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Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)

The Common Redshank is an uncommon migratory shorebird that uses coastal wetlands, estuaries, mudflats, saltmarshes and other shallow-water habitats in Australia. Birds may be present on clearing and construction sites as foragers or roosting birds, and impacts to important habitat can require referral under the EPBC Act. The species is listed as migratory under the EPBC Act through the Bonn Convention, CAMBA, JAMBA and ROKAMBA, and is least concern under Australian threatened-species listings.

Conservation status

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

Common Redshanks are uncommon to regular migrants in northern and coastal Australia. Numbers generally build from August, are highest during the main spring and summer presence period, and decline as birds depart in March and April, with local variation between wetlands and years.

Breeding mode: Breeds overseas. Birds in Australia are non-breeding migrants.

Breeding range: British Isles to east Asia.

Breeding timing: Not recorded for the Common Redshank. The broad northern hemisphere breeding season is April to August.

Nest or breeding site: Not recorded.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation and fledging: Not recorded.

Age at maturity and breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Timing can vary between years and regions, so confirm local presence with high tide roost counts and low tide foraging surveys before works begin.

  • Breeding overseas, British Isles to east Asia: The species breeds overseas, but species specific breeding months are not recorded, so April to August is a broad northern hemisphere indicator only.
  • Southward arrival in Australia: Arrival may begin in August, with numbers increasing through September and larger increases at some sites in October and November.
  • Non-breeding presence in Australia: Records from the Northern Territory occurred from September to April, and some birds overwinter in Australia.
  • Northward departure from Australia: Departure is reported in March and April, although individual birds may leave at different times.
  • Highest clearing risk: Treat September to April as the main risk period for clearing or construction near feeding and roosting habitat, with the greatest risk during October to March when concentrations are most likely.

Identification: Appearance

The Common Redshank is an uncommon migrant shorebird in northern Australia and a less frequently recorded species in the Top End. Field identification should be undertaken by an experienced shorebird observer, especially where several waders are present.

The species is recognised by its red legs. It has been described as the only red-legged sandpiper found in the northern Australian region. Detailed plumage characters are not included here, so photographs and expert confirmation are recommended for unusual records.

Diagnostic field feature: Red legs

Typical field setting: Shorebird flocks around wetlands, estuaries and exposed mud or sand

Identification: Calls and similar species

Calls and detailed comparisons with similar species are not well documented in the available field information. Do not rely on leg colour alone where views are brief or birds are distant.

  • Use clear photographs where possible.
  • Record the bird's behaviour, habitat, tide state and associated shorebird species.
  • Seek confirmation from an experienced shorebird ecologist for uncommon records.

Identification: Field signs

The Common Redshank does not make a nest or other obvious site feature in Australia. Droppings, whitewash, odour and other field signs are not reliable ways to detect it. Direct observation is the appropriate method.

  • Scan exposed mud, shallow water margins and roosting flocks.
  • Check both feeding areas and nearby high-tide roosts.
  • Record any repeated use of a site, even when only one or a few birds are present.

Distribution: Australian range

In Australia, the Common Redshank is an uncommon to regular summer migrant and is locally distributed. It has been mapped in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, although records are uneven and some areas may be under-surveyed.

The species occurs mainly in northern and coastal Australia. One Queensland assessment describes its Australian range as extending from Broome in Western Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory, with occasional records around Cairns and casual records in South Australia. It is also mapped in Victoria.

  • Northern Territory, including saline wetlands behind the coast around Chambers Bay and areas near Darwin.
  • Western Australia, including coastal sites in the north and Kimberley region.
  • Queensland, including occasional records around Cairns and other coastal wetlands.
  • South Australia and Victoria, where records are more occasional or localised.

Distribution: Overseas range

The Common Redshank breeds from the British Isles across northern Eurasia to east Asia. Birds visiting Australia are non-breeding migrants, with some immature or other birds remaining through the winter period.

Breeding range: From the British Isles to east Asia

Australian role: Non-breeding and passage range

Distribution: What records mean on a work site

A lack of recent records does not demonstrate that the species is absent. It can occur in low numbers, and some surveys have recorded only a small number of birds despite suitable habitat being present.

  • Check desktop records before works begin.
  • Treat suitable coastal wetland habitat as potentially occupied during the migration period.
  • Map birds and habitat at the scale of the connected wetland, not only within the disturbance footprint.

Habitat: Wetland and coastal features

Look for Common Redshank habitat wherever shallow water, exposed sediment and open wetland margins occur together. The species uses coastal and estuarine environments, and may also occur inland during migration when suitable wetlands are flooded.

Suitable habitat includes tidal estuaries, intertidal mudflats, saltmarshes, sheltered coastal wetlands, lagoons and estuarine sandbars. Muddy islets, bare banks and open flats are useful features to map before clearing or construction.

  • River mouths and tidal creeks.
  • Coastal wetlands with exposed mud or sand.
  • Saltmarsh with open flats and bare banks.
  • Lagoons, salt fields and other shallow-water areas.
  • Muddy islets and estuarine sandbars.

Habitat: Inland and transitional habitat

During migration, Common Redshanks may visit flooded grasslands and muddy shores of inland rivers and lakes. In northern Australia, records include saline wetlands just behind the coast.

  • Seasonally flooded lowlands.
  • Muddy margins of rivers and lakes.
  • Saline wetlands behind coastal dunes or mangroves.
  • Wetland edges connected to estuaries or tidal systems.

Habitat: Site assessment

Map the full wetland complex, including areas used at different tide levels. A site may provide feeding habitat at low tide and roosting habitat nearby at high tide.

  • Identify changes in water level, tidal connection and drainage.
  • Mark exposed mud, sandbars, saltmarsh and shallow water.
  • Check whether nearby high-tide roosts are connected to the proposed works area.
  • Include contiguous habitat that may be used by the same shorebird population.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas to inspect

Common Redshanks generally feed where receding water exposes soft sediment. The most useful indicators are shallow water, open mud or sand and access to intertidal or wetland margins.

Inspect intertidal mudflats, sandy margins, estuarine sandbars and open saltmarsh flats. Sheltered coastal wetlands, lagoons and muddy river or lake shores may also be used.

  • Exposed mudflats around low tide.
  • Shallow edges of lagoons and coastal wetlands.
  • Muddy banks and sandbars in estuaries.
  • Open saltmarsh with bare feeding areas.
  • Flooded grasslands and inland muddy shores during passage.

Foraging habitat: Survey timing

Foraging surveys should be undertaken as close as practicable to low tide and within two hours either side of low tide, unless local knowledge indicates otherwise. Surveys should avoid high rainfall, strong winds and periods when works are already disturbing birds.

  • Survey during the main non-breeding period, broadly October to March.
  • Use at least four foraging surveys where the assessment follows migratory shorebird guidance.
  • Include two surveys at spring low tide and two at neap low tide where practicable.
  • Use suitable vantage points and record the tide height, weather and observer details.

Foraging habitat: What to record

Record species numbers, locations, habitat use and disturbance. Note whether birds are feeding, loafing, flying between areas or leaving in response to people, vehicles, boats, noise or machinery.

  • Total abundance and species richness.
  • Spatial extent of foraging areas.
  • Human, dog, vehicle and vessel activity.
  • Any changes in bird numbers during the survey.
  • Potential links between the feeding area and nearby roosts.

Breeding habitat: Breeding range

The Common Redshank breeds overseas, from the British Isles to east Asia, and is not known as a breeding species in Australia. Australian works planning should therefore focus on protecting non-breeding and passage habitat rather than Australian nests or breeding colonies.

Breeding occurs outside Australia across parts of Europe and Asia. The Australian information does not identify breeding sites, nest locations, clutch size or breeding colonies within Australia.

Australian breeding status: No Australian breeding is identified

Overseas breeding range: British Isles to east Asia

Breeding habitat: Implications for clearing

The absence of Australian breeding does not remove the need to manage impacts. Birds may use the site for feeding, roosting or passage, and the loss of connected wetland habitat can affect migratory populations.

  • Do not apply nest-search methods as the sole protection measure.
  • Assess wetland habitat, foraging areas and high-tide roosts.
  • Avoid removing habitat used by migratory shorebirds during the main Australian non-breeding period.
  • Refer proposed actions where a significant impact on the listed migratory species may occur.

Sheltering habitat: Roost and loafing features

Common Redshanks may loaf or roost in open areas near their feeding habitat. Roosts can be overlooked because they may be used only at particular tide states or when feeding areas are covered.

Look for open, elevated or lightly vegetated areas close to mudflats and shallow wetlands. Suitable features may include sandbars, muddy islets, exposed banks, saltmarsh edges and quiet beach or lagoon margins.

  • High-tide roosts above the flooded feeding flats.
  • Estuarine sandbars and muddy islets.
  • Open saltmarsh with clear views around the flock.
  • Quiet beach, lagoon and wetland margins.
  • Saline wetlands behind the coast.

Sheltering habitat: Roost surveys

Roost surveys should be conducted as close as practicable to high tide and within two hours either side of high tide, unless local conditions indicate otherwise. Survey from a position that avoids flushing birds.

  • Complete at least four roost surveys during the period when most shorebirds are present.
  • Cover the whole connected area where birds may roost.
  • Record roost location, bird numbers, tide height and disturbance.
  • Check for roosts outside the immediate clearing footprint.

Sheltering habitat: Worksite controls

Keep people, dogs, vehicles, machinery, lights and noise away from active roosts. Use barriers, signs and carefully directed lighting where works are near a roost.

  • Schedule noisy work away from high-tide roosting periods where practicable.
  • Keep construction within the approved development footprint.
  • Aim lights away from feeding and roosting areas and use static, non-flickering lights.
  • Maintain a quiet buffer based on observed bird response and site conditions.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence

The Common Redshank is mainly present in Australia during the non-breeding season, with passage movements before and after the northern hemisphere breeding season. Arrival can begin in August, with numbers increasing through September and often rising more strongly in October and November.

Northern Territory records occurred between September and April. Lane, as cited in the Northern Territory assessment, reported arrival from August, a gradual increase through September, larger increases at some sites in October and November, and departure in March and April. Some birds overwinter.

Main Australian non-breeding period: Broadly October to March

Passage periods: August to November on arrival, and March to April on departure

  • August, early arrivals may occur.
  • September, numbers may build.
  • October to November, larger movements may occur at some sites.
  • December to February, the main summer presence and survey period.
  • March to April, departure and northward passage may occur.

Migration and seasonal presence: Where birds breed and spend the non-breeding season

The species breeds from the British Isles to east Asia. In Australia, it spends the non-breeding season mainly around coastal wetlands, estuaries, mudflats, saltmarshes, lagoons and related shallow-water habitats, with some use of inland flooded areas during migration.

  • Coastal estuaries and intertidal mudflats.
  • Sheltered wetlands and saltmarsh.
  • Lagoons, sandbars and muddy islets.
  • Inland flooded grasslands and muddy river or lake shores during passage.

Migration and seasonal presence: Important habitat in Australia

For EPBC Act assessment, important habitat includes nationally or internationally important wetland habitat used by migratory shorebirds. Nationally important habitat may regularly support at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds in total, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species.

Common Redshank 0.1 percent threshold: 75 birds

Other nationally important habitat thresholds: 2,000 migratory shorebirds or 15 migratory shorebird species

  • For the Common Redshank, 0.1 percent of the estimated flyway population is 75 birds.
  • Assess counts across the connected habitat and relevant roost and feeding areas.
  • Do not assess a site only from a single low count or one tide state.
  • Use EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 migratory shorebird industry guidelines when planning surveys and impact assessment.

Migration and seasonal presence: Survey planning

Plan surveys around both tide states during the main non-breeding period. Guidance recommends at least two surveys in each of summer and around high tide, while project-specific guidance may require four roost surveys, four foraging surveys and an additional survey during the northern hemisphere breeding season.

  • Survey high-tide roosts and low-tide feeding areas.
  • Cover the whole contiguous area used by the shorebird population.
  • Record disturbance, weather, tide, observers and survey methods.
  • Consider an additional survey from mid-April to mid-August, or mid-May to mid-September where that local guidance applies, to detect non-breeding immature birds.

Threats: Habitat loss and degradation

Development can affect Common Redshanks through habitat loss, disturbance and changes to wetland function. Because the species may occur in low numbers, repeated observations and habitat mapping are needed before deciding that impacts will be minor.

Clearing, filling, draining, inundation and altered hydrology can remove feeding or roosting areas. Fragmentation can also separate a high-tide roost from the feeding habitat it supports.

  • Avoid clearing mudflats, saltmarsh, sandbars and wetland margins.
  • Maintain tidal flows and natural water levels where practicable.
  • Control sediment, pollutants, litter and acid sulphate soil impacts.
  • Prevent introduced plants and animals from degrading wetland edges.

Threats: Disturbance

People, dogs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, machinery, sudden noise and approaching objects can flush birds or interrupt feeding and roosting. Repeated disturbance may reduce the time available for feeding during a limited tidal window.

  • Use buffers and barriers around active roosts and feeding areas.
  • Keep dogs and people away from shorebird habitat.
  • Avoid noisy work during high-tide roosting and, where practicable, low-tide feeding periods.
  • Prefer mid-tide periods for unavoidable noise-generating work.

Threats: Lighting, noise and construction activity

Lighting directed at feeding or roosting areas can alter bird behaviour. Construction noise, vibration and machinery movement should be confined and managed, particularly when birds are concentrated at high tide.

General noise measure cited in project guidance: Noise-generating activities should be kept to a maximum of 100 dB(A) where that guidance applies

  • Aim lights away from shorebird habitat.
  • Use static, non-flickering lights.
  • Keep construction within the development footprint.
  • Coordinate noisy activities and limit their duration where practicable.
  • Use visual barriers to reduce disturbance from work areas.

Threats: Direct mortality and operational impacts

Bird strike, chemical or oil spills, toxic releases, vehicle movements and boat wash can injure or kill shorebirds or degrade their habitat. Operational traffic and lighting should be managed as part of the site environmental controls.

Queensland compliance point: Tampering with the breeding place of this special least concern animal requires a high risk species management plan

  • Prepare spill, waste, pest and biosecurity plans.
  • Minimise vessel traffic close to feeding and roosting areas.
  • Manage vehicle access near wetlands and mudflats.
  • Use signage and user information to reduce recreational disturbance.
  • Refer the action under the EPBC Act if a significant impact on the listed migratory species may occur.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Common Redshanks are uncommon visitors in Australia and can be easy to miss outside suitable wetlands. Survey the whole area of contiguous habitat, including feeding areas, high tide roosts and nearby access routes.

Check recent records, wetland mapping, aerial imagery, local shorebird counts and the location of nearby estuaries, mudflats, saltmarshes, sandbars and lagoons.

Treat sheltered coastal wetlands, river estuaries, saline wetlands, saltmarsh with open mud or sand, tidal sandbars, muddy islets and lagoons as potential habitat. Inland flooded grasslands and muddy shores of rivers and lakes may also be used during migration.

Compare expected numbers with the important habitat thresholds. A site may be nationally important if it regularly supports at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one migratory shorebird species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds in total, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species. For Common Redshank, 0.1 percent of the current flyway estimate is 75 birds.

Current flyway estimate: 75,000 to 150,000 birds

Common Redshank important habitat reference level: 75 birds, based on 0.1 percent of the flyway estimate

  • Map all habitat that could be used for foraging, loafing or roosting.
  • Check whether the project could affect habitat outside the development footprint through lighting, noise, drainage, altered tidal flows, sediment or access.

Survey methodology: 2. Field timing and effort

Survey during the main Australian non breeding period, roughly October to March. Records from the Northern Territory indicate arrival from August, increasing numbers in September, larger increases at some sites in October and November, and departure in March and April.

Complete at least four high tide roost surveys and four low tide foraging surveys during the period when most shorebirds are present. In many locations, December, January and February provide useful coverage, but local conditions and the project risk should guide the final timing.

Add a survey during the northern hemisphere breeding season, from mid April to mid August, to detect non breeding immature birds that may remain in Australia.

Common Redshank Australian passage period: August to April, with the main non breeding period roughly October to March

High tide survey window: Within two hours either side of high tide

Low tide survey window: Within two hours either side of low tide

  • Complete roost counts within two hours either side of high tide.
  • Complete foraging counts within two hours either side of low tide.
  • Include at least two summer survey occasions and cover both high tide roosting and low tide feeding conditions.
  • For foraging surveys, include two spring low tide surveys and two neap low tide surveys where practicable.
  • Do not survey during high rainfall, strong winds or active disturbance that is moving birds.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection and field method

Use elevated, concealed or otherwise suitable vantage points. Scan the full wetland edge, mudflats, sandbars, saltmarsh and adjoining open ground with binoculars and a telescope where available.

Search likely roosts before counting feeding birds. Common Redshanks may occur singly or in small numbers, so do not rely only on large flock searches. In the Northern Territory they have been recorded in saline wetlands behind the coast and are not widespread or abundant in the Top End.

Use at least two observers for large sites or sites where large numbers are expected. Agree counts and species identifications before leaving the site.

  • Walk or scan all accessible habitat without approaching roosts closely.
  • Repeat scans from different vantage points where vegetation, tidal channels or landform hide birds.
  • Check inland flooded grasslands and muddy river or lake margins during passage periods.
  • Record any birds displaced by the survey team or by other people, dogs, vehicles, boats or machinery.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and reporting

Record the total number of Common Redshanks, the number of other shorebird species and the location of each feeding and roosting area. Map the area used by birds, not only the point where they were first seen.

Record the date, start and finish time, tide height and stage, weather, observer names and experience, survey method, visibility and any disturbance. Note whether birds were feeding, roosting, loafing, flying through or displaced.

Record nocturnal roost potential, water levels, access points, nearby works and any evidence that birds use the site repeatedly.

  • Photograph habitat and disturbance sources from a safe distance.
  • Keep separate counts for high tide roosts and low tide feeding areas.
  • Report absence cautiously when habitat was suitable but detection conditions were poor.
  • Escalate records of 75 or more Common Redshanks, large mixed shorebird aggregations or repeated use of a site for ecological assessment.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and legal checks

Plan works around the birds and the wetland system rather than relying on moving birds after disturbance starts. Avoidance is usually the most reliable control for a migratory shorebird that uses open feeding and roosting habitat.

Assess whether the action is likely to have a significant impact on a listed migratory species under the EPBC Act. A referral may be required if works could remove, degrade or disturb habitat used by Common Redshanks or other listed migratory shorebirds.

In Queensland, Common Redshank is a special least concern animal because it is covered by migratory bird agreements. Obtain a high risk species management program before tampering with a breeding place if an active breeding place is identified or could be affected.

Check state and territory wildlife requirements before clearing, handling, holding, relocating or releasing any bird. Confirm whether a state permit, fauna spotter catcher authority, wildlife rehabilitation authorisation or other approval is needed for the project.

  • Refer to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 industry guidelines for listed migratory shorebirds.
  • Use the project ecologist to document the significant impact assessment and approval conditions.
  • Keep copies of approvals, permits, management plans and contact details on site.
  • Do not assume that least concern status removes migratory species obligations.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance, timing and buffers

Avoid clearing or filling tidal mudflats, saltmarsh, sandbars, saline wetlands, lagoons and other regularly used habitat. Retain feeding areas and high tide roosts together because birds need access to both parts of the tidal cycle.

Schedule noisy or visually intrusive works outside periods when birds are concentrated, where practicable. Avoid noise generating work during high tide roosting and low tide feeding periods. Mid tide periods are preferred where works cannot be avoided.

Set site specific buffers around roosts and feeding areas using the project ecologist's assessment of visibility, noise, vegetation, landform and the type of activity. Do not apply a generic buffer without checking whether birds are responding to the work.

  • Fence and sign exclusion areas before machinery arrives.
  • Keep people, dogs, vehicles, boats and machinery out of roosts and feeding areas.
  • Prevent lighting from shining towards wetlands, roosts or feeding areas. Use static, non flickering lights directed only at the work area.
  • Control drainage, sediment, pollutants, acid sulfate soil risk, litter, weeds and changes to water levels.
  • Keep construction inside the approved footprint and retain movement corridors between feeding and roosting areas.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre clearance survey and site controls

Complete a final check shortly before works begin, including a high tide roost check and a low tide feeding check where the program allows. Search the work area, access tracks, stockpile areas, drainage lines and any habitat that will be indirectly affected.

Mark roosts, feeding areas, water edges and no go zones on the site plan. Brief the fauna spotter catcher, supervisors, operators, traffic controllers and security staff before work starts.

Common Redshanks do not normally breed in Australia, but breeding habitat and an active breeding place must still be treated as a legal issue if encountered.

  • Appoint a fauna spotter catcher or suitably authorised ecologist with authority to stop work.
  • Install exclusion fencing and inspect it daily.
  • Use a site induction that covers identification, migratory status, no feeding or chasing, dog control, lighting, noise, reporting and stop work procedures.
  • Check that machinery, spill kits, lighting and access routes cannot damage wetland habitat.
  • Avoid starting works when birds are already roosting or feeding inside the work area.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Work method statement

Write the shorebird controls into the clearing and construction method statement. Include the survey results, mapped habitat, buffers, tide based work windows, lighting controls, noise controls and emergency contacts.

Plan a staged response if birds enter the work area. The preferred response is to pause, allow birds to leave without pressure and obtain advice before restarting.

  • State who can stop work and who can authorise restart.
  • Specify how roosts, feeding areas, water quality and sediment will be protected.
  • Set a maximum construction noise level of 100 dB(A) where that control is adopted by the project assessment.
  • Use barriers to reduce visual disturbance and coordinate noisy tasks rather than running several disruptive activities at once.
  • Include pest, waste management and biosecurity controls.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and active supervision

Keep disturbance predictable, localised and reversible. A fauna spotter catcher or ecologist should stop work whenever birds are at risk of injury, repeated displacement or loss of access to feeding or roosting habitat.

Clear in stages from the developed edge towards retained habitat so birds have an open route away from machinery. Do not drive birds towards roads, water hazards, fencing, people or other active work fronts.

Maintain a spotter catcher or ecologist on site while clearing occurs in or near potential wetland habitat. The authorised person should inspect the next work area, confirm the exclusion controls and release the work front before machinery advances.

  • Work in small, defined sections.
  • Stop when birds gather, circle repeatedly, land in the work area or show repeated flushing.
  • Keep machinery within the approved footprint.
  • Use spotters for vehicle movements near roosts, mudflats, sandbars and wetland edges.
  • Do not use vehicles, dogs, drones, boats or people to herd birds.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animals, roosts and breeding places

Do not handle a Common Redshank unless the person is authorised and the action is permitted. Most birds should be managed by stopping work and removing the disturbance, not by capture.

If an active breeding place, colony or roost is found, stop work in the affected area. Protect the site, prevent access and obtain advice from the project ecologist and the relevant wildlife authority before changing the approved method.

  • Record the location, number of birds, behaviour, habitat and activity that caused the response.
  • Extend or adjust the exclusion area if birds repeatedly return to the affected habitat.
  • Do not remove eggs, chicks, nests or vegetation around a suspected breeding place.
  • Do not relocate a roost or feeding flock unless directed under an approved management arrangement.
  • Keep quiet, move back and allow birds to settle before reassessing.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Injury and mortality response

Treat an injured or dead bird as a fauna incident. Keep people and dogs away, reduce noise and lighting, and contact the approved wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife authority through the project's emergency pathway.

Only an authorised and trained person should capture or transport the bird. Avoid chasing birds through mudflats or shallow water, as this can cause further stress and disturbance.

  • Stop the activity that caused or may have caused the injury.
  • Use a ventilated, secure container only if capture is authorised and safe.
  • Keep the bird warm, quiet and away from direct light while awaiting instructions.
  • Do not offer food or water unless directed by a veterinarian or authorised wildlife carer.
  • Record the time, location, suspected cause, photographs where appropriate and the people notified.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily site records

Keep a daily fauna and disturbance log. Records should show whether controls worked and whether birds were displaced from feeding or roosting habitat.

Report repeated disturbance to the site manager and project ecologist on the same day. Update the work sequence or controls before continuing if the response is not effective.

  • Record survey and inspection times, tide, weather, observers and areas checked.
  • Record bird numbers, species, behaviour, flight direction and duration of disturbance.
  • Record stop work events, injuries, deaths, breeding places, roosts and corrective actions.
  • Record construction noise, lighting, vehicle, boat, dog and human disturbance.
  • Retain photographs, maps, GPS points, permit details and restart authorisations.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post clearance checks

Completion of clearing does not end the risk. Check that retained habitat remains usable, that displaced birds have returned or found suitable habitat, and that approval conditions have been met.

Inspect the cleared edge, retained wetland, access routes, drainage controls and exclusion fencing after each stage. Check at high tide for roosting birds and at low tide for feeding birds where the work affected either habitat.

Look for birds avoiding the site, repeated flushing, altered water levels, sediment, lighting spill, noise, oil, litter, weeds or damaged roost surfaces.

  • Complete a same day check after each clearing stage.
  • Complete additional checks after heavy rain, flooding, spills, major earthworks or changes to lighting and access.
  • Repair fencing, bunds, sediment controls and screens as soon as damage is found.
  • Keep machinery and spoil out of retained habitat.
  • Record whether birds are using the retained area and nearby replacement habitat.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and relocated animals

Monitor any approved relocation or rehabilitation outcome through the responsible wildlife carer or ecologist. Do not release a bird at an unassessed site or assume that a nearby wetland is suitable.

For birds that leave voluntarily, record flight direction and check nearby roosts and feeding areas. Repeated absence from a formerly used site should be treated as a possible impact, not proof that birds have adapted.

  • Use the same vantage points, tide windows and counting method during follow up surveys.
  • Compare counts and behaviour with the pre work baseline.
  • Check that relocated or treated birds are reported as released, transferred, dead or still under care.
  • Do not approach or recapture released birds unless authorised.
  • Escalate declining counts, repeated disturbance or loss of habitat to the project ecologist and approval holder.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Reporting and compliance

Prepare a completion report that links each control to the approval, permit or management plan. Include maps of cleared and retained habitat, survey results, incidents, stop work events and corrective actions.

Report any notifiable impact, injury, death, breeding place disturbance or unexpected habitat loss through the approval and wildlife authority pathways.

  • Provide the land manager and approval holder with the final fauna register.
  • Include total abundance, species richness, roost and feeding locations, tide, weather and disturbance records.
  • Document all EPBC, state and territory notifications and advice received.
  • Record outstanding rehabilitation, monitoring and maintenance actions with responsible people and dates.
  • Review the report with the clearing crew and supervisors before the next work stage.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Hold a short review after any injury, death, repeated flock displacement, breeding place discovery or failure of a buffer. Focus on what happened, what control failed and what must change before work resumes.

Update the method statement, induction and survey plan when site conditions or bird behaviour show that the original controls were insufficient.

  • Map the incident and identify the activity, tide, weather and lighting conditions.
  • Check whether the work was within the approved footprint and timing window.
  • Increase avoidance, supervision or exclusion controls where required.
  • Record lessons for future stages and nearby projects.
  • Obtain ecologist or regulator agreement before restarting where an approval requires it.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore feeding and roosting habitat

Rehabilitation should restore the wetland functions that Common Redshanks use, especially open feeding areas, safe high tide roosts and reliable water regimes. The best outcome is a connected, quiet wetland with minimal lighting and disturbance.

Reinstate natural wetland contours, tidal exchange and shallow water conditions where these were altered. Restore open mud, sand and saltmarsh edges rather than planting dense vegetation across all available habitat.

Reconnect feeding areas with nearby high tide roosts. Retain clear sightlines around roosts and provide firm, undisturbed surfaces above usual inundation where supported by the site assessment.

  • Remove spoil, rubbish and temporary structures from wetland habitat.
  • Repair drainage and hydrology so water levels follow the approved design and do not strand or inundate habitat unexpectedly.
  • Use clean, suitable substrate for mudflats and sandbars where reconstruction is approved.
  • Prevent erosion, sediment movement and acid sulfate soil impacts.
  • Protect restored areas from vehicles, dogs, recreational access and uncontrolled vessel activity.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Weeds, pests and water quality

Control weeds without reducing open wetland habitat or contaminating feeding areas. Choose treatment methods that avoid direct exposure of birds and their prey.

Maintain water quality and natural food resources by controlling sediment, nutrients, hydrocarbons, litter and other pollutants.

  • Inspect restored wetlands for weed invasion after rain and during the main shorebird period.
  • Remove invasive plants from mudflats, sandbars and roost margins where they reduce open habitat.
  • Use pest and waste management plans and secure all chemicals and fuels.
  • Prevent domestic dogs and feral animals from entering roosts and feeding areas.
  • Record water quality, vegetation cover, erosion and bird use during monitoring visits.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Structures and habitat design

Common Redshanks are migratory shorebirds and do not normally require nest boxes or bat boxes. Do not install artificial breeding structures for this species unless a qualified shorebird ecologist identifies a specific need and the relevant authority approves the design.

Artificial nest sites or roost structures may be considered only where they replace a documented function and are designed for local tidal, flooding and disturbance conditions. Open habitat restoration is generally more appropriate than enclosed structures.

  • Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes or hollow replacements as a substitute for mudflats, saltmarsh or roosting ground.
  • Obtain specialist advice before constructing an artificial roost, island, sandbar or elevated refuge.
  • Keep structures close enough to feeding habitat for practical tidal movement, but away from machinery, people, dogs and bright lights.
  • Monitor whether birds use the structure without being repeatedly displaced.
  • Remove or redesign a structure that creates entrapment, predator access, erosion or concentrated disturbance.

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

Keep restored habitat dark, quiet and connected. Lighting aimed at wetlands can make roosts and feeding areas unsuitable even when the ground has been rehabilitated.

Monitor through at least the main non breeding period and include both high tide and low tide visits. Continue monitoring long enough to identify seasonal use and the response to changing water levels or vegetation.

  • Use shielded, warm and static lights only where lighting cannot be avoided, and direct them away from wetlands.
  • Keep maintenance access outside roosts and feeding areas.
  • Repeat counts at comparable tide stages and from the same safe vantage points.
  • Track Common Redshank numbers, other migratory shorebirds, roost use, feeding use, disturbance and habitat condition.
  • Review rehabilitation actions after the October to March period and adjust water, vegetation, access or lighting controls where birds are not returning.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Handover and maintenance

Give the land manager a clear rehabilitation plan with maps, maintenance tasks, monitoring dates and response triggers. Retain protection for restored habitat after construction crews leave.

Use monitoring results to guide adaptive management. A restored area should remain functional during both low tide feeding and high tide roosting conditions.

  • Define who maintains fencing, signs, drainage controls, weed treatment and lighting screens.
  • Keep records of bird counts, habitat works, incidents and corrective actions.
  • Protect restored habitat through planning controls, covenants or other long term mechanisms where available.
  • Review the site after major storms, flooding, erosion or changes in adjacent land use.
  • Report failure to achieve the approved rehabilitation outcome through the project approval pathway.

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