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Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

The Common Tern is a migratory seabird that visits coastal Australia, especially northern and eastern waters, estuaries, beaches and offshore areas during the warmer months. It may roost or feed around construction sites, so works near shorelines, mudflats and sandbars can affect it. It is listed as a migratory and marine species under the EPBC Act through CAMBA, JAMBA and ROKAMBA, and is least concern in Australia.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed migratory. Listed under 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 Terns are non-breeding migrants to northern Australia and summer visitors to northern and eastern coastal areas. Timing varies between years and regions, with occasional records farther south and some passage through southern waters.

Breeding mode: Colonial ground-nesting seabird. Breeding occurs overseas, not generally in Australia.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Fledging period: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding and roost sites: Breeding sites are not described for Australia. In Australia, roosting occurs on sand bars, intertidal sandy beaches, lagoon shores and mudflats.

Seasonal timing can shift between years and regions, and birds may occur farther south as vagrants or passage birds; check for roosting and foraging flocks before clearing or construction, including around high tide.

  • Breeding overseas, northern hemisphere: Breeding is expected overseas during the northern hemisphere spring and summer, while birds are absent or scarce in Australia.
  • Southward arrival in Australia: Arrival is expected from early spring, with birds using northern and eastern coastal waters, estuaries, beaches and offshore areas.
  • Non-breeding presence in Australia: The main Australian presence is during summer, especially in northern Australia and along northern and eastern coasts.
  • Northward departure from Australia: Most birds are expected to leave during autumn for overseas breeding areas, although timing can vary between regions and years.
  • Highest clearing risk: Risk is highest from arrival through the summer concentration period, particularly where works affect beaches, mudflats, sand bars, lagoon shores, estuaries or other roosting and foraging areas.

Identification: Appearance

The Common Tern is a medium sized, lightly built tern with a deeply forked tail and long pointed wings. It can be difficult to separate from other terns in flight, especially when birds are distant or viewed against bright sky.

Adults generally have a pale grey back and wings, white underparts, a black cap and a red bill that usually has a darker tip. The tail is white and deeply forked.

Plumage can vary with age, season and wear. Birds seen in Australia are usually non-breeding visitors and may look less strongly marked than birds in breeding plumage.

Flight behaviour: Agile coastal flight, often with hovering, plunging or quick turns over water.

  • Long, narrow wings with a buoyant, direct flight.
  • Deeply forked tail, often obvious when the bird is banking or landing.
  • Pale body contrasting with a dark crown.

Identification: Calls and similar species

Calls are sharp, rasping or ringing tern calls. The species does not use echolocation.

Check larger groups carefully. Little Terns are smaller and more delicate, while other terns can differ in bill colour, cap pattern, body size and tail shape. Photographs are useful where identification is uncertain.

Field identification: Use several features together, preferably from clear photographs or repeated views.

  • Record the bill pattern, cap, tail fork, wing shape and relative size.
  • Avoid relying on a single feature when birds are distant or in moult.

Identification: Field signs

Common Terns may leave white droppings and feather traces on regularly used roosting surfaces. Droppings, stains and feathers are not diagnostic on their own because other terns and waterbirds use the same places.

Look for birds gathered on exposed sand, mud or rock close to water. Their sharp calls and repeated flights over nearby coastal water can help locate an active roost.

  • Whitewash on sandbars, rocks, beach edges or mudflats.
  • Loose feathers and small groups of birds facing into the wind.
  • Repeated movement between a roost and nearby feeding water.

Distribution: Australian range

In Australia, the Common Tern is mainly a coastal, non-breeding migrant in the north and east. It has also been recorded further south, where it is generally a vagrant or occasional visitor.

The species has been mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Records are concentrated around marine and estuarine environments.

It is known from the North West Marine Region and has been recorded around Broome, Roebuck Bay, Port Stephens, Salamander Bay and Lake Wellington.

  • Northern Australia, including coastal Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
  • Queensland and New South Wales coastal waters and estuaries.
  • Southern records in South Australia and Victoria, usually as occasional or vagrant records.

Distribution: Overseas range

The Common Tern breeds across parts of Europe, Asia and North America. After breeding, many birds move south to warmer waters, including the Australian region.

  • Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds.
  • Southern Hemisphere non-breeding waters, including Australia.

Distribution: What records mean on a work site

A single bird can be significant even where the site is not a major roost. Confirm whether birds are using the area repeatedly, whether they are feeding nearby, and whether the site connects a roost with open coastal water.

  • Map all sightings, roosts, flight paths and feeding areas.
  • Record tide, weather, bird numbers and behaviour.
  • Treat repeated use of a beach, mudflat, sandbar or lagoon edge as more informative than an isolated flyover.

Habitat: Habitats to inspect

The Common Tern is primarily a coastal and marine species. On development sites, focus on open shorelines and shallow coastal areas rather than dense terrestrial vegetation.

The species occurs in coastal waters, offshore and pelagic areas, estuaries, ocean beaches, sandbars, mudflats and lagoon shores.

It can use natural or modified shorelines if they provide open water, exposed resting surfaces and low levels of disturbance.

  • Estuary mouths and tidal channels.
  • Intertidal sandy beaches and exposed sandbars.
  • Mudflats, lagoon margins and sheltered bays.
  • Rocky headlands, islets and other open coastal features.
  • Offshore waters adjoining the site.

Habitat: Site features to map

Map beaches, mudflats, sandbars, rocky outcrops and lagoon edges that are visible at different tide levels. Record whether the site provides a clear line of sight and a safe place to stand or rest.

  • High tide roosting areas.
  • Low tide feeding areas.
  • Access points used by people, vehicles, dogs or machinery.
  • Lighting, noise sources and areas where birds may be forced into flight.

Habitat: Habitat quality

Higher quality habitat usually combines shallow or productive coastal water with nearby undisturbed roosting surfaces. A site may still be used if it is only a small part of a larger estuary or bay system.

  • Open, gently sloping shorelines.
  • Sheltered tidal flats and lagoon margins.
  • Beaches or mudflats close to feeding water.
  • Areas with limited human and vehicle disturbance.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas

Common Terns forage mainly over coastal water and may feed close to a roost. They can move between a resting site and nearby marine or estuarine water during the same tide cycle.

Inspect shallow coastal waters, estuary channels, lagoon entrances and nearshore marine areas. Offshore and pelagic waters are also used, particularly where prey is available near the surface.

  • Coastal waters beside beaches and mudflats.
  • Estuary mouths and tidal channels.
  • Sheltered bays and lagoon shores.
  • Nearshore waters adjoining a known roost.

Foraging habitat: Feeding behaviour

Watch for hovering, surface dipping and short plunges into water. Birds may gather where small aquatic prey is concentrated, then return to a sandbar, beach or mudflat.

Known site observation: At Broome, birds were seen feeding near a mudflat roost.

  • Record the direction of travel between roosts and feeding areas.
  • Note feeding intensity, flock size and whether birds are repeatedly returning to the site.
  • Schedule observations around both high and low tides where practicable.

Foraging habitat: What to record

Diet items are not always identifiable in the field. Record the feeding method, water depth if apparent, tide stage and any nearby disturbance rather than attempting to identify prey from a distance.

  • Number of birds feeding.
  • Location and direction of flight.
  • Tide and weather conditions.
  • Boats, vehicles, people, dogs, lighting or machinery nearby.

Breeding habitat: Breeding range

Common Terns are non-breeding visitors to Australia and are not expected to establish breeding colonies at Australian clearing or construction sites. Breeding information is therefore most relevant when assessing overseas population links and the effect of impacts on regularly used Australian habitat.

The species breeds in the Northern Hemisphere across parts of Europe, Asia and North America. Australian records are generally of birds outside their breeding range.

  • Do not assume that a flock on an Australian beach is a breeding colony.
  • Investigate any unusual nesting behaviour rather than relying only on the species name or season.

Breeding habitat: Australian breeding places

Australian breeding habitat and breeding place types are not normally relevant for this species. No routine Australian nesting habitat is identified for site clearing assessments.

  • Do not disturb a suspected breeding group until it has been checked by an ecologist.
  • Photograph nests, eggs or dependent young from a distance if they are found.

Breeding habitat: Queensland compliance

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

Queensland trigger: Tampering with a Common Tern breeding place requires a high risk SMP.

  • Escalate any suspected breeding place to the project ecologist.
  • Confirm permit and species management requirements before any disturbance.

Sheltering habitat: Roost features

Common Terns rest in open places with a clear view of approaching threats. Roosts can be exposed to disturbance, so they may be missed unless surveys cover the correct tide window.

Known roosting places include sandbars, intertidal sandy ocean beaches, lagoon shores and mudflats. Rocky islets and exposed coastal platforms may also provide suitable loafing areas.

  • Flat or gently sloping sand.
  • Exposed mudflats at suitable tide stages.
  • Lagoon margins and sheltered beach edges.
  • Rocky outcrops or small islets near feeding water.

Sheltering habitat: Survey timing

Roosting surveys should be undertaken within two hours either side of high tide. At high tide, birds may be concentrated on the remaining dry sand, rock or mud.

Recorded maximum: A maximum of 211 Common Terns was recorded at one Broome Peninsula site.

  • Use a telescope or binoculars to check distant islets and sandbars.
  • Approach from outside the roost and avoid walking through the flock.
  • Record the area occupied by birds, not only the maximum count.

Sheltering habitat: Disturbance signs

Repeated flushing, circling or relocation along the shoreline indicates that the roost is being disturbed. People, dogs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, bright lighting and construction noise can all reduce use of a roost.

  • Keep machinery and personnel away from the roost where practicable.
  • Maintain a clear flight path between the roost and feeding water.
  • Use low, directed lighting and avoid unnecessary night lighting.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence in Australia

The Common Tern is a long distance migrant. Birds visiting Australia are mainly present outside the Northern Hemisphere breeding season, with the strongest coastal presence generally during the Australian warmer months.

Common Terns generally arrive in Australia from about September to October and remain through summer. Many depart from about March to April, although timing varies with location, weather and individual movement.

  • Northern and eastern coastal waters are the most regular Australian areas.
  • Southern records are less predictable and may involve vagrant birds.
  • December to February is a useful period for checking summer use, but it does not replace site specific survey design.

Migration and seasonal presence: Breeding and non-breeding areas

The species breeds in the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia and North America. It spends the non-breeding season in warmer southern waters, including coastal Australia and nearby marine regions.

  • Australian birds are generally non-breeding migrants.
  • The species may occur offshore, along beaches and in estuaries during its Australian visit.

Migration and seasonal presence: Passage periods

Spring and autumn are passage periods as birds move between breeding and non-breeding grounds. Passage birds may occur briefly at beaches, estuaries, lagoons and offshore waters, including places where they are not seen regularly.

  • Check both resident looking roosts and less obvious shoreline areas.
  • Record dates carefully because a short visit may represent passage rather than local seasonal use.
  • Repeat surveys when construction spans migration or summer periods.

Migration and seasonal presence: Important habitat in Australia

For EPBC assessment, important habitat includes coastal and marine areas regularly used for feeding, roosting or movement, especially where birds gather in relatively high numbers or where suitable habitat is limited nearby. A site can matter as part of a connected estuary, beach, mudflat or offshore system.

EPBC consideration: Actions likely to have a significant impact on a listed migratory species may require referral under the EPBC Act.

  • Regularly used roosts on sandbars, beaches, mudflats or lagoon shores.
  • Feeding waters adjoining a roost.
  • Estuary and bay systems that provide both food and safe resting places.
  • Habitat that supports repeated use during the Australian non-breeding season.

Threats: Habitat loss and alteration

The main site risks are disturbance, loss of shoreline habitat and reduced access between roosts and feeding areas. Impacts can occur even when only a small number of birds are present, particularly where a site is regularly used.

Clearing, reclamation, dredging, erosion control and shoreline construction can remove beaches, mudflats, sandbars or lagoon margins. Changes to tides, water flow or sediment movement can also reduce roosting and feeding habitat.

  • Avoid unnecessary occupation of exposed beach and mudflat areas.
  • Map habitat before finalising access tracks, compounds and laydown areas.
  • Retain links between roosting surfaces and nearby feeding water.

Threats: Noise and visual disturbance

Construction machinery, piling, vehicles, people, boats and aircraft can flush birds or cause them to abandon a roost. Repeated disturbance can make otherwise suitable habitat less useful.

  • Use exclusion areas around active roosts.
  • Keep workers, vehicles and dogs away from resting flocks.
  • Schedule noisy work away from peak roost use where practicable.

Threats: Lighting, pollution and water quality

Artificial lighting can alter night time movement and increase disturbance. Spills, polluted runoff, wastewater failures and sediment release can affect coastal feeding areas and prey availability.

  • Direct lights away from beaches, mudflats, estuaries and open water.
  • Use spill controls and prevent contaminated runoff from entering tidal areas.
  • Manage acid sulfate soils and other contaminated materials under the project environmental controls.

Threats: Predators, people and cumulative pressure

Dogs, vehicles, recreational users and feral predators can disturb or displace birds from small roosts. Multiple minor disturbances around an estuary may combine to reduce available habitat.

Legal status: The Common Tern is not listed as threatened in Australia, but it is protected as a listed migratory species.

  • Use signs, fencing or temporary access controls where needed.
  • Include roosts in daily environmental inspections during active works.
  • Stop and seek ecological advice if birds repeatedly flush, crowd onto a smaller area or show signs of injury.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Common Terns are coastal, migratory birds that use estuaries, beaches, sand bars, lagoon shores, mudflats and coastal waters. They are most likely to be encountered in northern Australia during the non-breeding season, with records also occurring along eastern coasts and farther south as vagrants.

Map beaches, intertidal mudflats, sand bars, lagoon shores, estuaries, rocky headlands and shallow coastal waters before fieldwork starts.

Check records from the project area and nearby wetlands, including records from December to February. Treat the absence of records as weak evidence because numbers can vary between tides and survey dates.

Identify whether the action could affect foraging, loafing or roosting habitat. Protected Matters information identifies the species as a migratory wetlands species and listed marine species.

  • Review the project footprint, access routes, lighting, vessel movements, noise sources and proposed shoreline works.
  • Map nearby alternative roosts and foraging areas, including areas that may be used at high tide.
  • Check whether the project may have a significant impact on a listed migratory species and seek EPBC Act advice before works begin.

Survey methodology: 2. Field survey timing and effort

Survey at high tide to locate roosting birds and at low tide to locate foraging birds. Conduct each survey within two hours either side of the relevant tide.

For a migratory shorebird assessment, use at least four roosting surveys and four foraging surveys during the period when most birds are present. Include one survey during the northern hemisphere breeding season where the assessment requires this under EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 guidance.

December to February records demonstrate use of Australian sites during this period, but these months should not be treated as universal arrival or departure dates for Common Tern.

  • Avoid surveys during heavy rainfall and high winds.
  • Schedule surveys to avoid major disturbance from dog walkers, fishermen, vehicles and other site activities where practicable.
  • Repeat surveys across suitable tides and field visits rather than relying on one count.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection methods

Walk beaches, mudflats and rocky shorelines close to the water's edge during low tide. Use a telescope to inspect rocky islets and distant roosts.

During high tide, walk the site or count from a high vantage point where the whole area can be viewed without flushing birds.

Check offshore waters and pelagic areas from suitable land based vantage points. Do not approach roosts closely enough to cause movement or repeated flushing.

  • Use binoculars and a telescope for distant birds.
  • Scan sand bars, intertidal beaches, lagoon margins, mudflats and exposed rocks before entering the area.
  • Allow time for birds to settle after any unavoidable disturbance before completing the count.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and significance

Record the number of Common Terns, age or plumage where confidently identified, behaviour, tide, weather, location and survey duration.

Map feeding, loafing and roosting locations. Record whether birds remain, move between sites or leave in response to people, vehicles, vessels, noise or lighting.

Record the maximum count for each site and retain photographs where identification or flock counts may later need checking.

  • Record the date, start and finish time, tide state and survey conditions.
  • Describe the habitat used, including beach, rock outcrop, mudflat, sand bar, lagoon shore or open water.
  • Report any concentration of birds, repeated use of a site, injured bird or suspected breeding activity to the project ecologist.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and approvals

Plan works to avoid coastal roosts and feeding areas wherever practicable. Common Tern is generally a non-breeding migrant in Australia, but any active breeding place or regularly used roost found during planning must be treated as a constraint until assessed by a suitably qualified ecologist.

Redesign access, laydown areas, lighting, vessel routes and shoreline works to retain beaches, sand bars, mudflats, lagoon shores and shallow coastal waters used by birds.

Consider EPBC Act referral where the action is likely to have a significant impact on Common Tern as a listed migratory species. Obtain written environmental advice before relying on an avoidable impact assessment.

Obtain state or territory permits and approvals required for wildlife disturbance, clearing, marine works, protected areas and handling of fauna.

  • In Queensland, treat Common Tern as a special least concern animal because it is a least concern bird covered by JAMBA, CAMBA, ROKAMBA or the Bonn Convention.
  • In Queensland, obtain a high risk species management program before tampering with a Common Tern breeding place.
  • Check conditions applying to marine parks, reserves and Ramsar or other protected wetlands.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Pre clearance survey

Complete a pre clearance inspection shortly before works start, using high tide and low tide observations where habitat is present.

Inspect the full disturbance footprint and nearby areas that may receive displaced birds. Look for roosting flocks, repeated feeding activity, alarm behaviour, eggs, chicks, nests or adults defending a location.

Have a qualified ecologist assess any suspected breeding place, colony or regularly used roost before disturbance is approved.

  • Mark retained habitat and no go areas on plans and in the field.
  • Check beaches, mudflats, sand bars, lagoon margins, rocky islets, estuaries and shallow waters.
  • Repeat the inspection if works are delayed, the footprint changes or birds begin using the site.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Timing, buffers and exclusion

Avoid works during periods when birds are concentrated at a roost or feeding area. Use tide information to schedule noisy or intrusive activities outside the relevant high tide roosting period where practicable.

Do not apply an arbitrary buffer. Set a site specific exclusion area based on the bird count, habitat, line of sight, noise, lighting, machinery and the likelihood of birds being flushed into unsafe areas.

If an active breeding place, colony or dependent young are found, stop the affected activity and obtain species specific advice before setting or changing the exclusion area.

  • Fence and sign exclusion areas before plant arrives.
  • Keep people, vehicles, dogs, vessels and machinery out of marked roosts and feeding areas.
  • Use screens or temporary barriers only where they do not block access to habitat or create a collision risk.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and work controls

Include Common Tern in the site environmental induction. Show workers photographs or approved identification material, mapped habitat and exclusion areas.

Explain that a small number of birds can still represent use of important habitat. Explain the stop work process and who can authorise recommencement.

Plan lighting, noise, dust, runoff and spill controls before mobilisation.

  • Nominate the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist with authority to stop work.
  • Brief operators not to chase, approach, feed or handle birds.
  • Keep emergency contacts, wildlife permits and the fauna management plan available at the work front.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and active supervision

Use a staged approach and keep an ecologist or authorised fauna spotter catcher involved where works may affect shoreline habitat. Stop work when birds are unexpectedly encountered or when the approved controls no longer protect them.

Clear in small, progressive sections from the least sensitive area towards retained habitat. Do not drive plant through beaches, mudflats or roosts to reach another work area.

Inspect the next work section before plant enters it. Maintain visual checks during excavation, vehicle movements, shoreline works and material placement.

Keep machinery, workers and vessels within approved work areas and routes.

  • Start each shift with a check of exclusion fencing and signs.
  • Pause work if birds begin repeated alarm calls, circling, flocking or movement away from a roost.
  • Use the fauna spotter catcher's stop work authority whenever an unplanned wildlife risk occurs.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Finding a roost, colony or breeding place

If a roost or feeding flock is found, stop the activity that is causing disturbance and move people and plant back to the approved work boundary.

If an active breeding place, colony, eggs, chicks or dependent young are found, stop work in the affected area. Do not touch, move or cover the site.

Contact the project ecologist and relevant wildlife authority. Reassess the exclusion area, timing and approvals before work resumes.

  • Keep a clear line of sight to the site without approaching it.
  • Prevent workers, vehicles, dogs and members of the public from entering the exclusion area.
  • Do not resume because birds have temporarily left. Confirm that the site is no longer at risk through an ecological assessment.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injured birds

Only authorised and suitably trained wildlife personnel may capture or handle a Common Tern. Most birds should be allowed to leave under their own power once the disturbance is removed.

If an injured or grounded bird is found, isolate the area, keep people and dogs away, and contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife authority.

Do not provide food or water, release a bird into open water, or transport it without the required authority and advice.

  • Record the location, condition, apparent cause and photographs from a safe distance.
  • Use a suitable ventilated container only when directed by an authorised wildlife handler.
  • Keep the bird quiet, shaded and secure while awaiting instructions.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily records and stop work events

Record all sightings, roost locations, counts, disturbance responses, exclusion areas, stop work events and fauna handling.

Record the activity underway, equipment involved, time, tide, weather, people present and action taken.

Report any injury, mortality, breeding place discovery, repeated displacement or unapproved habitat disturbance to the site environmental manager.

  • Update the site map when a new roost or feeding area is identified.
  • Retain photographs, field sheets, permits, incident forms and rehabilitation records.
  • Escalate any possible breach of an approval or permit immediately.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post clearance inspection

Post work checks confirm whether birds have returned to retained habitat and whether controls worked as intended. Use the results to adjust the remaining construction program and close out incidents properly.

Inspect the cleared area, retained shoreline and nearby alternative habitat after each major work stage and after any unexpected disturbance.

Check for stranded, injured or dead birds, damaged roost habitat, blocked access to water, sediment deposition, lighting spill and pollution.

Repeat high tide and low tide checks where the area supported roosting or feeding birds before works.

  • Search the work area before demobilising plant.
  • Check fencing, exclusion signs and shoreline access points.
  • Record whether birds have returned, relocated nearby or abandoned the area.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and adaptive management

Monitor known roosts and feeding areas during ongoing construction, especially after changes in noise, lighting, access, vessel movements or shoreline shape.

Compare counts and behaviour with pre work observations. A reduction in numbers, repeated flushing or displacement to unsuitable areas should trigger review.

Extend monitoring where works continue through the period of Common Tern use or where habitat has been altered.

  • Use consistent observation points, tide states and recording methods.
  • Reduce lighting, noise, vehicle access or working hours if monitoring shows disturbance.
  • Protect any newly identified roost or feeding area until the ecologist has assessed it.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated and rehabilitated animals

Track any authorised relocation or veterinary transfer from capture through release or final disposition. Release a rehabilitated bird only on advice from the treating authority and at a suitable location.

Do not assume that a bird flying away is uninjured. Record birds that leave after disturbance and any later confirmed outcome.

Keep wildlife carer, veterinarian and authority advice with the project records.

  • Record the animal's identification, finder, time, location, condition, handler and destination.
  • Document transport, treatment, release or mortality details.
  • Review whether project activities caused the injury or displacement and change controls if needed.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review and reporting

Review each stop work event, injury, mortality, breeding place discovery and unauthorised disturbance before the next similar activity.

Complete approval and permit notifications within the required timeframe. Include counts, habitat affected, photographs, maps, actions taken and prevention measures.

Provide a close out report to the project manager and relevant regulators where required.

  • Update the fauna management plan and induction after incidents.
  • Brief all crews on changed controls before work restarts.
  • Retain the final survey, monitoring, incident and approval records for the project.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore coastal habitat

Rehabilitation should restore the coastal features that Common Terns use for feeding, loafing and roosting. Focus on open shoreline habitat, clean shallow water and low disturbance rather than installing structures that do not suit this species.

Reinstate beaches, sand bars, mudflats, lagoon margins and shallow estuarine areas where these features were disturbed.

Use clean, suitable material and natural contours. Maintain open sight lines and avoid creating steep edges, deep isolated pits or barriers between birds and the water.

Protect retained rocky outcrops and intertidal areas from vehicle access and unnecessary foot traffic.

  • Remove temporary causeways, hardstand, fencing and stored materials when no longer required.
  • Stabilise disturbed ground without covering suitable roosting surfaces with weeds or dense plantings.
  • Prevent sediment, concrete washout, hydrocarbons and other pollutants from entering coastal waters.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Nest and roost structures

Nest boxes and bat boxes are not appropriate replacement structures for Common Tern. Do not install them as a default mitigation measure.

Artificial nest sites or purpose built roost structures should only be considered where a specialist confirms that the site supports or is intended to support Common Tern breeding or roosting, and an approved design is available.

For most Australian project sites, restoring natural beaches, sand bars, mudflats and quiet shoreline areas is the more suitable response.

  • Seek specialist advice before constructing an artificial nest site or roost platform.
  • Keep artificial structures open, stable, predator resistant and clear of public access only where the design has been approved for the site.
  • Monitor any new structure for use, disturbance, predation, flooding and maintenance needs.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, water and predators

Remove invasive weeds from restored shoreline areas while retaining natural open roosting surfaces. Prevent weed spread through clean machinery and controlled access.

Maintain clean water and natural tidal exchange where the design allows. Control runoff, erosion, acid sulphate soil exposure, wastewater failures and spills.

Manage feral predators, pest animals, dogs and uncontrolled public access in accordance with site approvals and local authority requirements.

  • Inspect drains, culverts, sediment controls and spill controls after rainfall.
  • Keep food waste and construction waste away from shorelines.
  • Do not create artificial ponds or vegetation that attracts birds into unsafe areas.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting and long term monitoring

Design lighting away from beaches, mudflats, lagoon shores and open water. Use the lowest practical intensity, shielded fittings, timers and warm lighting where consistent with safety requirements.

Monitor restored areas during high and low tides and compare use with pre work observations.

Continue monitoring where restoration has created new shoreline habitat, where a roost was affected, or where approval conditions require it.

  • Check for light spill across roosts and feeding areas after dark.
  • Record bird numbers, habitat condition, disturbance, weeds, erosion and water quality issues.
  • Repair fencing, drainage, shoreline damage and lighting controls promptly.

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