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Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

The Black-winged Stilt is a striking Australian wader of shallow wetlands, with very long red legs, black and white plumage and a thin black bill. It can breed in colonies on wetland islets, hummocks and open margins, so clearing, earthworks, water level changes and repeated disturbance may affect many birds at one site. It is listed as least concern and is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia, but breeding places receive special protection in Queensland under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020.

Conservation status

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

Migration and breeding season

Black-winged Stilts breed in Australia mainly from August to December. They are resident or locally dispersive in some areas, but movements can follow rainfall and wetland conditions, with some Victorian birds moving north in winter.

Breeding mode: Breeds in small, loose colonies, and sometimes singly. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the chicks.

Breeding season: Usually August to December. Breeding may occur outside this period when conditions are suitable.

Nest and breeding places: Ground scrape, shallow depression, or vegetation platform on a hummock, islet, wetland margin, stream, river, flooded saltmarsh or mangrove. Nests are usually close to shallow water and foraging habitat.

Colony size: Usually 2 to 50 pairs in loose colonies. Colonies can occasionally contain several hundred pairs.

Clutch size: 4 to 6 eggs.

Incubation and fledging: Incubation period and fledging age are not recorded. Chicks are active soon after hatching, and parents remain nearby to protect them.

Colony recognition and site fidelity: Active sites may have repeated high pitched barking calls, alarm flights, mobbing, territorial defence, adults attending scrapes or platforms, eggs, or mobile chicks. Site fidelity is not recorded.

Breeding and movement can vary between regions and years, particularly after rainfall or when wetland water levels change. No species specific disturbance distance is established, so inspect for active colonies, use the greatest practical separation, minimise flushing, and keep works outside the nesting period where possible.

  • Breeding colonies and nesting: Nesting is generally recorded from August to December, although suitable rainfall and water levels can extend the breeding period.
  • Eggs and active chicks at colonies: Chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, so adults, eggs and mobile young may all occur around the colony during the breeding period.
  • Rainfall driven movement and dispersal: Movement can occur in any month because birds track rainfall and wetland availability, with some Victorian birds moving north in winter.
  • Wetland foraging and roosting: Adults and non breeding birds use shallow water, wet mud, banks, islets, sandflats and wetland margins throughout the year.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing and construction are most likely to harm eggs, chicks, nests and breeding colonies from August to December, so avoid works near active colonies during this period where possible.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Black-winged Stilt is a medium-sized, graceful wader that is usually easy to recognise in open wetland settings. It is often conspicuous because of its height, contrasting plumage and loud alarm calls when nesting.

Adults have a mostly white body, black wings and upperparts, a black nape and long, slender red legs. The bill is long, narrow, straight and black.

In flight, the black underwings and legs trailing well beyond the tail are useful identification features. Juveniles are browner and duller, with a pale grey crown and eye area and pale pink legs.

Adult plumage: White body, black wings and back, black nape, red legs and black bill.

Juvenile plumage: Brown-black upperparts, pale grey crown and eye area, white neck and pale pink legs.

  • Bill to tail length can be up to 41 cm.
  • The legs are exceptionally long and allow the bird to wade through relatively deep shallow water.
  • Males may show more glossy black on the back and darker head and neck markings.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The alarm call is a high-pitched, repetitive barking or nasal, staccato call. It is commonly heard when birds are nesting or when an observer approaches a colony.

The Banded Stilt is the main likely confusion species in Australian wetlands. It has a broad chestnut breast band and a white nape, rather than the Black-winged Stilt's black nape. The Australian Avocet has an obvious upturned bill and a chestnut head.

  • Check the bill shape before identifying a distant black and white wader.
  • Look for the red legs and black nape when birds are standing.
  • Use the long trailing legs and black underwings when birds are flying.

Identification: Field signs

Active breeding is often indicated by repeated alarm calls, adults circling or mobbing an intruder, and birds remaining close to a particular wetland margin, islet or hummock.

Nests are small and easy to miss. Look for shallow scrapes, depressions among short grass or sedges, and loose vegetation platforms beside or floating on water. Avoid relying on droppings, whitewash, stains or odour, as these are not reliable identification signs for this species.

  • Repeated barking calls from one location.
  • Adults displaying, chasing or mobbing people, dogs or other birds.
  • Small scrapes or low vegetation heaps close to shallow water.
  • Chicks moving away from a nest or adults escorting chicks across shallow water.

Distribution: Australian range

In Australia, the Black-winged Stilt occurs across most suitable wetland regions and is absent mainly from the driest interior. It is resident in the broad Australian range but can disperse or move long distances when rainfall creates new wetlands.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. It occurs on the mainland and in Tasmania, including wetland systems outside the western deserts.

Australian subspecies: The Australian form is generally treated as Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus.

Range pattern: Widespread across suitable wetlands in all Australian states and territories listed above.

  • Look for it in inland floodplains, coastal wetlands and large wetland complexes.
  • Important wetland landscapes include river deltas, estuaries, lake systems, saltmarshes and floodplain wetlands.
  • It may appear at artificial wetlands such as sewage ponds, irrigation areas and farm dams where shallow margins are available.

Distribution: Seasonal movement

The species is highly nomadic in many parts of Australia. Local numbers can change quickly after rainfall, flooding, drying or changes in wetland availability.

Some birds move north from Victoria in winter. Other movements may be local or regional, depending on water conditions.

  • Do not assume that an empty wetland is unused throughout the year.
  • Check nearby wetlands and alternative shallow-water habitats before works begin.
  • Recheck sites after rainfall or flooding, when birds may arrive and begin breeding.

Distribution: Overseas range

The wider Black-winged Stilt taxon occurs across parts of the South Pacific, Africa, Eurasia and the Americas. Taxonomic treatment differs between references, particularly around the Australian Pied Stilt form.

  • For Australian field work, use the local Australian form and Australian records when assessing habitat and breeding risk.

Habitat: Wetland types

Black-winged Stilts use open wetlands with shallow water, wet mud and low vegetation. They can use fresh, brackish and saline sites, and may shift between natural and artificial wetlands as water conditions change.

Suitable habitat includes shallow freshwater lakes, lagoons, swamps, river margins, floodplains, marshes and wet grasslands. The species also uses saltmarsh, closed tidal wetlands, estuaries, river deltas, saltpans, mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons.

  • Shallow lake and lagoon margins.
  • Riverbeds, riverbanks and floodplain depressions.
  • Freshwater and brackish marshes.
  • Saltmarshes, saline flats and flooded saltpans.
  • Estuaries, sheltered tidal inlets and coastal lagoons.
  • Sewage ponds, irrigation areas and other artificial wetlands.

Habitat: Site features to inspect

On a works site, focus on open margins with shallow water, saturated mud or short grass and sedges. Islets, spits, hummocks and sheltered banks are particularly relevant because they can provide nesting or roosting areas close to feeding habitat.

  • Short grass, sedges and low emergent vegetation.
  • Mud, sand or clay margins near water level.
  • Small islands, raised hummocks and narrow spits.
  • Shallow channels and wet depressions.
  • Areas with a clear view in several directions.
  • Recently flooded or receding wetland edges.

Habitat: Water regime

Wetland use is closely linked to rainfall, flooding, drying and water management. A site may be used for feeding or nesting only for part of a season, then become unsuitable as water levels change.

  • Record current water depth and the extent of shallow margins.
  • Check whether pumps, drains, levees or earthworks will change water levels or drainage.
  • Consider connected wetlands that may be used when the main site dries or floods.

Foraging habitat: Foraging places

The Black-winged Stilt feeds by wading in shallow water or wet mud, usually close to open wetland edges and emergent vegetation. Feeding birds may be active during the day or at night, and estuarine birds may follow tidal cycles.

Look for birds in shallow water, saturated mud, mudflats, sandflats and wet grassland. They may also use the margins of deeper channels, sheltered banks, islets, floating debris and damp pasture.

  • Water up to belly depth.
  • Shallow pools with exposed mud or sand.
  • Margins of reeds, sedges and short emergent vegetation.
  • Tidal mudflats, estuary margins and sheltered inlets.
  • Wet pasture and recently flooded ground.

Foraging habitat: Feeding behaviour

The species pecks from surfaces, probes mud and shallow water, plunges its head, filters through mud and weeds, and sweeps its bill through the water. It can also snatch flying insects and pursue prey at the water surface.

  • Wading slowly with the bill held low.
  • Repeated probing into soft mud.
  • Head dipping or brief submergence in shallow water.
  • Small groups feeding along a receding waterline.
  • Birds moving with the tide in estuarine areas.

Foraging habitat: Food

Food is mainly aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. Records include aquatic insects, crustaceans, molluscs, spiders and worms, as well as small fish, tadpoles, amphibian spawn and occasionally seeds.

  • Aquatic insects and their larvae.
  • Crustaceans and molluscs.
  • Spiders, oligochaete worms and polychaete worms.
  • Small fish, fish eggs and tadpoles.
  • Seeds, including Ruppia seeds and turions in some wetlands.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places

Breeding usually occurs from August to December, with additional breeding possible when local conditions are suitable. Nests are on the ground or on low vegetation platforms, generally surrounded by shallow water and close to feeding areas.

Search wetland islets, shallow-water hummocks, flooded saltmarsh, river margins, streams, rivers, marshes and open lake edges. Breeding waters may be fresh, brackish or saline.

  • Small islands and raised hummocks surrounded by shallow water.
  • Open mud, sand or clay margins near water level.
  • Short grass, sedges and low emergent vegetation.
  • Flooded saltmarsh and mangrove wetland margins.
  • Floating masses of aquatic vegetation.
  • Open sites with good visibility in several directions.

Breeding habitat: Nest form

A nest may be a shallow scrape or depression on hard ground, often among grass or sedge. Some nests are loose heaps or platforms of vegetation beside water or on floating vegetation.

Clutch: Usually 4 to 6 eggs.

Young: Chicks are active soon after hatching and remain under close parental protection.

  • Inspect likely nesting areas from a distance before walking onto an islet or hummock.
  • Treat isolated vegetation heaps near water as possible nests until checked by a suitably experienced person.
  • Do not move vegetation platforms or alter the water around them.

Breeding habitat: Recognising an active breeding place

A site is more likely to be active when adults give repeated alarm calls, mob approaching people or birds, or remain concentrated around a particular islet, hummock or bank. Chicks may move through shallow water and can be difficult to see against mud or vegetation.

  • Observe from outside the wetland edge before entering.
  • Use binoculars to locate adults, nests and chicks.
  • Record the location of each nest, family group and defensive adult.
  • Assume nearby ground and access routes are part of the breeding place while young are present.

Breeding habitat: Timing and works planning

Where practicable, schedule clearing, grading, access and construction outside the local nesting period. Because breeding can extend beyond August to December after suitable rain, confirm site conditions rather than relying only on calendar dates.

  • Complete a pre-works inspection shortly before disturbance.
  • Repeat inspections after substantial rain, flooding or water level changes.
  • Stop and reassess if alarm calls, nesting birds, eggs or chicks are found.
  • Use a qualified ecologist or fauna spotter catcher to set site-specific controls.

Sheltering habitat: Roost features

Roosting birds use shallow water, sheltered banks, islets and estuarine sandflats. These areas can also be used for feeding, so roost disturbance may remove both resting space and access to food.

Look for groups standing in shallow water or gathered on quiet banks, islets, sandflats and wetland margins. Roosts may be small, but several hundred to a thousand birds can gather at nightly roosts, during winter or on migration.

Typical non-breeding groups: Small groups may contain up to 15 birds.

Larger gatherings: Several hundred to a thousand birds may occur at nightly roosts, during winter or on migration.

  • Sheltered wetland banks.
  • Small islands and islets.
  • Shallow water away from active channels.
  • Estuarine sandflats and mudflats.
  • Quiet lake margins and exposed wetland edges.

Sheltering habitat: Roost disturbance

Roosting birds may flush when approached by people, vehicles, dogs, machinery, boats or aircraft. Repeated flushing can make a site unsuitable and can force birds into less secure areas.

  • Keep access routes away from visible roosts where practicable.
  • Avoid driving, parking or storing materials on wetland banks and islets.
  • Control dogs and other domestic animals near roosts.
  • Plan noisy or high-traffic activities for periods when birds are absent, after checking conditions.

Sheltering habitat: Inspection approach

Scan the entire wetland before entering. Watch for birds repeatedly lifting off from one bank or island, then returning when the disturbance stops. Record roost locations, time of day, tide and water level where relevant.

  • Inspect from a concealed or distant position where possible.
  • Use binoculars rather than walking through shallow water or across an islet.
  • Treat a repeatedly used roost as a sensitive site even if no nests are present.
  • Link roost observations with nearby feeding and breeding habitat.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony or breeding place looks like

Black-winged Stilts usually breed alone or in loose colonies, and nearby nests may be difficult to see in open wetland vegetation. Colonies concentrate eggs, chicks and defensive adults, so one disturbance event can affect many birds at once.

A colony may be a group of nests spread across an islet, hummock, spit, flooded saltmarsh or open wetland margin. Nests are often separated by open ground or low vegetation rather than forming a dense, obvious mass.

Nest density: No standard nest spacing applies. Density varies with available ground, water levels, vegetation and colony size.

Site fidelity: The species is mobile and responds to rainfall and wetland conditions. Do not assume a site is inactive because it was unused in a previous season.

  • Loose groups of 2 to 50 breeding pairs are typical of the broader species information.
  • Colonies can occasionally contain several hundred pairs.
  • Nests may be scrapes, shallow depressions or vegetation platforms.
  • Adults may defend the area together and mob predators or people.

Colonies and breeding places: Other colonial bird settings

Colonial birds can use many different breeding places, including wetland trees, lignum, reedbeds, islands, sandbanks, riverbanks, cliffs, culverts, bridges and caves. Black-winged Stilts are ground-nesting wetland birds and are associated mainly with islets, hummocks, open margins, shallow water and low vegetation, not trees, cliffs, caves or bridges.

  • Check all landforms that are isolated or partly surrounded by water.
  • Inspect reedbeds, lignum and low wetland vegetation where they connect to open water.
  • Consider nearby infrastructure only where birds are observed using it.

Colonies and breeding places: Disturbance, flushing and buffers

There is no single reliable disturbance distance for every Black-winged Stilt colony. Set a site-specific exclusion area around active nests, chicks, roosts and access routes, using observed bird responses, line of sight, noise, machinery type and the presence of water between the works and birds.

  • Keep people, vehicles, dogs and machinery outside the agreed buffer.
  • Increase the buffer if adults alarm, circle, mob or repeatedly flush.
  • Use visual screening or alternative access where a direct line of sight cannot be avoided.
  • Do not enter an active colony to place markers unless this can be done without flushing birds.

Colonies and breeding places: Water management and work timing

Flooding can create new breeding and feeding habitat, while drying or rapid water level changes can expose nests, isolate chicks or remove shallow feeding margins. Pumps, drains, levees, crossings and earthworks should be assessed for their effect on colony water levels and connected wetlands.

  • Keep works outside the local nesting period where practicable.
  • Avoid sudden drawdown, inundation or diversion near active nests.
  • Maintain shallow-water access between nesting places and feeding areas where feasible.
  • Reassess colonies after rain, flooding, water releases or major changes in water level.
  • In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of this least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020.

Threats: Clearing and earthworks

The main site risks are loss of shallow wetland habitat, disturbance of colonies and roosts, and changes to water regimes. A least concern listing does not remove the need to protect active breeding places or manage avoidable impacts.

Clearing wetland vegetation, filling depressions, grading margins or removing hummocks can destroy nests and reduce feeding habitat. Access tracks and laydown areas can be damaging even when the main construction footprint avoids open water.

  • Map shallow margins, islets, hummocks, mudflats and low wetland vegetation before design is finalised.
  • Keep stockpiles, compounds and vehicle routes out of wetland margins.
  • Avoid driving across saturated ground, sandbanks or breeding islands.
  • Retain a connected mosaic of shallow water, mud and low vegetation.

Threats: Disturbance and flushing

People, vehicles, dogs, boats, aircraft, lighting and machinery can flush nesting or roosting birds. Repeated disturbance may expose eggs and chicks to heat, predators and trampling, and can make a roost or colony unusable.

  • Use trained fauna spotters during high-risk activities.
  • Set and mark site-specific buffers before works begin.
  • Limit personnel and vehicle movements near active colonies.
  • Stop work and reassess if birds show repeated alarm or flushing responses.
  • Keep night lighting directed away from roosts and shallow wetland margins.

Threats: Water regime changes

Drainage, pumping, levees, culverts, crossings and sediment movement can alter water depth, flooding duration and access to feeding areas. Changes may affect wetlands beyond the immediate construction footprint.

  • Assess upstream and downstream hydrology before changing drains or water controls.
  • Avoid rapid water level changes near nests and chicks.
  • Prevent sediment, concrete washout, fuel and other pollutants entering wetlands.
  • Inspect connected wetlands where birds may relocate after flooding or drying.
  • Review water management after rain and during each stage of construction.

Threats: Predators, domestic animals and cumulative pressure

Dogs, cats, foxes, pigs, livestock and increased human access can disturb or prey on eggs and chicks. Repeated small disturbances from recreation, maintenance and construction may combine to reduce the value of a wetland.

  • Fence or control access where people or domestic animals enter breeding areas.
  • Keep dogs leashed and exclude them from colonies and roosts.
  • Reduce artificial access to islets, sandbanks and sheltered wetland banks.
  • Coordinate construction, mowing, slashing and maintenance schedules around active breeding places.
  • Document colony and roost locations so later contractors do not unknowingly disturb them.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey shallow wetlands, open water margins and nearby dry ground where Black-winged Stilts may feed, roost or breed. Use repeated visits where water levels, rainfall or breeding activity are changing, and treat alarm calls and defensive behaviour as important signs of nearby nests or chicks.

Map all shallow freshwater, brackish and saline wetlands within and near the work area. Include lakes, swamps, river margins, flooded saltmarsh, mudflats, saltpans, sewage ponds, irrigation areas, islets, spits and wet pasture.

Review recent rainfall, flooding, wetland water levels and seasonal water management. Black-winged Stilts are dispersive and may move when wetlands fill or dry.

Check records for breeding colonies, wetland roosts, important bird areas and previous observations. Give particular attention to sites used between August and December, when breeding is common.

Typical breeding period: August to December, with breeding possible outside this period when conditions are suitable

Colony size: Usually loose colonies of 2 to 50 pairs, occasionally several hundred pairs

Roosting groups: Small groups are common, while several hundred to 1,000 birds may gather at migration, winter or nightly roosts

  • Map open mud, sand or clay margins and shallow water less than belly depth for wading birds.
  • Identify access routes, proposed clearing limits, machinery areas, stockpiles, lighting and likely noise sources.
  • Plan surveys for both the work footprint and nearby wetlands that could be affected by noise, access, drainage or changes in water levels.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Walk or slowly scan the full wetland edge, including shallow water, islets, hummocks, spits and open ground near water. Use binoculars or a spotting scope where access would disturb birds.

Look for the black and white body, long red legs and straight black bill. Listen for the high pitched, repetitive barking call, especially when birds are nesting or people approach.

Search for scrapes, shallow depressions, vegetation platforms, eggs, chicks, adults carrying nesting material and adults repeatedly returning to one location. Nests may be difficult to see because they are on the ground and lightly lined.

  • Scan from outside the wetland where possible before entering the site.
  • Use several observation points so that birds are not approached repeatedly from the same direction.
  • Stop and observe if adults become noisy, circle overhead, mob an intruder, run with wings raised or repeatedly move away from one spot.
  • Do not walk through likely nesting areas to obtain a closer view.

Survey methodology: 3. Timing and survey effort

Survey during daylight when birds are active, and include early morning or late afternoon visits where access and safety allow. Add a dusk or night assessment when a large roost is suspected.

Repeat the assessment after substantial rain, flooding or a major change in water level. Waterbird use can change quickly as feeding and nesting habitat becomes available or dries.

There is no species specific survey effort or fixed disturbance distance established for Black-winged Stilts. Set the number and timing of visits according to habitat extent, visibility, wetland conditions, the proposed activity and advice from a suitably qualified ecologist.

  • Avoid surveying in heavy rain, strong wind, dense fog or conditions that prevent reliable detection.
  • Record the date, start and finish time, weather, rainfall history, water level, visibility and surveyors.
  • Use repeat visits where one inspection cannot establish whether a colony, roost or active nest is present.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and mapping

Map every sighting, nest, chick, colony, roost, alarm location and repeated flight path. Record the distance from the proposed work and the direction of movement.

Describe the habitat used, including water depth where safely measurable, substrate, vegetation, nearby cover, islands and access points. Record whether birds are feeding, roosting, nesting, defending territory or moving through.

Record the number of adults, juveniles and chicks separately where possible. Note the largest count and whether birds are spread across a colony or concentrated at a roost.

  • Photograph habitat and signs from a non intrusive location, without approaching nests.
  • Record disturbances already occurring, such as dogs, vehicles, people, aircraft, stock, noise, lighting or water releases.
  • Provide maps and raw field records to the project ecologist and retain them with the environmental records.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Avoid wetlands, colonies and roosts wherever practicable. Before work starts, confirm the legal pathway, complete a pre clearance assessment and brief every person who may enter or operate machinery near the habitat.

Determine whether the action could significantly affect nationally listed matters under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Seek an EPBC Act referral or approval where the assessment indicates that it is required.

Obtain all relevant state, territory and local approvals before clearing or construction. Check wildlife, vegetation clearing, waterway, wetland and protected area requirements for the site.

In Queensland, a Black-winged Stilt breeding place is treated as a breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder. Tampering with that breeding place requires the high risk species management program pathway under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020, rather than the low risk pathway used for other least concern animals.

Confirm permit and authority requirements with the relevant regulator before work. Do not rely on the species being listed as least concern to remove site specific approval obligations.

  • Keep approvals, permits, the species management program and fauna procedures at the site office and in the supervisor's vehicle.
  • Nominate the person responsible for environmental decisions and the person authorised to stop work.
  • Check whether a fauna spotter catcher must hold a state authority, licence or project specific approval.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and work timing

Move the work footprint away from shallow wetlands, islets, hummocks, open nesting ground, roost banks and wetland access routes where possible.

Schedule ground disturbance outside the main breeding period of August to December where practicable. Retain flexibility because suitable rainfall and wetland conditions can lead to breeding outside this period.

Avoid work when birds are concentrated for migration, wintering or nightly roosting. Large groups may gather at roosts even when no nests are present.

Protect natural water levels and drainage patterns. Do not drain, fill or isolate shallow habitat without assessing the effect on feeding, breeding and roosting birds.

  • Use existing access tracks and keep vehicles away from wetland margins.
  • Plan noisy, bright or high traffic activities for times when birds are absent, where this can be demonstrated and maintained.
  • Do not use forced dispersal as a substitute for avoidance or approval.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre clearance inspection and buffers

Complete a final inspection immediately before clearing or construction. Recheck the site after rain or if more than a short period has passed since the earlier survey.

Establish a clearly marked no entry area around every active nest, colony, breeding place and roost. There is no nationally prescribed Black-winged Stilt buffer distance in this profile, so the ecologist must set a site specific buffer based on visibility, terrain, activity, noise, machinery, bird behaviour and regulator requirements.

Increase the buffer if adults alarm, flush, circle, mob workers or repeatedly leave eggs or chicks. Keep the buffer in place until the ecologist confirms that the breeding activity or roost use has ended.

  • Use bunting, signs, fencing or other physical markers that are visible from machinery and access tracks.
  • Keep workers, vehicles, dogs and equipment outside the marked area.
  • Include nearby shallow water and open ground used by chicks, not only the nest scrape itself.
  • Do not place spoil, materials, pumps, lighting or sediment controls inside the buffer unless specifically approved.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Exclusion and crew induction

Install exclusion fencing before machinery arrives. Make the boundary clear to operators who may not have attended the ecological inspection.

Induct all workers on the appearance and call of the Black-winged Stilt, its ground nests, active chicks, colony behaviour and roosting groups.

Explain that a bird flying from a location, repeated alarm calling or adults attacking people can indicate an active breeding place even when the nest cannot be seen.

  • Show workers the no go areas and approved access routes on a site plan and in the field.
  • Tell workers to stop and contact the fauna spotter catcher if a bird, nest, chick, colony or roost is found outside the planned area.
  • Prohibit workers from chasing, feeding, touching, photographing closely or moving birds.
  • Record the induction date, attendees, trainer and key controls.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a staged, low disturbance approach and keep the fauna spotter catcher in control of fauna decisions. Stop work whenever an unexpected bird, nest, chick, colony or roost could be affected.

Clear in small, defined stages from the least sensitive edge towards retained habitat, while keeping escape routes open. Do not create a narrowing corridor that drives birds into machinery or water hazards.

Remove vegetation and materials progressively. Inspect each stage before the next stage begins.

Keep machinery outside wetland margins and marked buffers unless the approved method specifically allows access and the spotter catcher is present.

  • Begin each shift with a visual check of the work area and exclusion zones.
  • Use low speeds and avoid sudden movement near shallow water or roosts.
  • Pause work when birds begin repeated alarm calling, mobbing or flushing.
  • Keep temporary lighting directed away from wetlands and active breeding places.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop work and fauna authority

Give the fauna spotter catcher authority to stop work immediately. The spotter catcher must have direct communication with the supervisor and machinery operators.

The spotter catcher must be authorised under the relevant state or territory requirements for any capture, handling, inspection or relocation activity. Workers must not handle birds or eggs.

If a breeding place, colony or roost is found, stop the activity that may affect it. Establish a temporary exclusion area and obtain an ecological assessment before work resumes.

  • Stop for an active nest, egg, chick, injured bird, bird trapped in a trench, unusually concentrated flock or repeated defensive behaviour.
  • Prevent people and machinery from approaching while the ecologist confirms the situation.
  • Review the approval, permit or Queensland species management program before deciding whether any action is allowed.
  • Do not destroy, move, cover or relocate a nest or egg unless specifically authorised.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active colonies, breeding places and roosts

Treat a colony as active when adults are nesting, defending territories, incubating, attending chicks or repeatedly returning to nest sites. A colony may be loose and spread across open ground, islets or hummocks, so inspect the surrounding habitat rather than focusing on one nest.

Treat a roost as sensitive when birds are settled, tightly grouped or repeatedly returning to the same bank, islet, sandflat or sheltered wetland. Large roosts can contain several hundred to 1,000 birds.

Keep works outside the agreed buffer and avoid flushing birds. Repeated flushing can separate adults from eggs or chicks, expose birds to predators and cause them to abandon suitable habitat.

  • Suspend work until the project ecologist confirms the buffer, timing and control measures.
  • Use a qualified observer to check whether birds are feeding, nesting, roosting or moving through.
  • Keep water pumps, earthworks and releases away from the colony and avoid sudden changes in water depth.
  • Record the colony or roost location, count, behaviour, disturbance source and decision made.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Handling and injured animals

Only authorised fauna personnel may capture or handle a Black-winged Stilt. Keep the public, workers and dogs away and reduce noise and visual disturbance.

If an injured bird is found, stop nearby work, protect it from machinery and predators, and contact the project fauna supervisor and a veterinarian or wildlife carer approved for the jurisdiction.

Do not provide food or water, attempt treatment, or release the bird without veterinary or authorised fauna advice. Chicks and apparently abandoned eggs require the same caution.

  • Use a clean, ventilated, secure container only when capture has been authorised and is necessary for the bird's welfare.
  • Record the location, time, condition, photographs where safe, person who handled the bird and transfer destination.
  • Check trenches, pits and other excavations for trapped fauna before work resumes and provide safe egress where approved.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Daily records

Maintain a daily fauna log for all observations, stop work events, inspections, captures and releases. Link each entry to the work area and the relevant permit or management measure.

Record weather, water conditions, bird numbers, breeding signs, roost use, disturbance, actions taken and the names of decision makers.

  • Record start and finish times for each clearing stage.
  • Map any new nest, chick, colony or roost with coordinates or a clear site reference.
  • Report non compliance, injury, nest disturbance or unauthorised handling to the supervisor and regulator where required.
  • Retain photographs, maps, induction records and fauna forms with the project environmental file.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post clearance checks

Do not treat completion of clearing as completion of fauna responsibilities. Check the work area, nearby wetland habitat and exclusion zones, then close out approvals, incidents and monitoring commitments.

Inspect the cleared area, access routes, trenches, stockpiles and wetland margins after each clearing stage and at the end of the activity.

Look for injured or trapped birds, eggs, chicks, disturbed nests, newly used roosts and birds attempting to return to affected habitat.

Remove temporary hazards such as open pits, unsecured mesh, exposed wire, waste and lighting that could injure birds or block movement.

  • Complete a final fauna inspection before demobilisation.
  • Check that buffers and fencing have not been damaged or moved.
  • Photograph the completed area and any retained wetland habitat.
  • Record nil findings as well as incidents.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated or treated animals

Keep any captured or injured bird under the care of the authorised fauna handler, veterinarian or wildlife carer until a release or rehabilitation decision is made.

Release a recovered bird only at an approved location with suitable shallow water, open margins, shelter and access to feeding habitat. Consider existing colonies and territorial birds before release.

Do not relocate eggs, chicks or adults from an active breeding place unless the action is specifically authorised and supported by the relevant ecologist and regulator.

  • Record the animal's identification, condition, treatment, holding time, release location and outcome.
  • Monitor a released bird from a distance where the approval or animal welfare advice requires follow up.
  • Report mortality, failed release, nest abandonment or repeated return to the work area.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and reporting

Complete monitoring required by the approval, permit or species management program. Use consistent observation points, counts and habitat descriptions so that changes can be compared over time.

Monitor nearby wetlands after major rainfall, flooding, water level changes or construction events that may alter shallow water, mudflats or roosting areas.

Compare bird use before, during and after works where the project has a potential ongoing effect.

  • Record bird numbers, breeding activity, roost use, water level, vegetation condition, disturbance and any new threats.
  • Provide a clear report with maps, dates, effort, findings, incidents, corrective actions and outstanding controls.
  • Notify the regulator and approval holder within the required timeframe for any reportable event.
  • Keep monitoring records with the project environmental management system.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review and close out

Review every stop work event, injury, nest disturbance, colony disturbance, unauthorised entry or permit breach. Include the spotter catcher, supervisor, ecologist and relevant contractor.

Identify whether the cause was a survey gap, unclear boundary, poor induction, equipment failure, weather change or inadequate supervision.

Update the work method, map, buffer, induction and emergency contacts before similar work continues.

  • Document the incident, immediate response, ecological outcome and corrective action.
  • Share lessons with all crews working near wetlands.
  • Do not remove an exclusion zone until the ecologist confirms that the risk has ended or the approval allows the change.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore wetland habitat

Rehabilitate wetland function rather than simply replacing cleared vegetation. Black-winged Stilts need shallow water, open visibility, soft margins and safe ground near feeding areas, with water levels that support habitat over time.

Reinstate shallow wetland margins, open mud or sand, low emergent vegetation and gently sloping banks where these are part of the pre works habitat.

Retain or recreate small islands, hummocks, spits and open ground surrounded by shallow water where the site design and hydrology allow. These features can provide breeding and roosting habitat.

Use local soil and suitable native wetland plants. Avoid dense planting across all open margins, because Black-winged Stilts need clear views around nests and feeding areas.

  • Reconnect shallow depressions and natural drainage where approved.
  • Remove compacted surfaces and reinstate natural contours.
  • Keep breeding and roosting areas free from routine vehicle access.
  • Protect restored margins from stock, dogs and uncontrolled recreation.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Water management

Design water levels to provide shallow feeding areas and wet ground without suddenly flooding nests or drying the habitat. Coordinate releases, pumping and drainage with the wetland manager and ecologist.

Retain natural seasonal variation where possible. Black-winged Stilts move in response to rainfall and wetland availability, so restoration should provide habitat across more than one water level.

Prevent sediment, contaminants and turbid runoff from entering shallow water and mudflats.

  • Use staged filling and drawdown where a sudden change could affect birds.
  • Inspect restored wetlands after rain and during dry periods.
  • Keep pumps, pipes and temporary crossings away from active colonies and roosts.
  • Record water levels, wetland area, vegetation growth and bird use during monitoring.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Nest and roost structures

Black-winged Stilts are ground nesting waterbirds. Nest boxes and bat boxes are not suitable replacement structures for this species.

Where an impact cannot be avoided and an approved plan requires replacement habitat, design open artificial nest sites such as low, stable platforms or predator managed islets surrounded by shallow water. Obtain site specific advice before construction.

Place any artificial nest site near suitable feeding habitat, with good all round visibility and protection from people, vehicles, stock and predators. Do not install a structure during active breeding unless it is authorised and supervised.

  • Use natural materials and stable construction that will not float into birds or block water movement.
  • Inspect platforms and islets for erosion, vegetation overgrowth, flooding and predator access.
  • Do not assume that a new platform replaces a functioning colony. Monitor use over subsequent breeding seasons.
  • Do not install hollow, cave, burrow or mammal maternity structures as substitutes for a Black-winged Stilt nest.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Weeds, predators and disturbance

Control weeds that close open sightlines, smother shallow margins or alter water flow. Use methods that do not disturb active nests, chicks or roosts.

Manage feral predators, stock access and uncontrolled dogs in accordance with the site plan and approvals. Protect ground nests and chicks from trampling and predation.

Keep lighting low and directed away from wetlands, islands and roosts. Limit night traffic, noise and recreational access near restored habitat.

  • Inspect fencing and gates regularly.
  • Remove weed infestations before they spread across open nesting and feeding areas.
  • Use screened, downward facing lights where lighting is unavoidable.
  • Retain quiet refuge areas and sign sensitive wetland margins.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long term monitoring

Monitor restored habitat through wet and dry conditions and across at least the relevant breeding period where the approval requires it. Look for feeding birds, breeding attempts, chicks, colony formation and roost use.

Compare results with the intended habitat condition, not only with the number of birds present in one visit. A dry wetland may have few birds even when restoration is functioning, while rainfall may attract large numbers from elsewhere.

  • Set measurable targets for shallow water extent, open margin, vegetation condition, water quality and access control.
  • Record bird counts and breeding signs from fixed observation points where possible.
  • Review the design if birds repeatedly avoid the site, nests flood, vegetation closes the margins or water levels become unsuitable.
  • Continue monitoring until the ecologist and approval holder confirm that rehabilitation objectives have been met.

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