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Black-faced Monarch (Monarcha melanopsis)

The Black-faced Monarch is a small insectivorous forest bird that breeds across eastern Australia and moves seasonally between northern Australia, New Guinea and coastal south-eastern Australia. Wet forest, riparian vegetation and sheltered gullies may be used during clearing and construction, and the species is protected as a migratory species under the EPBC Act through the Bonn Convention. It is listed as least concern in Australia, but Queensland treats Bonn-listed least concern birds as special least concern animals.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed migratory. Listed under the Bonn Convention. 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.

Migration and breeding season

The Black-faced Monarch breeds in eastern coastal Australia during the warmer months, generally from October to February or March. Many birds move north to New Guinea for winter, while some remain in northern Australia, and arrival and departure timing varies between regions.

Breeding mode: Egg-laying bird. Breeding pairs build a solitary, deep cup or inverted conical nest in a tree fork, sapling top or lower shrub.

Clutch size: 2 to 3 eggs.

Incubation: Approximately 13 to 15 days, with both sexes incubating.

Young: Both adults brood and feed the nestlings. Fledging timing is not recorded.

Breeding season: Generally October to February or March in Australia. Egg production has been recorded from October to December in south-east Queensland and from November to January in north Queensland.

Nest sites: Rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest and other dense vegetation. Nests may be 3 to 6 m above the ground in a tree fork, sapling top or lower shrubby vegetation.

Breeding frequency and maturity: Not recorded.

Timing can vary between years and regions, particularly between northern Queensland, south-east Queensland and coastal south-eastern Australia, so pre-clearing checks should consider local records and current bird activity.

  • Breeding in eastern Australia: Breeding occurs mainly from October to February or March, with regional timing differences across eastern Australia.
  • Eggs and dependent young in eastern Australia: Nesting, incubation and care of dependent young are most likely during the Australian breeding season.
  • Southward arrival in coastal south-eastern Australia: The species is reported to arrive in coastal south-eastern Australia in September for the summer breeding season.
  • Non-breeding presence in northern Australia: Many birds spend the winter in New Guinea, but a portion of the population remains in northern Australia.
  • Northward departure from south-eastern Australia: Birds return northwards in March, with many continuing to New Guinea for the non-breeding period.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing risk is highest from October to January, when nests, eggs and dependent young may be present in wet forest, rainforest, riparian vegetation and dense gully habitat.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Black-faced Monarch is a small, forest dwelling monarch flycatcher. It is usually detected by its colour pattern, active movements through foliage and clear, whistled call.

Adults have a black face, grey upperparts, grey wings and a rufous or red-orange belly. The black facial patch does not extend across the eyes. The bill is blue-grey with a hooked tip, and fine bristles around the bill assist with catching insects.

Young birds lack the black face and are browner overall, with a black bill.

Weight: Males about 19 to 27 g. Females about 20.5 to 25 g.

  • Length is about 15 to 20 cm.
  • Adult males have a wingspan of about 85.5 to 98.5 mm.
  • Adult females have a wingspan of about 82.5 to 93 mm.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The call is a clear, whistled phrase often rendered as “why-you-whichye-oo”. Other calls include creaks, chatters and scolding notes.

Take care with identification in dense forest. The Black-winged Monarch and Spectacled Monarch can look similar. The Black-faced Monarch is distinguished by its black face, grey wings and rufous belly.

  • Use photographs or clear call recordings where the record may affect clearing decisions.
  • Check the whole bird, not just a brief view of the face or underside.

Identification: Field signs

This is an arboreal bird and is usually encountered in trees, shrubs and dense understorey. It may move quickly between perches while gleaning insects or making short sallies into the air.

Look for the bird itself, calls and repeated activity in wet forest, riparian vegetation and sheltered gullies. Nests are small, solitary and easily overlooked. Droppings, whitewash, stains and odour are not reliable indicators for this species.

  • Do not assume that an apparently empty patch of vegetation is unused habitat.
  • During pre-clearing checks, inspect saplings, lower shrubs and tree forks for small nests.

Distribution: Queensland

The Black-faced Monarch occurs along eastern Australia, with its breeding range extending from Cape York to eastern Victoria. It also occurs in New Guinea, where most of the population spends the austral winter.

In Queensland, the species occurs from Torres Strait and Cape York south along the coast and the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range to the New South Wales border.

It is resident in parts of northern Queensland and is also a widespread spring and summer migrant in eastern Queensland.

  • Look in rainforest, vine forest, wet gullies, riparian vegetation and coastal foothills.
  • Records may also occur in mangroves, regrowth rainforest, open eucalypt forest and suburban gardens.

Distribution: New South Wales and Victoria

In New South Wales, the species is widespread in the east, including the coast, eastern slopes and tablelands of the Great Dividing Range. It is a summer breeding migrant in coastal south-eastern Australia.

In Victoria, it is most common in East Gippsland, with records extending west to forests near Melbourne, including the Drouin, Bunyip State Park and Yarra Ranges areas.

  • The species becomes less common further south.
  • A record in a developed landscape may represent a migrant using a wider local home range.

Distribution: Overseas range

The Black-faced Monarch is also found in southern New Guinea. Most birds from the Australian breeding population migrate there during the austral winter, although some remain in northern Australia.

  • Treat eastern Australian records as potentially seasonal unless local evidence shows year round use.
  • Keep records of the date, habitat, direction of movement and number of birds observed.

Habitat: Vegetation types

This species is primarily associated with wet forest and dense, sheltered vegetation. On works sites, habitat can occur in small remnants, narrow riparian strips and gullies as well as larger forest blocks.

Preferred habitat includes tropical, subtropical and temperate rainforest, semi-deciduous vine thickets, notophyll vine forest, mesophyll thicket and wet sclerophyll forest.

The species also uses eucalypt woodland, coastal scrub and some open woodland, particularly when moving between areas or during migration.

  • Rainforest and vine forest edges.
  • Wet sclerophyll forest with a dense fern or shrub understorey.
  • Riparian vegetation and damp, shady gullies.
  • Coastal foothills, mangroves and suitable regrowth rainforest.

Habitat: Site features to check

Prioritise sheltered gullies, creek lines, slopes with dense understorey and connected patches of wet vegetation during habitat inspections.

Regrowth rainforest about 20 to 30 years old, open eucalypt forest and vegetated parks may also provide temporary or foraging habitat.

  • Map vegetation retained along waterways and drainage lines.
  • Identify breaks between forest patches that may restrict movement.
  • Check both the canopy and lower vegetation, as the species uses several levels of the forest.

Habitat: Important habitat in Australia

For this migratory species, important habitat is not limited to large rainforest blocks. Wet forest, riparian vegetation, rainforest remnants, wet sclerophyll forest and sheltered gullies can support feeding, movement and breeding.

A site may be more significant where it provides dense insect rich vegetation, connects larger forest areas, or is used during the breeding or migration seasons.

  • Protect connected wet vegetation where practicable.
  • Consider the value of small patches within a broader movement corridor.
  • Assess the site in the context of nearby forest, creek lines and retained vegetation, not as an isolated cleared polygon.

Foraging habitat: Foraging behaviour

The Black-faced Monarch is an insectivore that forages mainly in foliage and branches. It is strictly arboreal, but may use vegetation from the canopy to the lower shrub layer.

The species gleans insects from leaves and branches and also makes short sallies to catch flying insects. It is often active in shaded vegetation with a dense understorey and high insect diversity.

  • Search foliage and branch layers rather than only the ground.
  • Watch for repeated movements between low perches and nearby foliage.
  • Listen for calls in dense vegetation where visual detection is difficult.

Foraging habitat: Foraging habitat on works sites

Likely foraging areas include riparian vegetation, rainforest margins, damp gullies, wet sclerophyll forest and coastal scrub. Less disturbed vegetation is generally more suitable, although the species can use regrowth, open woodland, gardens and other modified areas when moving through the landscape.

A field record in riparian vegetation should be treated as evidence that nearby vegetation may be part of a larger home range.

  • Retain mature and regenerating vegetation along creeks and gullies.
  • Limit removal of dense shrub and fern layers where possible.
  • Reduce unnecessary lighting and disturbance at the edge of retained forest.

Foraging habitat: Practical survey observations

Record the location of each sighting, the vegetation layer used, the direction of movement and whether the bird was feeding, calling or carrying nesting material.

Repeated records across several visits can help distinguish a passing bird from regular use of the site.

  • Use quiet observation periods in suitable habitat.
  • Include both the canopy and understorey in visual searches.
  • Check adjacent retained vegetation before clearing begins.

Breeding habitat: Breeding season

Breeding generally occurs during the warmer months in eastern Australia. Nests are solitary and can be placed in tree tops, saplings or lower shrubs, so clearing checks need to cover more than large trees.

Breeding is generally recorded from October to February, with some regional accounts extending the Australian breeding period to March. In north Queensland, egg production has been reported from November to January. In south-east Queensland, egg production has been reported from October to December.

The species is a summer breeding migrant in coastal south-eastern Australia.

Clutch: Usually 2 to 3 eggs.

Incubation: About 13 to 15 days. Both sexes incubate, brood and feed the young.

  • Give particular attention to active nest searches from October to March.
  • Treat suitable habitat as potentially occupied during the breeding season, even where no nest is initially visible.

Breeding habitat: Nest locations and materials

The nest is an inverted cone or pear shaped structure with a cup like cavity at the top and a pointed base. It may be built in a tree fork, in the top of a sapling or among lower shrubs.

Nests may contain moss, bark, roots, spider web and other fine plant material. They are usually placed about 3 to 6 m above the ground when built in a tree.

  • Inspect sapling tops, shrub forks and lower branches as well as tree crowns.
  • Look for a small, deep cup attached to a fork or supported by fine vegetation.
  • Use an ecologist or fauna spotter catcher to assess any suspected nest before vegetation removal.

Breeding habitat: Pre-clearing approach

Before clearing, inspect wet forest, riparian vegetation, gullies and dense shrub layers for adults carrying nesting material, alarm calls, repeated visits to one location or dependent young.

If an active nest is found, stop work close to the nest and apply the approved site environmental controls. Arrange species identification, monitoring and any required fauna management before work resumes.

  • Use a staged clearing approach where practicable.
  • Retain vegetation around confirmed or suspected nesting areas until the nest is assessed.
  • Record nest location, height, vegetation type, activity and the proposed clearing footprint.

Sheltering habitat: Likely sheltering places

Specific communal roosts and shelter structures have not been identified for the Black-faced Monarch. The species is best managed as a forest bird that may shelter and rest within dense vegetation, particularly in wet gullies and riparian habitat.

Dense rainforest, vine thickets, wet sclerophyll understorey, riparian shrubs and sheltered gullies provide likely daytime cover and resting places. The species may also use dense vegetation in coastal scrub, regrowth and gardens when moving through modified landscapes.

There is no indication that it depends on hollows, caves, burrows or maternity roosts.

  • Retain dense understorey in drainage lines and gullies.
  • Avoid treating narrow strips of riparian vegetation as having no shelter value.
  • Inspect vegetation that links feeding areas with larger forest patches.

Sheltering habitat: Clearing and construction controls

Minimise the width of access tracks and work areas through wet vegetation. Clearly mark clearing limits before machinery enters the site.

Keep machinery, stockpiles, lighting and high traffic areas away from retained forest edges where practicable.

  • Use exclusion fencing around retained habitat.
  • Prevent accidental damage to vegetation outside the approved footprint.
  • Schedule noisy or disruptive activities away from areas with repeated bird activity where practicable.

Sheltering habitat: Movement and edge conditions

The species may move through more open woodland during migration, but connected vegetation remains useful for movement and cover. Bridges, culverts or other fauna passages can help maintain movement along creek lines where roads or work areas divide habitat.

Reduce light spill into retained wet forest and riparian vegetation, especially during the evening and night.

  • Maintain links between gullies, creek lines and forest remnants.
  • Control weeds that reduce understorey density or spread into retained habitat.
  • Use locally suitable native plants in rehabilitation areas.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence in Australia

The Black-faced Monarch is a migratory species under the EPBC Act through the Bonn Convention. It breeds in eastern coastal Australia during the warmer months, while most birds move to New Guinea for the austral winter and some remain in northern Australia.

In coastal south-eastern Australia, birds generally arrive in September and return north in March. The main Australian breeding period is October to February, with some records extending breeding to March.

Most birds migrate to New Guinea during May to August. Northern Australian birds may remain in Australia rather than completing the journey to New Guinea.

Arrival in coastal south-eastern Australia: September.

Northward return: March.

Main New Guinea migration period: May to August.

  • Treat September to March as a period when breeding migrants may be present in south-eastern sites.
  • Treat May to August as the main period when many birds are away from southern breeding areas.
  • Northern Queensland can support resident birds as well as seasonal migrants.

Migration and seasonal presence: Passage periods

Birds moving between breeding and non-breeding areas may use eastern Australian forests, riparian vegetation, coastal scrub and more open woodland. Passage birds can therefore occur outside the period or location expected for local breeding.

For site planning, regard late winter and spring, and late summer to autumn, as likely movement periods. Exact passage timing can vary with location and individual movement.

  • Record birds seen moving through rather than dismissing them as incidental.
  • Retain sheltered vegetation along likely movement routes where practicable.
  • Consider nearby forest and wetland connections when assessing a clearing footprint.

Migration and seasonal presence: Important habitat for a migratory species

Important habitat may include rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, riparian vegetation, sheltered gullies, coastal foothills, dense regrowth and connected forest edges used for feeding, breeding, shelter or movement.

Habitat is more likely to be important where it is in good condition, supports dense insect rich vegetation, connects larger remnants, or is used repeatedly by the species during breeding or migration.

  • Map retained habitat and nearby habitat links at the project scale.
  • Consider both seasonal use and the cumulative loss of small wet forest patches.
  • Refer actions likely to have a significant impact on this EPBC listed migratory species.

Threats: Vegetation clearing and habitat loss

The Black-faced Monarch is listed as least concern, but clearing and construction can still remove habitat or disrupt birds using a site. Manage wet forest, riparian vegetation and nesting areas as fauna habitat even when the species is recorded only occasionally.

Removal of rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, riparian vegetation, dense gullies and coastal scrub can reduce feeding, breeding, shelter and movement habitat.

Small losses can have greater consequences where they remove a link between larger forest patches or narrow the vegetation along a creek.

  • Keep clearing within the approved footprint.
  • Avoid unnecessary removal of understorey, saplings and regrowth.
  • Retain and rehabilitate connected vegetation along waterways and gullies.

Threats: Nest disturbance

Clearing during the breeding season can destroy nests, eggs or dependent young. Nests may be low and concealed in saplings or shrubs, so large tree inspections alone are not sufficient.

Use pre-clearing surveys and staged clearing under the direction of a suitably experienced ecologist or fauna spotter catcher.

  • Stop and reassess if adults show repeated alarm behaviour or carry nesting material.
  • Protect confirmed active nests in accordance with the project approval and environmental management plan.
  • Record and report fauna interactions and any nest discovered during works.

Threats: Construction disturbance and edge effects

Noise, machinery, vehicle movement, dust, lighting, weed invasion and damage to retained vegetation can reduce habitat quality. Light spill may affect movement and feeding along forest edges.

Sediment and erosion can degrade riparian habitat and reduce the condition of vegetation used by insects and birds.

  • Use sediment and erosion controls near waterways.
  • Keep work areas, stockpiles and lighting away from retained habitat where practicable.
  • Control weeds before and during construction and rehabilitate disturbed ground with locally suitable native species.

Threats: Legal and landscape considerations

The species is listed as migratory under the EPBC Act through the Bonn Convention. Actions likely to have a significant impact on listed migratory species may require referral under the EPBC Act.

In Queensland, a least concern bird covered by the Bonn Convention is a special least concern animal. Tampering with its breeding place requires a high risk species management program.

  • Confirm approval and referral requirements before clearing begins.
  • Include the species in site inductions where suitable habitat is present.
  • Consider collision risks from windows and lighthouses in relevant project designs.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey the Black-faced Monarch in wet forest, rainforest, riparian vegetation, damp gullies and sheltered wet sclerophyll forest. It is a small, tree-dwelling insectivore, so surveys should focus on foliage, mid-storey vegetation and sheltered areas rather than the ground.

Map rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, riparian vegetation, damp gullies, coastal scrub and dense understorey before fieldwork.

Identify links between retained forest patches, waterways and sheltered gullies. Treat these areas as potential habitat, particularly during the September to March presence period in south-eastern Australia.

Check whether the site could support breeding habitat, foraging habitat or movement habitat. The species breeds in eastern coastal Australia and some birds remain in northern Australia while others migrate to New Guinea during the austral winter.

Breeding period: Generally October to March in Australia. Breeding is also reported as October to February.

South-eastern Australia: Usually present from about September to March, with return northwards in March.

Winter movement: Most birds migrate to New Guinea during May to August, while some remain in northern Australia.

  • Review EPBC Act migratory-species obligations and the current Species Profile and Threats Database entry.
  • Confirm Queensland, New South Wales or Victorian permit and wildlife authority requirements before any survey, capture or handling.
  • Use recent aerial imagery, vegetation mapping and previous fauna records to target survey locations.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Search quietly along forest edges, riparian vegetation, sheltered gullies, rainforest margins and dense understorey. Look into trees and shrubs for a grey bird with a black face and rufous belly.

Use direct observation, call recognition and targeted searches of foliage. The species gleans insects from foliage and branches and may sally into the air after flying insects.

Undertake repeat visits where habitat is suitable and the first survey does not detect the species. Use more than one season where the project may affect both breeding and migratory habitat.

Known nest location: Nests may be in tree forks, sapling tops or lower shrubby vegetation, including about 3 to 6 m above ground.

Breeding signs: Look for adults carrying nesting material or food, repeated alarm calls, nest attendance and dependent young.

  • Conduct searches during daylight when birds are active, with most effort in the cooler part of the morning.
  • Avoid relying on a single brief inspection, particularly in dense rainforest or riparian vegetation.
  • Use calm, dry conditions where possible. Record rain, wind, temperature, visibility and any conditions that may reduce bird activity or audibility.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey effort and records

Set survey effort according to the size and condition of the habitat, the proposed impact and the likelihood of seasonal use. A fauna ecologist should document the rationale where the species is a matter of national environmental significance.

Record every detection, including birds seen or heard, flight direction, behaviour, habitat, height, number of birds and whether the bird appears resident, moving through or associated with a nest.

Map the proposed clearing boundary and all records using photographs, GPS or site plans. Record suitable habitat even when the species is not detected.

Project-area example: A Black-faced Monarch has been recorded in riparian vegetation during field surveys, and potential foraging habitat has been estimated at 2.64 ha in one project area.

  • Record the date, start and finish time, observers, survey method, weather, area searched and visibility.
  • Describe vegetation structure, canopy cover, understorey density, watercourses and nearby retained habitat.
  • Photograph nests or habitat from a safe distance. Do not approach an active nest unnecessarily.
  • Report uncertainty clearly where a call, fleeting view or distant record cannot be confirmed.

Survey methodology: 4. Assessing important habitat

Treat wet forest, rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, riparian vegetation and sheltered gullies with dense ferns or shrubs as high-priority habitat for assessment.

Consider habitat important where it supports breeding, regular foraging, movement between forest patches or seasonal use by migratory birds.

Do not dismiss small habitat patches without assessment. A site may form part of a larger home range, and habitat value can increase where it connects with larger forest or follows a creek.

  • Map habitat to be cleared, retained, temporarily disturbed or rehabilitated.
  • Assess habitat at the local and landscape scale, including adjacent land that may be used by birds displaced by works.
  • Use the likelihood of a significant impact on a listed migratory species to guide EPBC Act advice and referral decisions.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Plan to avoid wet forest and riparian habitat wherever practicable. Before clearing or construction, confirm approvals, complete a targeted pre-clearance inspection and make sure the work crew understands the stop-work process.

Obtain project-specific environmental approvals before work starts. Actions likely to have a significant impact on the Black-faced Monarch as an EPBC Act listed migratory species may require referral under the EPBC Act.

In Queensland, confirm whether the work could tamper with a breeding place. For this least concern bird, coverage by the Bonn Convention means that tampering with a breeding place requires a high risk Species Management Program.

Confirm state wildlife permits, animal ethics approvals, rehabilitation arrangements and any local approval conditions before surveying, capturing, handling or relocating birds.

Keep copies of approvals, permit conditions, contacts and escalation steps at the work front.

  • Refer potential EPBC impacts to the project environmental adviser or approval specialist.
  • Use an appropriately authorised fauna spotter catcher for pre-clearance and clearing supervision.
  • Do not assume that least concern status removes migratory-species obligations.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and timing

Redesign the work footprint to retain rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, riparian vegetation, damp gullies and connected understorey. Keep clearing within the approved boundary.

Where works occur in south-eastern Australia, schedule the most disruptive activities outside the usual September to March presence period where practicable. In all regions, avoid the October to March breeding period when practicable.

Use seasonal timing as a risk reduction measure, not as a substitute for a pre-clearance check. Birds may remain in northern Australia during winter, and passage or local movements may occur outside expected dates.

  • Retain mature and regrowth rainforest, dense shrubs, ferns, saplings and creekside vegetation where possible.
  • Minimise night lighting and light spill into retained forest and environmental protection areas.
  • Maintain fauna movement routes around waterways and between retained forest patches.
  • Plan noisy or high-disturbance works away from confirmed nests and regularly used habitat where practicable.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before clearing. Search all vegetation to be removed, including tree forks, sapling tops, lower shrubs and dense riparian understorey.

Have the fauna spotter catcher inspect for adults, nests, eggs, nestlings and dependent fledglings. Check nearby retained vegetation because birds may move into it when disturbed.

Treat a nest with eggs, nestlings or dependent young as an active breeding place. Stop the affected work area and obtain advice under the relevant approval or Species Management Program.

Nest characteristics: The nest is a deep, inverted conical or pear-shaped cup, often in a tree fork, sapling top or lower shrub. It may be about 3 to 6 m above ground.

  • Mark the clearing boundary and any exclusion area on the ground and site plan.
  • Use a buffer determined by the ecologist and approval conditions. Do not apply an invented standard distance where the approval does not specify one.
  • Reinspect areas where clearing is delayed, the vegetation changes or birds show repeated territorial or nest-attendance behaviour.
  • Brief the crew on the species, likely habitat, identification features and stop-work procedure.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Exclusion and work controls

Fence or clearly mark approved exclusion areas before machinery arrives. Protect the nest, supporting vegetation and access route used by fauna spotters.

Use staged access so the spotter catcher can inspect each work area immediately before disturbance. Keep machinery outside exclusion areas until the spotter catcher releases the area.

Do not clear retained habitat for storage, access, spoil or laydown without checking the approved footprint and habitat assessment.

  • Install visible exclusion markers that remain clear in wet weather and low light.
  • Keep workers, vehicles, dogs and materials away from active nests and retained riparian vegetation.
  • Include the stop-work and injured-animal procedures in the site induction and daily pre-start.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clearing should be slow, staged and supervised. The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work whenever an animal, nest or unexpected habitat feature is found.

Clear from the least disturbed edge towards retained habitat so animals have an opportunity to move into safe vegetation. Remove non-habitat vegetation first, then proceed only after inspection.

Use a two-stage clearing method where required by the approval or fauna management plan. Pause between stages so the spotter catcher can inspect vegetation and monitor animal movement.

Avoid felling vegetation towards riparian areas, retained forest, known nests or exclusion zones.

  • Keep the fauna spotter catcher in a position where the work area, machinery and likely escape routes can be seen.
  • Stop machinery before branches, shrubs or trees are moved if an animal may be present.
  • Do not chase birds through retained vegetation or force them into open areas.
  • Maintain clear communication between the operator, supervisor and spotter catcher.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work and breeding-place response

Stop work immediately if a Black-faced Monarch, active nest, eggs, nestlings or dependent young are found in or next to the work area.

The spotter catcher should establish a safe exclusion area, prevent further disturbance and contact the site environmental manager and relevant permit holder.

Do not remove, relocate, dismantle or interfere with an active breeding place unless the action is authorised under the applicable approval or Species Management Program.

  • Record the location, condition of the nest, adult behaviour, number of eggs or young if visible, and the work that was stopped.
  • Obtain advice from the approving authority or nominated wildlife professional before work resumes.
  • Release the area only when the fauna spotter catcher and environmental manager confirm that the approval conditions are met.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injury response

Allow healthy birds to move away naturally wherever possible. Handling should be limited to situations covered by the approval and carried out only by authorised, trained people.

If capture is necessary, use a quiet approach and minimise restraint time, heat, noise and visual stress. Do not attempt to feed, water or treat the bird unless directed by a qualified wildlife carer or veterinarian.

For an injured bird, stop nearby work, protect the bird from machinery and predators, and contact the authorised wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife authority nominated for the project.

  • Place the bird in an appropriate ventilated container only when directed or authorised.
  • Keep the container dark, secure and away from vibration, dust and direct sun.
  • Record the finder, time, location, condition, actions taken, authorisation and receiving carer or veterinarian.
  • Do not release a handled bird without advice from the authorised wildlife professional.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily records

Maintain a clearing register for every work area. Include detections, nests, exclusions, animals moved, injuries, stop-work events and release decisions.

Map all records and link photographs, permits and incident forms to the clearing area. Record both positive detections and searches with no detection.

Report any suspected breach of an approval, permit or Species Management Program immediately through the project incident system.

  • Record date, time, weather, observers, machinery, clearing stage and habitat type.
  • Record whether the bird was resident, foraging, moving through, nesting or accompanied by dependent young.
  • Keep records available for environmental audits and post-clearance review.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

A work area is not complete when the last tree is down. Check the cleared edge, retained habitat and any animal handling outcome before the area is handed back to construction.

Inspect the cleared area and boundary for stranded, injured or displaced animals, damaged nests and unplanned vegetation loss.

Check retained riparian vegetation and exclusion areas for machinery damage, sediment, fallen limbs and new access tracks.

Complete a final fauna sweep after each clearing stage and again before construction crews enter areas that have been left unattended.

  • Confirm that all exclusion markers remain in place until the environmental manager signs them off.
  • Remove only temporary controls that are no longer required and will not expose retained habitat to further impact.
  • Repair accidental damage promptly and record the corrective action.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and monitoring

Submit fauna and clearing records in the format required by the approval, permit or Species Management Program. Include all Black-faced Monarch records and any breeding-place incident.

Monitor retained habitat and nearby rehabilitation areas during construction where the project may affect riparian vegetation, wet forest or movement corridors.

Use repeat observations to check whether birds continue to forage or move through retained habitat after disturbance.

  • Report EPBC, state or permit incidents within the required timeframe.
  • Provide maps, photographs, nest records, handling records and rehabilitation areas in the completion report.
  • Escalate repeated detections in a work area, signs of breeding or unexpected habitat loss to the project ecologist.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocation outcomes

Track every handled or relocated bird until the authorised wildlife professional confirms its outcome. Record release location, time, condition and any follow-up advice.

Do not count a bird as successfully relocated simply because it leaves the container. Confirm that the release was authorised and appropriate for the species and site.

Review whether the work caused avoidable handling, injury or habitat loss and change the clearing method before the next stage.

  • Keep wildlife carer and veterinarian details current throughout the project.
  • Use the original record number for all follow-up information.
  • Report mortality or unsuccessful rehabilitation through the project incident process and relevant authority.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every stop-work event, injured animal, active breeding place and unapproved impact with the supervisor, fauna spotter catcher and environmental manager.

Identify the immediate cause, such as inadequate inspection, poor communication, machinery movement or unclear exclusion marking.

Update the induction, pre-start briefing, work method or survey approach before work recommences in similar habitat.

  • Share lessons with all clearing crews and subcontractors.
  • Check whether approval conditions or the Species Management Program require formal corrective action.
  • Retain the review with the project environmental records.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should rebuild connected, shaded habitat rather than provide isolated planting only. Prioritise native vegetation that restores wet forest, riparian cover, dense understorey and insect-rich foraging areas.

Use locally endemic native species suited to the site. Re-establish canopy, mid-storey plants, shrubs, vines, ferns and ground cover in layers where the original vegetation supported them.

Restore riparian corridors and sheltered gullies first, then reconnect retained forest patches. Protect natural regeneration wherever it is healthy and safe to retain.

Use site rehabilitation plans that define responsibilities, funding, maintenance and success measures for environmental protection areas.

  • Remove compacted soil and repair drainage where construction has altered water movement.
  • Retain fallen timber and leaf litter where they do not create a safety or fire-management conflict.
  • Prevent access by vehicles, motorbikes and stock while vegetation establishes.
  • Control weeds before planting and continue control during the maintenance period.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Nesting and refuge features

The Black-faced Monarch builds an open cup nest in a tree fork, sapling top or lower shrub. Protect existing nesting vegetation and allow rehabilitated shrubs and saplings to develop natural forks and dense cover.

Nest boxes are not a standard replacement for this species' open cup nests. Use nest boxes, artificial nest sites or other structures only where a qualified ecologist identifies a site-specific reason and the design suits the species and approval conditions.

Bat boxes and bat roost structures do not replace Black-faced Monarch habitat. Install them only for an identified bat requirement and do not substitute them for forest restoration.

  • Retain suitable trees and saplings in rehabilitation areas where they can provide forked nesting sites.
  • Do not attach artificial nests to trees without approval and an ecological design review.
  • Keep artificial structures away from machinery routes and protect them during weed control and maintenance.
  • Inspect any approved artificial structure for use, damage and unintended species impacts.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, weeds and habitat condition

Maintain clean, stable waterways and damp understorey conditions in riparian rehabilitation areas. Prevent sediment, concrete washout, chemicals and rubbish from entering creeks or wetlands.

Use erosion and sediment controls during construction and until ground cover is established.

Control invasive plants that reduce native understorey density or spread into rainforest and wet sclerophyll habitat.

  • Water new plantings only as specified in the rehabilitation plan and local conditions.
  • Use clean equipment and soil-management practices to reduce the spread of pathogens and weeds.
  • Replace failed plants during suitable local planting conditions.
  • Inspect for erosion, weed regrowth, browsing, fire damage and loss of canopy or understorey cover.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and long-term monitoring

Keep artificial light out of retained and rehabilitated forest, riparian vegetation and environmental protection areas. Use the lowest practical intensity and direct fittings away from vegetation.

Monitor rehabilitation through establishment and then at intervals set by the approval or management plan. Focus on vegetation structure, connectivity, insect activity and use by forest birds.

Record Black-faced Monarch detections by season. In south-eastern Australia, compare observations across the September to March period and outside that period where relevant.

  • Use shielded, downward-facing lights and avoid unnecessary overnight lighting.
  • Replace failed or poorly directed fittings promptly.
  • Map detections, nests, foraging behaviour and movement through rehabilitation areas.
  • Adapt weed control, planting density, lighting or access controls if the habitat is not developing as planned.

Sources