Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus)

Conservation status

South Australia, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Banded Stilt activity follows rainfall, flooding, food availability and wetland drying. The calendar below shows the documented breeding period, but inland presence and movement can occur in any month when conditions change.

Months are January to December. The species does not have a predictable seasonal migration, so project surveys should respond to recent rainfall, flooding and wetland conditions as well as the calendar.

• Breeding: Breeding is recorded from May to December, but only when suitable inland wetlands appear after rain or flooding.
• Young: Nest time is about 50 days. Young may be present during the May to December breeding window, depending on when flooding creates a colony.
• Movement between wetlands: Movements are irregular and non-seasonal. Birds may move inland after rainfall and leave drying inland sites for coastal or other inland wetlands, with recorded journeys of hundreds to more than 2,000 km.
• Coastal refuge use: Coastal saline wetlands can be used when inland wetlands are dry. The timing varies with wetland conditions and is not confined to particular months.
• Highest clearing risk: Risk is highest from May to December when breeding and dependent young may occur, but occupied wetlands can occur in any month after rainfall or flooding. Confirm current use before clearing or disturbance.

Identification

Banded Stilts are plump-bodied waders with long orange or pink legs. They can occur alone, in small parties or in dense flocks numbering in the thousands.

Adults have a white head and body, a broad chestnut band across the breast extending towards the belly, and black wings with a conspicuous white trailing edge in flight. The chestnut band can fade or disappear outside the breeding period.

The bill is black, slender and straight, and the eyes are brown. Adult males and females are similar in appearance.

Body length: 35 to 43 cm

Adult weight: 250 to 300 g recorded for tracked adults

Leg colour: Orange or pink in adults

Identification: Immature birds

Immature birds lack the black and chestnut underparts of adults. Their wings are brown and their legs are dull pink.

Identification: Field signs and similar species

The call is described as a yelping 'chowk-chowk', with some wheezing calls resembling a plaintive whistle. Nests are ground scrapes that may be saucer-shaped or resemble an inverted cone, sometimes lined with dry grass or samphire stems.

The Australian Museum identifies Black-winged Stilt and Red-necked Avocet as similar species. The supplied references do not provide a detailed comparison, so suspected Banded Stilts should be checked using the chestnut breast band, white body, black wings and long pink to orange legs. Record flock photographs and calls where identification is uncertain.

Distribution: National range

Banded Stilts are endemic to Australia and occur mainly in the south and inland. Their distribution is not fixed because birds move between inland salt lakes and coastal wetlands as water and food become available.

The supplied references describe the species as occurring mainly in southern and inland Australia. They do not provide a complete state by state or bioregional range map.

Documented South Australian sites include Kati Thanda Lake Eyre South, Lake Harry, Lake Torrens and coastal saline wetlands near the Coorong. The species also uses coastal refuges and can move between south eastern and western Australia.

Distribution: Strongholds and movements

Important concentrations can form at newly flooded inland salt lakes. One tracked breeding colony at Kati Thanda Lake Eyre South contained about 9,500 pairs. Observers reported tens of thousands of birds at another ephemeral lake in western Australia.

Movements are irregular and linked to rainfall, flooding, salinity and food availability rather than a fixed annual migration. Tracked birds moved from coastal refuges to inland wetlands and from drying inland sites to the coast.

Tracked long-distance movement from inland sites: Mean 683.9 km, range 357 to 1,298 km, for 12 birds

Recorded cross-country movement: More than 2,263 km in 55.9 hours for one bird

Tracked breeding colony: About 9,500 pairs at Kati Thanda Lake Eyre South

Distribution: Population information

The supplied documents do not provide a national population estimate or a reliable population trend. Counts can change quickly because birds aggregate at temporary wetlands and then disperse as conditions deteriorate.

Habitat: Wetland types

Banded Stilts use large, open and shallow saline or hypersaline wetlands. Suitable sites may be inland salt lakes that hold water only after rain or flooding, or more persistent coastal saline wetlands.

Habitat includes saline and hypersaline waters in inland and coastal areas. Newly flooded salt lakes can become highly productive and attract birds within days of filling.

Coastal wetlands can act as refuges when inland wetlands are dry. Birds may also stop at other ephemeral wetlands during long-distance movements.

• Check open shallow saline wetlands, lake margins, coastal saline basins and recently inundated salt lakes before clearing or earthworks.
• Treat dry or partly dry salt lakes as potential habitat where rainfall or flooding could produce suitable conditions.

Habitat: Site structure and conditions

The species is associated with broad open water and wetland margins rather than dense terrestrial vegetation. Breeding sites are generally small islands or bare patches within or beside inland lakes.

Habitat availability is controlled by rainfall, flooding, drying and increasing salinity. The references do not give a species-specific elevation limit or a defined vegetation community.

Foraging habitat: Diet

Banded Stilts feed by day in shallow saline and hypersaline wetlands. They use several feeding methods and can forage in the water or at the wetland edge.

Food includes crustaceans, molluscs, insects, vegetation, seeds and roots. The documents do not identify particular food plant species.

Foraging habitat: Foraging method and area

Birds pick, probe and scythe with the bill, swinging it from side to side. They wade in shallow water or swim, sometimes feeding well away from the shore.

Foraging depends on prey becoming available in ephemeral salt lakes after rain or flooding. During site inspections, search shallow water, exposed wet margins and nearby coastal saline wetlands, and check for birds feeding offshore as well as at the edge.

Activity period: Daytime

Foraging water depth: Shallow water, with birds sometimes swimming away from the shore

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Banded Stilts breed opportunistically in the arid inland after rain or flooding. Breeding can involve large colonies and is not tied to a predictable calendar when suitable wetlands are absent.

Breeding has been recorded from May to December, but it is entirely dependent on suitable wetland conditions. Birds breed on small islands in lakes and sometimes on sand pits, bare sandy clay or stony ground.

The nest is a scrape on the ground. It may be saucer-shaped or resemble an inverted cone, and may have a sparse lining of dry grass or samphire stems.

Breeding season: May to December, dependent on rain or flooding

Clutch size: 1 to 5 eggs, usually 3 or 4

Incubation: About 20 days

Time in nest: About 50 days

Age at maturity: Not stated in the supplied documents

Lifespan: Not stated in the supplied documents

Breeding habitat: Breeding site protection

Breeding colonies may form rapidly at remote inland salt lakes after rainfall. A known colony contained about 9,500 pairs, so apparently bare islands and lake margins should not be dismissed as unused habitat when water levels change.

Before clearing, vehicle access or earthworks near a newly inundated inland wetland, inspect islands, bare sandy or stony patches and lake edges for adults, nests and chicks. Avoid disturbance while birds are nesting or young remain dependent.

Sheltering habitat: Roosting and refuge areas

The supplied references do not describe dens, hollows, burrows or roost structures for Banded Stilts. Shelter and resting areas are associated with open saline wetlands, islands and coastal refuge wetlands.

Birds use coastal saline wetlands as refuges during dry periods and occupy inland salt lakes when rainfall creates suitable conditions. They may gather in small parties or dense flocks numbering in the thousands.

Small islands and open lake margins provide places associated with breeding colonies. The documents do not give roost dimensions or a preferred vegetation height.

• Inspect open islands, lake margins, shallow water and coastal saline basins for resting flocks before works commence.
• Keep vehicles, machinery and people away from concentrated flocks where practicable, especially at recently flooded wetlands or active colonies.

Threats: Clearing and hydrology

The main project concern is disturbance or loss of temporary and coastal saline wetlands when birds are present. Because the species can arrive rapidly after distant rainfall, survey timing based only on a normal seasonal calendar may miss important use.

Clearing or earthworks that remove saline wetland margins, islands or shallow feeding areas can reduce habitat. Changes to inundation, drainage, salinity or water retention can prevent ephemeral wetlands from becoming suitable or can cause them to dry or become unsuitable sooner.

Inspect wetlands after rainfall and flooding, not only during dry conditions. Protect shallow water, open margins and bare breeding islands from filling, grading and vehicle access.

Threats: Disturbance and access

Large flocks and breeding colonies can be disturbed by machinery, vehicles, people and construction activity. Birds may leave a site as conditions deteriorate, but the documents do not quantify disturbance distances or thresholds.

Plan works around occupied wetlands where practicable. Use appropriately qualified fauna personnel to assess any concentrated flock or suspected breeding colony before works proceed.

Threats: Predators and other pressures

The Australian Museum identifies increasing Silver Gull populations associated with human settlement as a potential concern for Banded Stilts. The supplied documents do not provide species-specific evidence for roads, fire, fragmentation, disease or direct mortality from construction.

Manage food waste and other attractants around works where Silver Gulls are present, and record any predator activity near breeding colonies.

Survey methodology: 1. Wetland reconnaissance and habitat assessment

Survey this species at large, open, shallow saline or hypersaline wetlands, including inland salt lakes, coastal saline wetlands and recently flooded sites. Banded Stilts are highly mobile and may arrive or leave rapidly, so survey design must account for current water levels, salinity, rainfall and recent movements.

Map all saline and hypersaline wetlands, shallow water, exposed mud, wetland islands and nearby coastal refuges within and adjoining the project area.

Inspect the site after rainfall or flooding because ephemeral salt lakes can become suitable feeding and breeding habitat for a short period.

Record water level, salinity where measurements are available, exposed mud, islands, nesting substrate, flock size, other waterbirds and evidence of recent use.

Extend the search beyond the immediate impact area because Banded Stilts can move between wetlands hundreds to thousands of kilometres apart.

Survey methodology: 2. Daytime flock and nesting surveys

Survey during daylight when birds are feeding by wading or swimming in shallow water and when large flocks and nesting colonies can be counted.

Use repeated vantage point observations from outside wetland margins and nesting areas, with binoculars or a telescope where available.

Search all suitable wetland margins, islands, bare sandy clay, stony ground and sand pits for nests, adults, eggs and recently fledged birds.

Record the number of birds, flock location, behaviour, breeding plumage, courtship or alarm behaviour, nest locations and the direction of departing or arriving flocks.

Avoid walking through wetland islands or nesting colonies, and keep observers and vehicles away from occupied nesting areas.

Breeding season: May to December, but only when suitable conditions occur

Clutch size: One to five eggs, usually three or four

Incubation: 20 days

Time in nest: 50 days

Survey methodology: 3. Timing and repeat visits

Schedule visits across the proposed clearing period and repeat them after substantial rain or flooding, when habitat suitability can change quickly.

Include surveys during the May to December breeding period where suitable inland wetlands are present or where works could affect a wetland used for breeding.

Treat a single negative survey as inconclusive when wetlands are dry, because birds may be absent from an unsuitable site and may return after flooding.

Check nearby wetlands and coastal saline refuges when satellite tracking, local observations or recent rainfall indicate that birds may have moved into the area.

Recorded movement response: Birds moved inland after rainfall and left drying inland sites for the coast or other wetlands

Tracked movement distances: 357 to 1,298 km for many departures from inland sites, with recorded flights exceeding 2,000 km

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

The supplied documents do not provide a species-specific number of survey nights, hours, trap nights, transect length or area, so do not claim that a fixed effort has demonstrated absence.

Use a qualified ecologist to set repeat daytime vantage point and wetland searches that cover all suitable habitat and the full period in which disturbance may occur.

Do not use spotlighting, cage trapping or mist-netting as default methods for this species because the documents describe a conspicuous diurnal wetland wader and provide no species-specific effort or benefit for those methods.

Record survey dates, start and finish times, observers, weather, rainfall history, water level, salinity where measured, wetland condition, survey area, locations, flock counts, breeding evidence, photographs and negative results.

Submit confirmed records, breeding observations and significant flock movements to the relevant state wildlife database and advise the state environment agency where required.

In South Australia, treat the species as Vulnerable and obtain any required state approvals before survey, handling, relocation or disturbance.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Avoid disturbing saline wetlands and breeding colonies wherever practicable. Plan works around the species' dependence on temporary shallow water and its rapid movements between inland and coastal sites.

Retain large, open, shallow saline and hypersaline wetlands, wetland islands, exposed mud and nearby coastal saline refuge habitat.

Avoid filling, draining, contaminating or changing the hydrology of wetlands that could provide feeding or breeding habitat.

Keep vehicles, machinery, workers and stock away from occupied nesting colonies and wetland islands.

Maintain movement routes between retained wetlands and nearby feeding, roosting and refuge areas, with project-specific buffers set by the ecologist and relevant authority.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and work planning

Confirm the species listing before works commence: it is not listed under the EPBC Act in the supplied information and is listed as Vulnerable in South Australia.

Obtain state permits and approvals for clearing, wetland disturbance, fauna handling, nest disturbance, relocation and any work in protected areas where applicable.

Refer the project under the EPBC Act if the listing, project scope or current department advice indicates that a nationally listed matter may be affected.

Prepare a fauna management plan that identifies wetlands, nesting areas, exclusion zones, stop-work triggers, fauna handling authority, emergency contacts and reporting requirements.

Stage works so that disturbance is avoided while occupied colonies, nests, eggs or dependent young are present, subject to advice from the ecologist and regulator.

Recheck habitat and breeding status immediately before works because birds respond to rainfall and flooding rather than a predictable annual migration.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete a pre-clearance inspection of every wetland, island, access route and work area shortly before disturbance.

Mark wetland boundaries, occupied nesting areas, exclusion zones, access tracks and no-go areas on plans and on the ground.

Install exclusion fencing where it can prevent machinery and people entering retained wetland or nesting habitat, and inspect the fencing daily.

Brief all workers on the species' identification, its long orange or pink legs, white body, chestnut breast band in adults and black wings, and the required stop-work procedure.

Keep machinery, fuels, sediment, concrete washout and spoil away from saline water and shallow feeding areas.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls

Use active supervision whenever machinery works near saline wetlands or potential nesting habitat. The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work and must not enter a nesting colony or handle birds without the required approval and competence.

Inspect exclusion fencing, wetland margins, access routes and work areas before machinery starts each day.

Maintain the approved exclusion zones and prevent workers, vehicles and machinery from entering occupied wetland or nesting areas.

Control dust, sediment, fuel, chemical runoff, noise and lighting so they do not degrade shallow saline water or disturb birds.

Stop work and obtain ecological advice after substantial rain or flooding if previously dry habitat becomes suitable for feeding or breeding.

Use a spotter catcher who can see the active work area and communicate directly with the machine operator.

During habitat disturbance: Fauna spotter catcher procedure

The spotter catcher must inspect the work area and nearby wetland margins before each daily work period and whenever machinery changes location.

The spotter catcher must direct the operator to stop, slow or reposition machinery when a bird, nest, egg, dependent young or nesting colony is at risk.

Do not chase, herd or flush Banded Stilts from a wetland, island or colony to clear an access path.

Use only trained and authorised personnel for capture, examination, transport or relocation, and follow the permit and fauna management plan.

If a bird must be moved, obtain ecological and regulatory direction and place it in suitable nearby retained habitat only when that action is authorised and safe.

During habitat disturbance: Finds, injuries and stop-work triggers

Stop work immediately if a Banded Stilt, nest, egg, dependent young or occupied breeding colony is found within the disturbance area or exclusion zone.

Keep people, machinery and vehicles back, prevent further disturbance and contact the project ecologist or fauna supervisor.

Do not handle eggs, chicks or adults unless the person is authorised, trained and acting under the relevant permit and fauna management plan.

Place an injured bird in a quiet, secure container only if this is permitted and safe, and transfer it promptly to an authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian.

Record the location, date, time, condition, action taken, people involved, permit details and final outcome for every fauna interaction.

Resume work only after the ecologist confirms that the risk has been controlled and any required authority has approved the action.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Check that clearing has not left injured birds, active nests or isolated wetland habitat. Continue controls while wetland condition and bird use can change after rainfall or flooding.

Inspect the cleared area, access routes, wetland margins and exclusion fencing at the end of each work day and after the final clearance.

Search for injured or stranded birds, disturbed nests, eggs and chicks without entering occupied colonies or causing additional disturbance.

Remove waste, spoil, fuel containers and temporary infrastructure that could enter or obstruct retained saline wetlands.

Confirm that drainage, sediment controls and wetland exclusion measures remain in place during construction and demobilisation.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained wetlands and nearby refuge areas after works, with additional visits after rain or flooding when Banded Stilts may arrive.

Record flock size, wetland condition, nesting activity, disturbance, mortality, injury, mitigation failures and corrective actions.

Report unexpected breeding colonies, significant flock concentrations, injuries, deaths and permit incidents to the project ecologist and relevant state authority.

Submit verified occurrence and breeding records to the relevant state wildlife database, including records from construction monitoring.

Maintain fauna handling, stop-work, incident and rehabilitation records for the period required by the approval or fauna management plan.

After habitat disturbance: Controls and offsets

Maintain wetland exclusion fencing, sediment controls and access restrictions until the project ecologist confirms that construction risks have ended.

Repair any altered drainage, erosion, pollution or wetland edge damage caused by the works.

Apply any approved offset or compensatory habitat measure required by the relevant approval, with its location, condition targets, maintenance actions and monitoring schedule documented.

Rehabilitation actions: Wetland and substrate restoration

Rehabilitation should restore the shallow saline wetland conditions that provide feeding and, after suitable rain or flooding, breeding habitat. Design measures around natural wetting and drying rather than permanent open water.

Restore natural drainage, shallow inundation and drying patterns where works have altered them, subject to approval and hydrological design.

Retain or recreate large, open, shallow saline or hypersaline areas with exposed mud and suitable bare islands or sandy clay for nesting.

Do not plant dense vegetation across open feeding or nesting areas used by Banded Stilts.

Use locally appropriate samphire or other native saline wetland plants only where vegetation is part of the reference condition, because nests may be lined with dry grass or samphire stems.

Rehabilitation actions: Habitat management

Control weeds and prevent introduced vegetation from reducing open shallow water, exposed mud or nesting access.

Manage predators and pest animals in accordance with state requirements, particularly where they could disturb colonies or take eggs and chicks.

Develop a fire management approach that protects saline wetland margins and does not remove required nesting or refuge habitat at the wrong time.

Avoid creating new artificial barriers between retained wetlands, coastal refuges and other suitable feeding areas.

Rehabilitation actions: Monitoring and success measures

Monitor wetland water level, salinity where measured, open shallow water, exposed mud, wetland islands, vegetation cover, weeds, predators and bird use.

Use repeat daytime counts to document Banded Stilt presence, flock size, feeding, roosting, nesting and successful fledging where breeding occurs.

Set success measures before rehabilitation begins, including restoration of the approved wetland area and hydrology, control of weeds and predators, and continued use by Banded Stilts when suitable conditions occur.

Interpret absence carefully because the species is nomadic and may not use a restored wetland until rainfall or flooding creates suitable feeding or breeding conditions.

Report monitoring results to the approval authority and submit confirmed species records to the relevant state wildlife database.

Sources

• Banded Stilt, Australian Museum: https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/banded-stilt-cladorhynchus-leucocephalus/
• Extreme nomadism in desert waterbirds: flights of the banded stilt, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4272204/