  • Keep work compounds and lunch areas clean.

Foraging habitat: Site assessment

Record the number of birds, their behaviour and the direction of travel. Birds probing soil are feeding, while birds carrying twigs, repeatedly entering trees or flying directly to an island may be associated with breeding.

Avoid using a single count to describe the site's importance. Counts can change with tide, water level, waste availability and movements between feeding areas.

  • Map feeding areas separately from nests and roosts.
  • Record nearby waste facilities and open food sources.
  • Note whether birds are flushed by vehicles, machinery or people.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places to inspect

The species breeds in colonies, often near water and on islands or in tall trees. Breeding habitat can be natural, urban or constructed, so inspect both retained vegetation and modified waterbodies before works begin.

Breeding colonies have been recorded in wetland trees, paperbarks, palms and other tall vegetation. Colonies also occur on small islands in urban lakes, artificial wetlands and estuaries.

Inspect tree canopies, island vegetation, floating wetlands, woody weed piles and dense ground vegetation. The species is not known from the project information as a hollow, cave or burrow breeder.

  • Tall wetland trees and palms near water.
  • Swamp Paperbark and other Melaleuca vegetation.
  • Small islands in lakes, wetlands and estuaries.
  • Floating wetlands and dense shrubs or woody material used for nesting.

Breeding habitat: Breeding behaviour

A male may hold a branch in a tall tree during courtship. The pair later builds a nest at another location. Nests are placed in colonies, and colonies may include Straw-necked Ibis.

Adults carry twigs, attend nests, defend nest areas and move repeatedly between nests and feeding sites. Young are naked and helpless when they hatch. One or two broods may be reared in a year.

  • Adults carrying twigs or other nesting material.
  • Repeated entry to the same tree, island or vegetation patch.
  • Aggressive interactions between adults near nest areas.
  • Chicks, fledglings or adults feeding young.

Breeding habitat: Timing and work planning

In the Camden area, breeding colony numbers generally increased from July to December. Timing can vary between regions and sites, so use local observations rather than relying on a calendar alone.

Where practicable, schedule noisy, clearing and construction activities outside the local nesting period. If works cannot avoid an active colony, obtain ecological and regulatory advice before disturbance.

  • Complete a pre-clearance inspection before vegetation removal.
  • Treat eggs, nests, chicks and dependent fledglings as evidence of an active breeding place.
  • Keep machinery, access routes and material storage away from the colony while breeding is active.

Sheltering habitat: Roost features

Australian White Ibis roost communally near water and close to reliable feeding areas. Roosts may be separate from the breeding colony, but both can be linked by regular daily movements.

Look for groups settling at dusk or before dawn in tall trees, palms, wetland vegetation and on small islands. Urban roosts may occur in parks, gardens, lake margins and other places with limited access.

Roost trees can be recognised by heavy whitewash, droppings, feathers, damaged vegetation and persistent odour. Birds may use a site without nesting there.

  • Tall trees and palms near lakes, wetlands or estuaries.
  • Small islands surrounded by water.
  • Dense wetland vegetation and vegetated lake edges.
  • Urban parks, gardens and artificial wetlands.

Sheltering habitat: Roost and colony links

Birds may leave a roost or colony to feed at wetlands, pastures, rubbish tips or landfills and return later. A roost therefore needs to be assessed as part of a wider movement network.

Do not assume that birds seen feeding on a site are nesting there. Conversely, do not assume that a colony is inactive because birds are absent during a short daytime inspection.

  • Undertake observations at more than one time of day where practical.
  • Check likely roost trees before pruning, removal or lighting works.
  • Map regular flight paths between roosts, colonies and feeding areas.

Sheltering habitat: Disturbance response

Repeated disturbance can cause birds to flush from roosts, nests or islands. Flushing uses energy, exposes eggs and young, and can move birds into roads, power infrastructure or other hazards.

There is no single disturbance distance that suits every colony. Set a site specific buffer with the project ecologist, based on visibility, noise, access, vegetation cover, colony size and the birds' response.

  • Stop or move back if adults repeatedly leave nests or abandon roost trees.
  • Keep people, vehicles, dogs and machinery out of the buffer.
  • Use screening and low noise methods where works must occur nearby.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony looks like

A breeding colony or maternity style roost is a concentrated group of birds using the same trees, island or wetland area. Colonies can hold a large share of the local population, so a small work footprint can still have a large effect.

Expect many adults in a restricted area, with nests packed into branches or vegetation. The site may be noisy and may have strong odour, whitewash, fallen twigs, feathers, damaged plants and bare ground.

Some colonies are on small islands surrounded by water. Recorded urban island colonies ranged from 0.03 hectares to 0.45 hectares, and one Lake Annan island covered about 3,000 square metres.

  • Many birds entering and leaving the same trees or island.
  • Nests at several heights or in dense vegetation.
  • Adults carrying twigs, incubating, feeding chicks or defending nest areas.
  • Whitewash and nesting material beneath the colony.

Colonies and breeding places: Colony size and site fidelity

Colony size varies with water, food, season and local management. In a Sydney study, major breeding colonies were defined as having at least 100 nests. The research also recorded colonies with small islands used for both nesting and roosting.

Young birds can return to their hatching site when sexually mature, and birds show fidelity to breeding sites. Protecting one colony can therefore matter beyond the current breeding season.

  • Use nest counts and bird counts together where possible.
  • Record active, inactive and abandoned nests separately.
  • Check adjacent trees, islands and roosts because the colony footprint can change.

Colonies and breeding places: Recognising an active breeding place

An active breeding place may contain occupied nests, eggs, chicks, adults carrying nesting material or adults repeatedly returning to the same nest area. Recently fledged young that remain dependent on adults are also evidence of continuing breeding use.

A colony can remain active even when some nests look abandoned. Have the site checked by a suitably experienced ecologist before removing vegetation, nests or nesting material.

  • Occupied nests or eggs.
  • Chicks, fledglings or adults feeding young.
  • Fresh nesting material and repeated nest attendance.
  • Aggressive territorial behaviour and sustained calling.

Colonies and breeding places: Special care for colonial birds

Colonial birds are vulnerable because disturbance affects many nests at once. Flushing can expose eggs and chicks, interrupt feeding and cause birds to circle over roads or powerlines.

For Australian White Ibis, plan works outside the local nesting period where practicable. Maintain a clearly marked buffer around an active colony, control access, and stop works if birds show repeated flushing or distress.

Buffer approach: Use a site specific buffer. No universal distance is set here because response varies with colony structure, visibility, noise and the type of work.

  • Wetland trees, lignum, reedbeds, islands, sandbanks and riverbanks may support colonial waterbirds.
  • Other colonial species can also use cliffs, culverts, bridges and caves, so inspect all such features where present.
  • Flooding and water management can trigger or support waterbird breeding. Avoid sudden water level changes, dewatering or drainage works that could strand nests or remove feeding habitat.
  • In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of this least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020. Seek current Queensland approval advice before works.

Threats: Clearing and construction disturbance

The main work site risks are disturbance, loss of breeding or roosting habitat, and changes to water or food resources. Urban abundance does not remove the need to protect individual birds, nests and breeding places.

Vegetation removal, tree pruning, piling, drilling, lighting, vehicles and people can disturb a colony or roost. Repeated flushing can cause nest failure and may force birds into unsafe flight paths.

Inspect before clearing and maintain access controls around active colonies. If nests, eggs or young are found, stop the affected activity and obtain advice before continuing.

  • Avoid clearing active nesting trees and island vegetation.
  • Keep plant, materials and temporary lighting away from roosts and colonies.
  • Use a spotter or ecologist to monitor bird behaviour during high risk works.

Threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation

Loss of wetland trees, islands, marshes, floodplain vegetation and shallow water margins can remove breeding, roosting or feeding habitat. Damage can extend beyond the cleared footprint where birds rely on linked sites.

Map the full habitat network, including nearby wetlands, flight paths, feeding areas and waste facilities. Retain suitable trees and vegetated buffers wherever practicable.

  • Protect tall trees and palms near water.
  • Avoid unnecessary removal of island and lake margin vegetation.
  • Prevent sediment, rubbish and machinery access from degrading shallow feeding habitat.

Threats: Water and land management

Drought, water extraction and changes to river or wetland management have reduced natural habitat in parts of the range. Dewatering, drainage, filling and sudden changes in lake levels can remove feeding areas or affect nests on islands and wetland margins.

Plan water works around the breeding status of the colony and the availability of nearby feeding habitat. Use staged works where this reduces the risk of sudden habitat loss.

  • Check current and proposed water levels before works.
  • Avoid draining or isolating wetlands used by feeding or breeding birds.
  • Retain shallow margins and wet ground where these can be protected safely.

Threats: Waste and human food

Open bins, food scraps, litter and waste facilities attract ibis and can increase local concentrations. Birds may become dependent on artificial food, creating conflict, vehicle hazards and repeated use of work compounds.

Secure waste from the start of the project. Do not feed birds, and remove food waste from lunch areas and site offices.

  • Keep bins closed and covered.
  • Use sealed containers for food and putrescible waste.
  • Clean spills promptly.
  • Do not deliberately harass, chase or harm ibis.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Australian White Ibis are conspicuous, mobile and often colonial. Surveys should cover the breeding place, nearby roosts and the feeding areas that support the colony, not just the proposed work footprint.

Map wetlands, lakes, floodplains, artificial waterbodies, islands, wetland trees, paperbark stands, palms, reedbeds and nearby waste facilities. Include parks, ovals, landfills, estuaries, mudflats, pastures and urban feeding areas.

Review recent aerial imagery, council records, local bird records, colony management plans and previous ecological reports. Check for known colonies at small islands and wetland sites, including colonies near urban landfills.

Treat a site as potentially connected to other roosting, breeding and feeding sites. Australian White Ibis may travel many kilometres between these locations, and local movements of 5 to 100 km have been recorded.

  • Record all known approvals, management plans, licences and previous disturbance events.
  • Check whether the proposal could affect another protected matter under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. An EPBC referral is not generally triggered by Australian White Ibis alone because the species is not listed as threatened under that Act.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection and timing

Search during daylight when birds are active and moving between nests and feeding areas. Use an early morning and late afternoon visit where practical, when birds are more likely to be commuting to or from a colony or roost.

Complete at least one visit during the local breeding period. Breeding activity commonly increases from July to December, but timing can vary with rainfall, water levels, food supply and local conditions.

Use vantage points, quiet foot searches around the perimeter, binoculars and observations from across the water. Avoid entering an island, nesting stand or dense wetland vegetation unless the survey can be completed without causing birds to flush.

Where the site is large or visibility is poor, repeat the inspection under suitable weather and water conditions. Avoid relying on a single count during strong wind, heavy rain, flooding or unusual disturbance.

  • Look for adults carrying twigs, territorial displays, courtship, nest building, eggs, naked young, dependent juveniles, repeated flights to and from one location, and concentrated droppings or nesting material.
  • Inspect likely breeding places including wetland trees, paperbarks, palms, lignum, reedbeds, dense shrubs, islands and floating wetland structures. For broader colonial bird checks, also inspect sandbanks, riverbanks, cliffs, culverts, bridges and caves where those habitats occur.

Survey methodology: 3. Recognising a colony or active breeding place

A colony may be a dense group of nests in trees or other vegetation, or a concentration of birds on a small island near water. Colonies can be mixed with Straw-necked Ibis. A maternity roost is not a term normally used for this species, but shared roosts can support many birds and may be linked to nearby nests.

Australian White Ibis colonies have been recorded on small islands from 0.03 hectares to 0.45 hectares, and at wetland and urban sites. Large Sydney breeding colonies have been defined as colonies with at least 100 nests. Do not use these figures as a threshold for protection. A smaller colony may still be an active breeding place.

Signs of an active breeding place include occupied nests, eggs, chicks, adults feeding young, repeated nest attendance, fresh nesting material, defensive behaviour, concentrated droppings and regular flights between the site and nearby feeding areas.

Record the colony boundary, nest locations where they can be seen without entry, vegetation used, water surrounding the site, access points, nearby roosts and likely flight paths. Estimate nest numbers rather than repeatedly approaching to obtain an exact count.

  • Stop and reassess if birds repeatedly flush, circle, call loudly, cluster away from nests or fail to return during the observation period.
  • Keep works outside the nesting period where practicable. A project ecologist should set a site specific buffer after considering nest density, vegetation, line of sight, machinery, noise, access routes and the likelihood of birds flushing.

Survey methodology: 4. Counts and records

Use a consistent observation point and record the date, start and finish time, weather, water level, survey conditions and observer names. Photograph the site from outside the colony where this can be done without disturbance.

Record adults, juveniles, eggs, nests, birds carrying nesting material, roosting birds and birds commuting to feeding sites. Note whether nests appear active, abandoned or unable to be assessed.

Map the colony, roost, access tracks, proposed disturbance area and any buffer used. Record nearby landfill, waste, wetland, pasture, mudflat and urban feeding areas that may be important to the birds.

Submit colour band records to the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme. Record wing tags and metal or coloured leg bands without attempting to catch the bird.

  • Keep a colony register for repeat projects. Include the maximum count, active nest estimate, breeding stage, disturbance observed and management response.
  • Report sick or dead birds through the relevant state or local authority pathway. Do not handle a live bird during a survey.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and site design

Plan works around the colony rather than treating the colony as an isolated feature. Avoiding the breeding place is the first option, followed by a documented, site specific disturbance plan and the approvals required for protected native wildlife.

Retain active nests, nesting trees, island vegetation, wetland edges and established roost trees wherever practicable. Keep plant, vehicle, laydown, lighting and access routes away from the colony and its approach paths.

Do not clear a colony, remove nests, cut nesting vegetation, drain supporting water or alter an island without first obtaining ecological and legal advice. Do not assume that an empty nest is unused. Confirm whether the site is active, recently used or part of a regularly occupied breeding place.

Maintain water and vegetation conditions that support the colony during the breeding period. Review works that could change water depth, flooding, wetland connectivity, food access or the security of an island.

  • Use physical exclusion fencing and clear signs around the agreed no go area.
  • Keep workers, dogs, vehicles, cranes, drones and the public outside the exclusion area.
  • Use screening, quiet equipment and staged access where these measures reduce disturbance.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Approvals, permits and legal checks

Australian White Ibis is a protected native bird. Confirm the relevant state or territory wildlife legislation before clearing, nest removal, egg treatment, relocation, handling or deliberate disturbance.

In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of this least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020. A low risk program is not the appropriate pathway for this activity. Engage the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation or an appropriately qualified adviser before work starts.

For work in New South Wales, obtain the required approval or licence before harming, capturing, handling, removing nests or managing a breeding colony. A site management plan may be required for medium or large colonies and for nominated refuge colonies.

Check other state and territory requirements for permits, wildlife handling, native vegetation, waterway works and local council approvals. Consider an EPBC referral if another listed species, ecological community or protected matter may be affected.

  • Name the approval holder, fauna ecologist and authorised wildlife handler in the construction environmental management plan.
  • Attach permit conditions, maps, buffers, stop work triggers, contact details and reporting requirements to the site pack.
  • Do not rely on a permit for a different species, site or activity.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey and breeding decision

Complete a pre-clearance inspection close enough to the start of works to detect new nests, roosts and birds that have moved into the site. Repeat the inspection if works are delayed, water levels change or birds begin courtship or nest building.

Survey the full disturbance footprint and a surrounding area agreed by the project ecologist. Include wetland trees, palms, paperbarks, lignum, reedbeds, islands, floating wetlands, dense shrubs, shorelines and structures that may provide roosting or nesting habitat.

If an active colony or breeding place is found, revise the work method and obtain any additional approval before proceeding. The preferred response is to defer works until breeding has finished and young are independent, subject to advice from the project ecologist and regulator.

  • Record the breeding stage, nest estimate, active area, likely flight paths, nearby roosts and feeding areas.
  • Set a written buffer based on the site risk. Increase the buffer if birds flush, the colony is dense, the work is noisy, vegetation screens are absent or machinery will operate above or beside the colony.
  • Do not enter the buffer to verify a nest unless the ecologist confirms that the inspection can be completed safely and lawfully.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Exclusion and crew induction

Install exclusion fencing before machinery or materials arrive. Mark the colony and buffer on site plans, survey control, digital mapping and temporary fencing.

Induct every worker, subcontractor, plant operator and visitor. Show photographs of Australian White Ibis, nests, chicks, eggs, active breeding behaviour and the site exclusion zones.

Explain that feeding, chasing, harming, catching or harassing birds is prohibited. Explain that the fauna spotter catcher or project ecologist can stop work immediately.

  • Keep food scraps, open bins and waste away from the work area. Secure all waste containers.
  • Prohibit drones and unauthorised access near the colony.
  • Brief night crews about lighting, roosts and the need to avoid directing lights across the colony or wetland.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and active supervision

Use a slow, staged approach and keep a fauna spotter catcher or ecologist present for any activity that could affect birds, nests, roosts or wetland habitat. The nominated fauna authority must have the power to stop work without delay.

Clear habitat in stages from the edge of the work area towards retained habitat, using the lowest disturbance method that meets the project design. Retain the colony, roost trees, wetland margins and movement routes unless an approved method specifically allows otherwise.

Inspect each work area immediately before disturbance. Pause when birds enter the work zone, when visibility is lost, or when nests, eggs, chicks, injured animals or unexpected roosts are found.

Keep machinery outside the exclusion area. Use a spotter to check overhead branches, island edges, ground vegetation, stockpiles, drains, culverts and structures before they are disturbed.

  • Give the fauna spotter catcher authority to call stop work to the supervisor and plant operator.
  • Maintain a live map of cleared areas, retained habitat, fauna finds and areas requiring reinspection.
  • Do not use smoke, noise, dogs, vehicles or people to flush birds from a colony or roost.

During habitat disturbance: 2. If a colony, nest or roost is found

Stop work immediately in the affected area. Keep people and equipment outside the location and prevent further approach.

The project ecologist should identify whether the site is an active breeding place, occupied nest, shared roost or recently used area. Assess the risk of flushing, nest abandonment, egg or chick exposure, and loss of access to feeding areas.

Contact the approval holder and regulator if required by the permit or if the find is outside the approved method. Do not remove nests, eggs, chicks, nesting material or vegetation unless the activity is expressly authorised.

  • Establish or extend a temporary exclusion zone and mark it clearly.
  • Allow birds time to return from a short disturbance only when the ecologist considers this safe. Repeated flushing is not an acceptable survey or management method.
  • Change the work sequence, defer the activity or redesign the footprint where the colony cannot be protected.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injured animals

Only an authorised and appropriately trained wildlife handler may capture, restrain, transport or relocate an Australian White Ibis. Construction staff must not attempt to catch a bird, remove an egg or move a chick.

If a bird is injured, stop nearby work and reduce noise and people. Keep dogs and vehicles away. Contact the approved wildlife carer, veterinarian, wildlife rescue service or regulator named in the project fauna management plan.

If safe and directed by the authorised handler, contain the bird in a ventilated, secure container in a quiet shaded place. Do not provide food or water unless instructed by the handler.

  • Record the location, time, apparent injury, photographs where safe, handler details, destination and outcome.
  • Treat contact with powerlines, vehicles, wire, contaminated water or waste as an incident requiring hazard control as well as wildlife care.
  • Do not release a rehabilitated bird at the site unless the authorised carer and ecologist confirm that release is suitable and lawful.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily records and stop work triggers

Record daily inspections, weather, water conditions, bird counts, nests, eggs, chicks, roosts, flight paths, disturbance events, exclusion zones and management decisions.

Record all stop work events, including the trigger, location, duration, people notified, action taken and approval reference.

Escalate immediately if birds repeatedly flush, adults do not return to nests, chicks are exposed, eggs are found outside the approved area, a colony is damaged, or works affect an unapproved breeding place.

  • Keep photographs and maps with the environmental records.
  • Report harm, nest damage, unauthorised handling and permit breaches through the incident pathway in the approval documents.
  • Do not restart work until the fauna authority confirms the controls are effective and any regulator notification has been completed.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Close-out checks should confirm that no birds, nests or dependent young remain at risk and that the retained colony and feeding connections are intact. Follow-up should focus on both direct harm and less obvious effects, such as abandonment, reduced access or repeated disturbance.

Inspect the completed work area, exclusion boundaries, retained vegetation, wetland edge, structures, stockpiles and access routes. Check for injured birds, abandoned eggs, chicks, nest material, entanglement hazards and new roosting activity.

Complete the inspection after each clearing stage and again at the end of the work period. Use quiet observation from outside the colony and avoid entering retained breeding habitat.

Confirm that all temporary fencing, lighting, waste controls and access restrictions are working. Remove them only when the ecologist confirms that doing so will not expose the colony or roost.

  • Record the number and condition of birds seen, active nests, dependent young, disturbance signs and any changed water or vegetation conditions.
  • Check that no construction material, sediment, runoff, fuel or waste has entered the wetland or feeding area.
  • Notify the project manager of any unexpected change before demobilisation.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and compliance close-out

Prepare a completion report covering survey dates, methods, effort, conditions, maps, counts, active breeding places, buffers, permits, stop work events, injuries, relocations and corrective actions.

Submit required records to the relevant regulator, approval holder, council or wildlife licensing authority within the timeframe set by the approval. Include records of animals harmed or handled where the permit requires this.

Update the site fauna register and retain photographs, band records, incident forms and correspondence with the project environmental records.

  • Confirm that all permit conditions have been checked off by a suitably qualified person.
  • Record why any approved breeding place intervention occurred and whether the predicted impact matched the actual impact.
  • Provide a plain language handover to the land manager covering colony locations, roosts, waste controls, water management and future work restrictions.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and incident review

Monitor retained colonies and roosts after works where the risk assessment identifies a reasonable chance of disturbance, abandonment, changed access or altered water conditions. Use the same observation points and counting method used before works.

Review activity during the next suitable breeding period, particularly where works occurred near July to December or where breeding was already underway. Check adult attendance, nest activity, young, roost use and movement between the colony and feeding areas.

Hold an incident review after any injury, nest damage, repeated flushing or unauthorised disturbance. Identify the cause and change fencing, timing, supervision, plant access or induction content before the next work stage.

  • Continue monitoring until the ecologist considers the site stable or the agreed completion criteria are met.
  • Do not interpret birds leaving a site as successful relocation. Confirm whether they have returned, moved to another colony or lost access to the breeding place.
  • Report material adverse outcomes to the relevant authority where required by the approval.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Relocated or rehabilitated animals

Track every animal that is captured, transported, rehabilitated or released. Record the authorised handler, approvals, dates, locations, condition and release decision.

Use release sites selected by the wildlife carer and ecologist. Consider nearby water, roosting habitat, feeding opportunities, traffic, dogs, waste hazards and the presence of an established colony.

Do not move eggs, chicks or dependent young away from their colony unless a lawful, approved wildlife specialist directs the action.

  • Inspect the release area for hazards before release.
  • Record any band, tag or identifying mark and report it through the appropriate banding scheme where relevant.
  • Include relocation outcomes in the final fauna report and incident review.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore wetland and colony habitat

Rehabilitation should restore the wetland functions that support Australian White Ibis, while avoiding measures that encourage unsafe urban feeding or create conflict. Protect existing breeding and roosting habitat first, then replace lost structure only where the ecologist confirms that it suits the site.

Restore wetland edges, shallow water areas, islands, riparian vegetation and ground cover using locally appropriate species and methods. Match the original water regime where practicable and prevent sediment, nutrients, rubbish and contaminated runoff from entering the wetland.

Retain or replant suitable nesting and roosting vegetation, including locally appropriate paperbarks, other wetland trees, dense shrubs and palms only where they are suitable for the land use and will not create a new hazard.

Protect islands and wetland margins from unnecessary access during establishment. Use temporary fencing until plants are established and the colony risk has reduced.

  • Replace damaged nesting material habitat with structurally similar vegetation rather than artificial materials where possible.
  • Control erosion around islands, banks and access points.
  • Coordinate water management with the wetland manager. Flooding and water levels can influence where waterbirds breed and feed.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Artificial breeding and roost structures

Australian White Ibis normally nests colonially in vegetation, including trees and palms, and on small islands near water. Nest boxes and bat boxes are not standard replacement structures for this species and should not be installed as a default measure.

If a project removes an established breeding structure, obtain advice from a colonial waterbird ecologist before proposing an artificial nest site, nesting platform, floating wetland or roost structure. The design must suit the species, colony size, water conditions, predator risk, maintenance access and approvals.

Use replacement structures only where they provide a lawful, safe and durable alternative and will not concentrate birds near roads, aircraft operations, contaminated land, public conflict areas or construction activity.

  • Do not move a colony onto a new structure during active breeding unless specifically authorised and directed by a specialist.
  • Monitor any new structure for colonisation, nest success, vegetation damage, water quality, maintenance needs and effects on nearby birds.
  • Remove or modify a failed structure only under an approved method and outside active breeding where practicable.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, waste and urban attractants

Control weeds that smother wetland vegetation, reduce access to water or replace nesting habitat. Stage weed removal so that active nests, roost trees and dependent young are not disturbed.

Keep construction and operational waste secured. Close bin lids, remove food scraps and prevent access to putrescible waste. Do not feed Australian White Ibis or provide food to encourage them to use a restored site.

Design public areas to reduce perching and feeding conflict while retaining safe movement and roosting options. Consider pool covers, covered bins, suitable railings and reduced access to artificial food and water where relevant.

  • Use non toxic weed control methods near water unless an approved specialist method is in place.
  • Remove litter regularly from the wetland, island and feeding areas.
  • Check that waste facilities, stormwater outlets and landscaped areas do not create new hazards or concentrated food sources.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting, water and long term monitoring

Keep lighting away from nesting trees, islands, roosts and flight paths. Use the lowest practical intensity, shield lights towards the ground and avoid lighting the colony or wetland surface at night.

Monitor water depth, flooding, vegetation condition, erosion, water quality, colony use, roost use and nearby feeding activity. Include observations from the first suitable breeding period after rehabilitation.

Use repeat counts from fixed vantage points and record adults, juveniles, eggs, nests and signs of disturbance. Continue until the agreed habitat and colony performance criteria have been met.

  • Review monitoring results with the land manager and project ecologist at least after the first breeding period where the site supports a colony.
  • Adjust water management, weed control, lighting, public access or waste controls if birds abandon the site, repeatedly flush, lose nesting vegetation or concentrate in unsafe areas.
  • Keep rehabilitation records, maps, photographs and maintenance actions with the site environmental management system.

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