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Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

The Bar-tailed Godwit is a large migratory shorebird that uses coastal estuaries, mudflats, sandflats and nearby high tide roosts across Australia. Works near these areas can remove feeding habitat or disturb birds that need to build energy reserves for long migrations. The species is protected as a migratory species under the EPBC Act and related international agreements, and is listed as Endangered in Victoria.

Conservation status

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Endangered.

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed migratory. Listed under the Bonn Convention, CAMBA, JAMBA and ROKAMBA. Listed migratory species are a matter of national environmental significance, so a significant impact needs referral.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Special least concern. A least concern bird covered by an international migratory bird agreement. Tampering with its breeding place needs a high risk species management program.

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Specially protected (migratory).

Migration and breeding season

Bar-tailed Godwits are present around Australian coastal wetlands mainly during the Austral summer, with numbers generally highest from October to March. Arrival and departure vary between regions, with earlier or later movement recorded in some northern, eastern and Tasmanian sites.

Breeding mode: Ground nesting in open Arctic tundra. Breeding is usually by solitary pairs, although nests may be grouped in areas with polyandrous behaviour.

Breeding location: Northern Europe, Siberia and Alaska. The subspecies that regularly occur in Australia do not breed in Australia.

Nest site: A shallow depression on a dry, elevated tundra site, often between grass clumps, lined with vegetation and lichens.

Clutch size: 2 to 5 eggs.

Incubation: 20 to 21 days.

Fledging or weaning: Nestling period is about 28 days. Fledging duration is not recorded.

Age at maturity and breeding frequency: First breeding is at about 2 years. Breeding frequency is not recorded.

Timing varies between years, subspecies and regions, so coastal wetland surveys should cover both low tide feeding areas and high tide roosts during the main October to March non-breeding period.

  • Breeding overseas, Arctic tundra: Breeding occurs in the northern hemisphere, with egg laying recorded from late May to June and young developing into July.
  • Southward arrival in Australia: Most birds return from August to September, with arrival extending into October in New South Wales and November in some Tasmanian sites.
  • Non-breeding presence in Australia: The main non-breeding period is October to March, although some birds remain in Australia outside this period.
  • Northward departure from Australia: Most birds leave during March and April for staging areas in the Yellow Sea and then breeding grounds, although departure can begin earlier in some regions.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing and construction are most likely to affect feeding and high tide roost concentrations from October to March, with additional risk during arrival and departure periods.

Identification: Appearance

The Bar-tailed Godwit is a large, long-necked wader with a very long, slightly upturned bill. It is often seen in groups on intertidal mudflats or resting at high tide with other shorebirds.

Adults have a dark back and upper rump, pale underparts and a long bill with a pinkish base and dark tip. The lower white rump, upper tail and underwing lining show dark barring.

Breeding birds can have rich chestnut or rufous plumage on the head, neck and underparts. Females are larger and have longer bills than males. Juveniles are more strongly streaked and may show buff scalloping on the wing feathers.

  • Length: about 37 to 39 cm.
  • Wingspan: 62 to 75 cm.
  • Weight: 250 to 450 g.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The supplied field information does not describe a distinctive call. Identification should rely on body shape, bill shape, plumage and behaviour, supported by photographs where practical.

The Black-tailed Godwit is the main similar species. The Bar-tailed Godwit is generally stockier, with a more upturned and pointed bill, a steeper forehead and shorter neck and legs. The Black-tailed Godwit has a straighter bill and a more slender appearance.

  • Check the bill profile when birds are feeding or standing side on.
  • In flight, the Bar-tailed Godwit does not show the conspicuous white wing bar and white rump stripe associated with the Black-tailed Godwit.

Identification: Field signs

Look for dense groups probing soft mud with long bills at low to mid tide. At high tide, birds may be standing quietly on beaches, sandbars, spits or saltmarsh.

Nests, droppings, whitewash, stains and odour are not reliable site indicators for this species in Australia. Australian birds are non-breeding migrants, so field evidence is more likely to be feeding or roosting activity.

  • Record flock size, tide state, behaviour, photographs and the location of feeding and roosting birds.
  • Avoid approaching closely while attempting identification, especially at high tide when suitable roosts may be limited.

Distribution: Australian range

The Bar-tailed Godwit occurs around suitable coastal habitat in every Australian state and the Northern Territory. It is most regularly found in estuaries, sheltered embayments and large intertidal wetlands, with occasional inland records.

In Queensland it is widespread in the Torres Strait and along the east and south east coasts. It occurs from Cooktown to Port Phillip Bay, and also around the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Gove Peninsula, Groote Eylandt and nearby coastal groups.

In New South Wales it is widespread along the east and south east coasts, including major river estuaries, Port Stephens, Botany Bay and offshore islands. The Hunter Estuary is an internationally important site.

In Victoria it is widespread along the east and south east coasts, including Corner Inlet, but is less common west of the Bellarine Peninsula. Tasmania has its strongest occurrence in the south east, with scattered records on the north and east coasts.

  • South Australia: mainly coastal areas from Lake Alexandrina to Denial Bay, including the Coorong, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert.
  • Western Australia: widespread along the coast from Eyre to Derby, including Roebuck Bay and Eighty Mile Beach.
  • Northern Territory: coastal areas from Darwin and Melville Island east to the Alligator River, Croker Island and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
  • Occasional records occur inland and on offshore or external islands, including Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and Christmas Island.

Distribution: Important Australian sites

Large concentrations occur at a relatively small number of coastal wetlands. These sites can support birds from broad regions and may be used repeatedly between seasons.

  • Eighty Mile Beach, Western Australia: 110,290.
  • Roebuck Bay, Western Australia: 65,000.
  • Corner Inlet, Victoria: 13,139.
  • Great Sandy Strait, Queensland: 12,986.
  • Moreton Bay, Queensland: 11,751.
  • Milingimbi coast, Northern Territory: 7,000.
  • Hunter Estuary, New South Wales: 4,000.

Distribution: Overseas range

The species breeds in the high Arctic. The subspecies commonly associated with eastern Australia, Limosa lapponica baueri, breeds in north east Siberia and western Alaska. Limosa lapponica menzbieri, which is mainly associated with western Australia, breeds in northern Siberia.

The non-breeding range includes Australia and New Zealand. Birds use the East Asian Australasian Flyway and stage in the Yellow Sea during migration.

Habitat: Site features

Search for the Bar-tailed Godwit wherever open coastal wetlands provide exposed sediment at low tide and safe, open ground above the high water mark. The feeding and roosting parts of a site may be separated, but birds need both within the local wetland network.

Suitable habitat includes broad intertidal mudflats and sandflats, estuaries, inlets, bays, harbours and coastal lagoons. Soft sediment and shallow water edges are especially useful.

Look for adjoining saltmarsh, mangrove margins, seagrass beds, sandy beaches, sandbars and spits. Coastal saltworks, sewage farms, brackish wetlands and salt lakes can also be used.

  • Open intertidal flats with soft mud or sand.
  • Sheltered estuary margins and tidal channels.
  • Coastal lagoons and wetland complexes.
  • Nearby high tide roosts above the high water mark.

Habitat: Vegetation and landform

Roosts are commonly associated with sandy beaches, sandbars, spits and low, near coastal saltmarsh. Open views are preferred because birds can detect approaching predators and people.

Mangrove edges may be used, but dense vegetation can reduce the value of a roost. During site inspections, map vegetation cover, mudflat extent, tidal channels and all areas where birds gather.

  • Record seagrass beds and the outer margins of mangroves.
  • Include adjacent claypans, saltmarsh and sparsely vegetated open ground in the habitat assessment.
  • Treat areas connected by tidal movement as one wetland system where birds move between feeding and roosting sites.

Habitat: Works site checks

Before clearing, dredging, reclamation or construction, inspect the full area across different tide states. A mudflat that appears unused at high tide may support birds when it is exposed.

Check for nearby roosts outside the project boundary. Birds may move between roosts as tide height, weather and disturbance change.

High tide: Look for concentrated flocks on beaches, sandbars, spits, saltmarsh and other open ground above the water.

Low tide: Look for feeding birds on exposed mudflats, sandflats, banks and shallow water edges.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas

Bar-tailed Godwits usually feed at low to mid tide on open, soft intertidal sediment. Protecting only the visible roost is not enough if construction removes or degrades the nearby feeding flats.

The species probes deeply into mud and sand with its long bill. It commonly feeds near the water’s edge or in shallow water, often in groups.

Priority areas include broad intertidal flats, tidal banks, estuary margins and sandy or muddy beaches. Seagrass associated flats and areas beside mangroves may also be used.

  • Soft mudflats and sandflats exposed by the falling tide.
  • Edges of tidal channels and shallow pools.
  • Intertidal areas with benthic invertebrate prey.
  • Feeding areas close to high tide roosts.

Foraging habitat: Food and feeding behaviour

Food includes polychaete worms, other worms, molluscs, crustaceans and insects. Some plant material is also eaten.

At the Parramatta River estuary, polychaete worms made up at least 86.7 percent of identified prey. At Roebuck Bay, birds have been observed feeding on bivalves.

  • Record the number of birds feeding, the tide stage and the area used.
  • Note probing, pecking, walking and flight responses during observations.
  • Map areas where birds repeatedly follow the tide edge or concentrate on particular sediment types.

Foraging habitat: Assessment and protection

Assess direct loss of feeding flats and indirect effects on prey. Changes to water quality, tidal flow, sediment movement, turbidity or sedimentation can reduce benthic food availability.

Avoid placing machinery, access tracks, stockpiles or lighting near active feeding areas. Keep works away from the main non-breeding period where practicable.

Useful survey period: The main Australian non-breeding period is roughly October to March, with regional variation.

Feeding density example: In high quality eastern Moreton Bay sandflats, recorded feeding densities were 3 to 8 birds per hectare.

Breeding habitat: Breeding range

The Bar-tailed Godwit does not breed in Australia. Australian individuals use the country mainly during the non-breeding season, although some juveniles may remain during the northern summer.

Breeding occurs in Arctic tundra from northern Europe through Siberia to Alaska, depending on the subspecies. Limosa lapponica baueri breeds in north east Siberia and western Alaska, while Limosa lapponica menzbieri breeds in northern Siberia.

Breeding habitat is open tundra with dry, elevated ground, often between grass clumps. Nests are ground depressions lined with vegetation and lichens.

  • Egg laying generally occurs from late May to June in the northern hemisphere.
  • Clutches contain two to five eggs.
  • Incubation is about 20 to 21 days, and the nestling period is about 28 days.

Breeding habitat: Implications for Australian works

Do not expect Australian clearing sites to contain Bar-tailed Godwit nests or breeding colonies. The relevant Australian protection issue is the loss or disturbance of feeding habitat and high tide roosts.

Juveniles that remain in Australia still depend on suitable coastal wetlands. Treat persistent summer use as evidence of habitat value, even when no adults are present during winter.

  • Do not clear or disturb habitat solely because birds are absent on one visit.
  • Confirm whether wetland areas connect to known roosts, feeding flats or broader shorebird habitat.

Sheltering habitat: Roost features

At high tide, Bar-tailed Godwits need open roosts where they can rest without repeated disturbance. Roosts are often shared with other migratory shorebirds and may hold large flocks for only part of the tide cycle.

Common roosts include sandy beaches, sandbars, spits, near coastal saltmarsh and open claypans. Birds may move between nearby roosts as the tide rises, disturbance changes or available space becomes limited.

Nandeebie Claypan and the nearby Oyster Point shoreline are examples of linked roosts. At some sites, birds also use mangrove margins, but open areas generally provide better visibility.

  • Ground above the high water mark.
  • Low, sparse saltmarsh or bare claypan.
  • Sandbars, spits and beaches with clear sight lines.
  • A short, undisturbed connection to feeding flats.

Sheltering habitat: Disturbance sensitivity

Bar-tailed Godwits can be flighty, particularly in large mixed flocks. People, dogs, boats, personal watercraft, vehicles, aircraft, noise and lighting can make birds leave a roost or reduce the time available for feeding.

Repeated disturbance can prevent birds from using part of a wetland. A roost that looks empty may have been abandoned because of ongoing activity.

Indicative disturbance distance: Published observations for walkers recorded flight initiation distances from 18 to 38 m during foraging and an average of 60 m during mixed activity. Distances varied between studies and are not a species specific buffer.

  • Inspect roosts during spring high tides and other high tide periods.
  • Record the type, direction, frequency and duration of disturbance.
  • Check for informal tracks, dog access, boating activity and night lighting.

Sheltering habitat: Roost protection on works sites

Set practical buffers around active roosts and keep people, dogs, vehicles, machinery and lighting outside them. The required distance should reflect the site, flock size, topography, screening and observed bird response.

As a project example, assessments at Toondah Harbour proposed a 200 m buffer to the core roost area and a 100 m buffer to fringing mangroves. These distances should not be transferred automatically to another site.

  • Use fencing, barriers and clear access controls.
  • Use screened, low spill lighting and avoid directing lights at roosts or mudflats.
  • Schedule noisy or ground disturbing works outside peak shorebird use where practicable.
  • Provide signs and brief all workers about roost locations and access rules.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence in Australia

The Bar-tailed Godwit undertakes one of the longest migrations of any shorebird. Most Australian birds arrive for the Austral summer, then travel north through the East Asian Australasian Flyway to Arctic breeding grounds.

Birds generally return to Australia during August and September. In Queensland, eastern arrivals can occur by early August, while numbers at many south east Australian sites increase in late September.

In Tasmania, arrival is usually from August to November and timing varies. In New South Wales, the western Alaskan subspecies arrives between August and October. Some birds, especially juveniles, remain in Australia over the northern summer.

  • Main non-breeding period: roughly October to March.
  • Departure commonly occurs in March and April.
  • In New South Wales, departure is recorded from February to April.
  • At many Queensland roosts, summer use extends from late September to March.

Migration and seasonal presence: Migration route and breeding grounds

Birds leave Australia and New Zealand and stage in the Yellow Sea before continuing to Siberia or Alaska. Western Alaskan birds may fly about 10,060 km to Yellow Sea staging areas, then about 6,770 km to breeding grounds.

After breeding, birds stage in south west Alaska before flying across the Pacific. Some flights between the southern hemisphere and the Pacific staging areas exceed 10,000 km, with a complete tracked route from Alaska to New Zealand measuring 11,690 km.

  • Breeding grounds: Arctic tundra in Siberia and Alaska.
  • Non-breeding grounds: Australia and New Zealand.
  • Northward passage staging: Yellow Sea coastal wetlands, usually from late March to May.
  • Southward movement: south west Alaska staging followed by Pacific flights to the southern hemisphere.

Migration and seasonal presence: Important habitat in Australia

Important habitat includes feeding flats and high tide roosts that support substantial numbers or connect several parts of a coastal wetland network. Site value should be assessed at the wetland scale, not only within the project boundary.

Under migratory shorebird guidance, examples of important habitat include a site supporting at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species.

  • Include feeding areas, roosts, tidal connections and nearby alternative roosts in the assessment.
  • Refer to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 industry guidelines for avoiding, assessing and mitigating impacts on listed migratory shorebirds.
  • Consider records from long term community surveys and nearby wetlands, not just project surveys.

Migration and seasonal presence: Survey approach

Survey both low tide feeding areas and high tide roosts. The main survey window is roughly October to March, with at least two surveys in summer and surveys around high tide to capture flock movements.

Use suitable vantage points and avoid flushing birds. Record tide, weather, flock size, behaviour, location, disturbance and any movement between roosts.

  • Plan surveys across different tide states.
  • Map the full area used by birds, including habitat outside the development footprint.
  • Record people, dogs, boats, vehicles, lighting, noise and machinery near birds.
  • Allow for regional variation in arrival, passage and departure timing.

Threats: Habitat loss and degradation

The main works site risks are loss of intertidal feeding habitat, loss or disturbance of high tide roosts and changes to the wetland processes that support prey. Disturbance can reduce feeding time and the energy available for migration.

Clearing, dredging, reclamation, piling, access tracks and hard structures can remove mudflats, sandflats, seagrass areas or roost ground. The effect may extend beyond the footprint if tidal flows, sediment movement or water quality change.

Pollution, suspended sediment, altered drainage, acid sulfate soil disturbance and reduced benthic prey can degrade feeding habitat without removing it completely.

  • Avoid permanent impacts on intertidal flats and active roosts.
  • Maintain tidal exchange and sediment processes where possible.
  • Control turbidity, sedimentation, contaminants and acid sulfate soils.
  • Protect seagrass and adjoining saltmarsh from direct and indirect impacts.

Threats: Human and domestic animal disturbance

Walking, dogs, fishing, four wheel driving, camping, power boating, jet skiing, kite surfing and windsurfing can flush birds from feeding areas or roosts. Repeated disturbance can make habitat unusable.

Disturbance before migration can reduce the time birds have to build fat reserves. Dogs and people should be kept away from active roosts and feeding flocks.

  • Fence or otherwise restrict access to roost buffers.
  • Use signs, gates and community education at access points.
  • Include dog access and informal recreation in the site risk assessment.
  • Monitor bird responses rather than relying only on nominal distances.

Threats: Construction noise, light and machinery

Piling, earthworks, vehicle movements, generators and night lighting can disturb birds over a wider area than the cleared footprint. Lights directed across mudflats or roosts can alter behaviour and increase exposure to disturbance.

Use quiet methods where practicable and plan the noisiest works outside peak shorebird use. Keep machinery, stockpiles and worker facilities away from feeding flats and roosts.

  • Use low spill, shielded lighting and avoid lighting the wetland.
  • Use sound attenuation and vegetation screening where suitable.
  • Set exclusion zones before works begin.
  • Stop and reassess if birds repeatedly flush or abandon a roost.

Threats: Legal and planning requirements

The Bar-tailed Godwit is listed as migratory under the EPBC Act through the Bonn Convention, CAMBA, JAMBA and ROKAMBA. Actions likely to have a significant impact on listed migratory species may require referral under the EPBC Act.

In Queensland, least concern birds covered by JAMBA, CAMBA, ROKAMBA or the Bonn Convention are special least concern animals. Tampering with their breeding places requires a high risk species management plan, although Bar-tailed Godwits do not breed in Australia.

  • Check the current EPBC Act listing and referral guidance before project approval.
  • Apply the migratory shorebird guidance and the National Light Pollution Guidelines where relevant.
  • In Victoria, account for the species listing as Endangered.
  • Document avoidance, buffers, timing, monitoring and contingency measures in the construction environmental management plan.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey both the feeding areas used at low tide and the roosts used at high tide. Bar-tailed Godwits are most reliably detected in coastal estuaries, mudflats, sandflats, lagoons and sheltered embayments during the Australian non-breeding period.

Map intertidal mudflats, sandflats, estuaries, tidal banks, coastal lagoons, saltmarsh, sandbars, spits and beaches within and near the work area.

Check whether the site is within or near a known important shorebird area, including the Hunter Estuary, Corner Inlet, Moreton Bay, Great Sandy Strait, Roebuck Bay, Eighty Mile Beach, Milingimbi coast or Elcho Island.

Assess whether the site could meet an important habitat threshold. Relevant thresholds include at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species.

Review nearby roosts and the movement path between roosts and feeding areas. Include sites that may be outside the project boundary but could be affected by noise, lighting, access or changed hydrodynamics.

  • Obtain recent aerial imagery, tide information, wetland mapping and local bird records.
  • Contact local wader study groups, land managers and Traditional Owners for information on regular roosts and seasonal use.
  • Check EPBC Act referral requirements before finalising the work method.

Survey methodology: 2. Field survey timing and effort

Survey during the main Australian non-breeding period, broadly October to March. Include the arrival period from August to September and the departure period from March to April where works extend outside the main survey period.

Complete at least two summer surveys and at least two surveys around high tide. Pair high-tide roost counts with low-tide foraging observations on the same or nearby tide cycle where practicable.

Allow for regional variation. Birds may arrive in eastern Australia from August, and some birds remain in Australia during the breeding season. In New South Wales, arrival is generally August to October and departure is generally February to April.

Repeat surveys if weather, tides, access or disturbance prevents a reliable count. Avoid relying on a single visit.

  • Use tide tables to target the period when feeding habitat is covered and birds are concentrated at roosts.
  • Survey in suitable weather and visibility. Avoid counting during heavy rain, strong winds, dust or conditions that cause birds to leave the site.
  • Schedule additional surveys during spring high tides if a known roost is nearby.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection and observation methods

Count from a suitable vantage point outside the roost and feeding area. Use a telescope and binoculars where needed, and keep observers still and quiet.

At low tide, scan shallow water, the water edge, open soft mud and sandy intertidal flats. Look for groups probing deeply into the substrate with long, slightly upturned bills.

At high tide, search sandy beaches, sandbars, spits, saltmarsh and other open areas above the high-water mark. Check connected roosts because birds may move between sites as tide height and disturbance change.

Use photographs or systematic scan counts for large mixed-species flocks. Do not approach birds to improve identification.

  • Record the total Bar-tailed Godwit count, the number of other shorebird species and the estimated total flock size.
  • Record whether birds are feeding, roosting, flying, bathing or responding to disturbance.
  • Record the location of each flock using a map, GPS point or mapped polygon.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey records and interpretation

Record the date, start and finish time, tide stage, weather, visibility, observer names and survey method.

Map all feeding and roosting habitat, including habitat outside the work footprint that may be used by birds displaced from the site.

Record people, dogs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, machinery, lighting and noise near the flock. Note the distance and the bird response, including walking away, increased vigilance, flight and relocation.

Treat regular use by a small flock as relevant. Bar-tailed Godwits can have high fidelity to feeding and roosting sites, and repeated disturbance can cause birds to stop using otherwise suitable habitat.

  • Separate birds counted in the project area from birds counted at nearby reference sites.
  • Record the direction and approximate distance of any flight response.
  • Photograph representative habitat and any access points that may require control.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and legal checks

Plan works around the seasonal use of feeding and roosting habitat. Avoid impacts first, then reduce disturbance through site design, timing, exclusion controls and clear crew responsibilities.

Confirm whether the action is likely to have a significant impact on this EPBC Act listed migratory species. Refer the action under the EPBC Act if required.

Use EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the industry guidelines for listed migratory shorebirds when assessing habitat, disturbance and mitigation.

In Queensland, check whether the species is a special least concern animal under the relevant legislation. Obtain a high risk species management plan where tampering with a breeding place requires one.

Check state and territory wildlife permits, threatened species requirements, clearing approvals, marine park approvals, local government conditions and land manager permissions before work starts.

  • Document the approval pathway in the environmental management plan.
  • Include the Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds where relevant to the assessment.
  • Do not assume that a lack of visible birds means that a regularly used roost or feeding area can be removed.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance, timing and site layout

Keep permanent infrastructure, access tracks, laydown areas and lighting away from intertidal feeding areas and high-tide roosts wherever practicable.

Schedule noisy, bright or high traffic works outside the main non-breeding period, broadly October to March, where the project program allows. Avoid peak summer use and spring high tides near known roosts.

Retain the functional connection between feeding areas and roosts. Do not block movement between mudflats, sandflats, saltmarsh, sandbars, spits and beaches.

Use site-specific buffers based on the survey results, bird response, flock size, terrain and the type of disturbance. A 100 m buffer to fringing mangroves and a 200 m buffer to a core roost were proposed for one Moreton Bay assessment, but these distances are not universal defaults.

  • Place fencing, compounds and machinery on the landward side of existing barriers where possible.
  • Keep lighting directed away from mudflats, roosts and flight paths.
  • Use the smallest work area and shortest access route that will complete the task.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey and exclusion

Complete a pre-clearance check shortly before each work stage. Confirm that no flock is feeding or roosting in the work area or within the approved exclusion zone.

Inspect mudflats, sandflats, shallow water, saltmarsh, beaches, sandbars, spits and nearby artificial wetlands.

Mark no-go areas on the ground and in machine plans. Use temporary fencing, signage and trained observers to keep workers, vehicles, dogs and the public out of roosts.

Where birds are present, delay the task until the fauna ecologist confirms that work can proceed without unacceptable disturbance.

  • Install barriers before machinery arrives.
  • Provide a map showing roosts, feeding areas, access routes, lighting restrictions and stop-work zones.
  • Recheck exclusion fencing after tides, storms and high winds.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Crew induction and controls

Induct all workers, contractors, drivers and security staff before they enter the site. Show photographs of the Bar-tailed Godwit and identify the local feeding and roosting areas.

Explain that birds must not be chased, approached, fed, handled or deliberately flushed.

Set rules for dogs, walking routes, boating, four-wheel driving, generators, radios, night lighting and noisy equipment.

Nominate the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist who can stop work and identify the person responsible for contacting the project manager.

  • Use low intensity, directional lighting and switch lights off when they are not required.
  • Keep noise producing activities away from roosts and use temporary acoustic screening where practicable.
  • Brief workers on the injured animal and unexpected wildlife find procedures.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and daily checks

Use a staged method that keeps undisturbed habitat available while work proceeds. The fauna spotter catcher must have clear authority to pause or stop work when birds, roosts or other wildlife may be affected.

Clear in small, defined stages rather than opening the whole site at once. Retain escape routes and undisturbed feeding or roosting habitat until each stage is complete.

Complete a daily pre-start inspection, including a check of nearby roosts and the low-tide work area. Repeat checks after tide changes, unexpected bird movements or a change in the work footprint.

Start with the least disturbing activity and increase the intensity only after the spotter catcher confirms that birds are not being displaced from important habitat.

Stop work if birds begin repeated alarm flights, leave a roost, cluster at the edge of the site or move into an unsafe area.

  • Keep machinery within pegged work limits.
  • Maintain clear access for the spotter catcher and emergency response vehicles.
  • Record each daily inspection and any work stoppage.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Spotter catcher authority and animal handling

Give the fauna spotter catcher authority to stop or modify work immediately. Make this authority clear in the contract, induction and daily pre-start.

Allow only authorised and appropriately trained people to handle an animal. Do not catch a healthy Bar-tailed Godwit simply to move it away from disturbance.

Keep people, vehicles and dogs away from birds that are resting or feeding. Use distance and work controls rather than pursuit.

If an animal must be contained for welfare or legal reasons, use an approved wildlife handler and follow the relevant permit and animal welfare requirements.

  • Keep a ventilated, secure container and suitable cloth available only for authorised wildlife handling.
  • Do not provide food or water unless directed by a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.
  • Record the location, condition, action taken and person responsible for every handled animal.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Unexpected roosts, colonies or breeding places

Stop work if a regular roost, large flock, colony or active breeding place is found inside or near the work area.

Although Bar-tailed Godwits do not breed in Australia, protect any active breeding place or dependent young discovered during works. Treat the find as a statutory matter until the fauna ecologist and relevant authority confirm the response.

Withdraw workers and machinery, establish a temporary exclusion area and obtain advice from the project ecologist and the relevant state or territory authority.

Do not enter a roost to count birds, move eggs or relocate birds. Revise the work method, timing and buffers before restarting.

  • Mark the location without approaching the birds.
  • Record the species, number of birds, behaviour, habitat, disturbance source and time of discovery.
  • Notify the environmental manager and approval holders where the find may affect an EPBC Act condition or state permit.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injury, illness and disturbance incidents

Treat an injured or sick bird as a wildlife welfare incident. Stop nearby work and keep people, dogs and machinery away.

Contact the project ecologist, local wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian for instructions. Contact the relevant wildlife authority if required by the permit or approval.

Do not chase a bird into water or mud, and do not release it at another site without advice from an authorised wildlife professional.

If machinery, lighting, noise or public access causes a flock to leave a roost, stop or reduce the disturbance and allow the ecologist to assess whether birds can return safely.

  • Photograph the bird or incident from a safe distance if this can be done without further disturbance.
  • Record the time, location, apparent cause, weather, tide, bird response and corrective action.
  • Escalate repeated disturbance, mortality, injury or habitat damage to the project manager on the same day.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Do not close out a work area until the site has been checked and the controls have been removed or made safe. Follow up any change in bird use, habitat condition or approval compliance.

Inspect the completed work area and its boundaries for stranded, injured or dead wildlife, damaged roost habitat, sediment movement, lighting spill and access breaches.

Check nearby feeding and roosting areas during the next suitable low and high tides. Look for continued use, displacement, altered flight paths and new concentrations of birds.

Remove temporary materials, waste, spoil and barriers only after the fauna ecologist confirms that they will not affect habitat or bird movement.

Repair damaged fencing and reinstate no-go signs where the work area remains active.

  • Compare post-work counts with the pre-work survey results.
  • Inspect after heavy rain, flooding, storm surge, dredging or other events that may alter sediment or water quality.
  • Record all checks in the project environmental register.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and compliance

Prepare a completion record for each work stage. Include dates, work areas, survey results, bird numbers, disturbance events, stop-work actions and corrective measures.

Report injuries, deaths, unauthorised clearing, damage to a roost or a breach of an approval to the environmental manager immediately.

Notify the relevant regulator where required by the EPBC Act referral decision, Queensland species management plan, state permit or other approval condition.

Retain photographs, GPS data, maps, induction records, fauna handling records and correspondence with wildlife authorities.

  • Provide a short summary to the project manager before the next work stage begins.
  • Update the site risk assessment when survey results show higher use than expected.
  • Record whether mitigation measures were effective or need to change.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated and rehabilitated animals

Confirm the outcome for every animal taken into care. Record the rehabilitator or veterinarian, treatment, release decision and release location.

Release a recovered bird only on advice from the authorised wildlife professional and relevant authority. Use suitable habitat away from active works, predators, heavy public use and additional disturbance.

Do not release a bird into an unfamiliar wetland solely because it is close to the project. Bar-tailed Godwits can show strong fidelity to feeding and roosting sites.

Check whether released or returned birds can access both feeding habitat and a safe high-tide roost.

  • Keep handling and rehabilitation records with the project fauna register.
  • Report any mortality after release according to permit and approval conditions.
  • Review whether the incident indicates a need for a wider site control.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Monitoring and incident review

Monitor regularly used roosts and feeding areas for the period required by the approval or management plan. Increase monitoring after disturbance, habitat change or a complaint.

Use consistent vantage points, tide stages and count methods so results can be compared between visits.

Review every stop-work event, injury, flock displacement and unauthorised access incident with the fauna spotter catcher and site supervisor.

Change work hours, lighting, access routes, buffers or fencing when monitoring shows repeated disturbance or reduced site use.

  • Share results with land managers and relevant local wader groups where appropriate.
  • Include seasonal monitoring during the October to March non-breeding period where the site supports regular use.
  • Close the monitoring program only when the approval holder and ecologist agree that the site is stable.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore feeding and roosting habitat

Restore the habitat that supports feeding, roosting and movement between the two. For this species, open coastal wetland function is generally more useful than artificial nesting structures because Bar-tailed Godwits do not breed in Australia.

Reinstate intertidal mudflats, sandflats, shallow water, tidal channels and saltmarsh where these habitats have been temporarily disturbed.

Use clean, compatible sediment and retain the natural tidal range, drainage and sediment movement wherever practicable.

Recreate open high-tide roost areas with clear views of approaching predators. Retain beaches, sandbars, spits and suitable saltmarsh above the high-water mark.

Keep feeding areas connected to nearby roosts. Do not place dense vegetation, stockpiles, buildings or permanent lighting across movement routes.

  • Remove temporary causeways, spoil and hardstand when they are no longer required.
  • Stabilise disturbed banks without narrowing tidal channels or covering intertidal habitat.
  • Protect recovering areas from vehicles, dogs, recreational access and repeated pedestrian disturbance.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Manage water, sediment and weeds

Maintain water quality and tidal exchange needed by benthic invertebrates. Control runoff, turbidity, contaminants, nutrients and acid sulfate soil impacts during construction and operation.

Prevent sediment deposition from smothering soft mud and sand substrates. Inspect discharge points and downstream flats after rain and high flows.

Remove weeds and invasive vegetation that close open roost areas or alter saltmarsh structure. Avoid creating dense screening around a roost unless the approved design requires it.

Use local coastal wetland species for revegetation and protect newly planted areas from trampling and vehicles.

  • Keep fuels, chemicals, concrete washout and spoil away from tidal waters and drainage lines.
  • Use erosion and sediment controls that remain effective through tide cycles and storm events.
  • Monitor benthic habitat recovery as well as vegetation cover.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Artificial structures and site design

Do not install nest boxes or bat boxes for Bar-tailed Godwits. They are not suitable replacement structures for this species, which breeds in open Arctic tundra rather than tree hollows or buildings.

Use artificial nest sites only where another species requires them and the design has been approved by the fauna ecologist. Do not place them near shorebird roosts if they create predators, perches or disturbance.

Consider purpose-designed shorebird roost structures only where a coastal wetland specialist confirms that they are suitable for the local tide range, substrate, flock size and predator conditions.

Prefer restoring natural open roost habitat over constructing a substitute structure.

  • Design roost features with stable, open surfaces and safe access above regular inundation.
  • Keep structures away from machinery routes, public access and night lighting.
  • Inspect any constructed roost after high tides and storms, and remove features that cause birds to avoid the site.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting, access and long-term monitoring

Direct lighting away from mudflats, shallow water, roosts and flight paths. Use the lowest practical intensity, shielding, timers and warm, non-glare fittings consistent with safety requirements.

Maintain fences, gates and signs that prevent access by dogs, vehicles and people to sensitive roosts.

Monitor restored areas through suitable low and high tides during the non-breeding period. Record bird numbers, habitat condition, disturbance and use of nearby alternative sites.

Continue monitoring until feeding and roosting habitat is functioning and the project approval requirements have been met.

  • Inspect lighting after dark from the roost and feeding areas, not only from the work compound.
  • Remove redundant lights and access tracks as soon as practicable.
  • Review restoration methods if birds do not return, prey habitat declines or disturbance remains high.

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