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Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)

The Greater Sand Plover is a medium sized migratory shorebird that spends the non breeding season around coastal Australia, especially in northern and north western regions. It uses intertidal feeding areas and nearby high tide roosts, so clearing, earthworks, access, lighting and people can affect it; it is listed as Vulnerable and protected as a migratory species under the EPBC Act.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Vulnerable.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Vulnerable.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Vulnerable.

Northern Territory, Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976: Vulnerable.

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

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.

Migration and breeding season

Greater Sand Plovers breed in northern Mongolia and nearby parts of northern China and southern Siberia, then migrate to Australia for the austral summer. Arrival and departure vary between regions, with most Australian records along the northern and north western coast, and smaller numbers farther south.

Breeding mode: Ground nesting. The nest is a shallow scrape in gravel on the breeding grounds.

Breeding range: Northern parts of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, north western China and southern Siberia.

Australian breeding: Not recorded. Australia is used mainly during the non breeding season.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Fledging and parental care: Not recorded.

Breeding frequency and age at maturity: Not recorded.

Timing varies between years and regions, so plan surveys around local records, tides and weather, and consider July checks where birds may remain in Australia during the northern breeding season.

  • Breeding overseas, northern Mongolia and nearby northern breeding areas: The broad breeding period is shown for the northern summer, but species specific breeding dates are not available.
  • Southward arrival and passage into Australia: Birds return from the northern breeding grounds from August and September, with passage south through Torres Strait and along the east coast mainly from September to November.
  • Non breeding presence in Australia: Most birds are present from October to March, although some arrive in August, remain into April or May, or stay through the northern breeding season.
  • Northward departure to the breeding grounds: Departure generally begins in February or March, with many birds leaving in March and April and some remaining until May in northern Australia.
  • Feeding and roosting concentration period in Australia: Protect the linked mosaic of exposed intertidal feeding flats, beaches, sandbanks, saltmarsh and high tide roosts, especially during October to March.
  • Highest clearing risk: The highest risk is October to March, when Australian sites can hold feeding and roosting concentrations; assess sites against important habitat thresholds and survey both low tide flats and high tide roosts.

Identification: Appearance

The Greater Sand Plover is a sturdy, medium sized plover. In Australia it is usually seen in non breeding plumage, often mixed with other shorebirds.

Adults have grey brown upperparts and white underparts. The non breeding bird has a white forehead and eyebrow, with grey brown patches on the sides of the breast.

The bill is straight, fairly long and slightly swollen towards the pointed tip. The legs are long and olive grey to greenish grey.

Breeding males have chestnut on the head, nape and breast, with black facial markings. Females are less strongly marked.

  • Length: 22 to 25 cm.
  • Wingspan: 53 to 60 cm.
  • Weight: approximately 75 to 100 g.

Identification: Similar species

The Lesser Sand Plover is the main identification issue. The Greater Sand Plover is distinctly larger and generally has a stronger, longer bill.

The Double Banded Plover is smaller and browner. In breeding plumage it has a diagnostic double breast band.

  • Check several birds together where possible.
  • Use a telescope for distant birds on mudflats and roosts.
  • Record identification as uncertain if views are brief or obstructed.

Identification: Field signs and calls

There are no reliable nest, dropping, whitewash, stain or odour signs for use in routine clearing surveys. Birds are usually detected visually on open shorelines, mudflats, sandflats or roosts.

No call or echolocation feature is used for field detection in this profile. Watch for birds moving between feeding flats and nearby roosts, especially as the tide rises.

  • Look for a compact plover with a broad body, strong bill and grey brown non breeding plumage.
  • At roosts, Greater Sand Plovers may sit higher on the beach than some other small shorebirds.

Distribution: Australian range

The Greater Sand Plover occurs around the coast of all Australian states and territories listed for the species. Most birds occur in northern Australia, particularly along the north western coast.

In Western Australia it is widespread between North West Cape and Roebuck Bay, with occasional records along the southern coast. Roebuck Bay and Eighty Mile Beach are major areas for migratory shorebirds.

In the Northern Territory it occurs along most of the coastline, including Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, the coast from Anson Bay to Murgenella Creek, the south coast of the Tiwi Islands, the northern Arnhem coast and the Port McArthur area.

In Queensland it occurs in the south eastern Gulf of Carpentaria, from Torres Strait along the eastern coast, and south to the New South Wales border. In New South Wales it is mainly coastal, with records from estuaries and wetlands south to about Shoalhaven Heads.

  • Victoria: mainly Corner Inlet, Western Port and Port Phillip Bay.
  • Tasmania: small numbers in most years.
  • South Australia: mainly the Coorong, Gulf St Vincent, Spencer Gulf and the Eyre Peninsula.
  • Offshore records include Ashmore Reef, Cocos Keeling Islands, Christmas Island and Lord Howe Island.

Distribution: Coastal NSW examples

Recorded coastal areas include the Tweed, Richmond, Clarence, Hastings, Manning, Hunter, Shoalhaven, Moruya, Tuross, Brou Lake and Wagonga estuaries. Other records include Port Stephens, Tuggerah Lake, Botany Bay, Lake Illawarra, Lake Wollumboola and Longreef.

Inland records are less common. Movement between southern and eastern areas appears to occur mainly along the coast.

Distribution: Overseas range

The Australian subspecies, Charadrius leschenaultii leschenaultii, breeds in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, north western China and southern Siberia. It migrates through the East Asian to Australasian Flyway and spends the non breeding season in Australia and other parts of Asia.

  • Around 75,000 birds were estimated to spend the non breeding period at Australian sites.
  • Around 68 percent of the flyway population spends the non breeding season in Australia.

Habitat: Landforms and wetland types

Search for the Greater Sand Plover wherever open coastal feeding flats are close to secure roosting places. A suitable site often includes a changing mosaic of intertidal habitat, upper beach and areas above the high water mark.

Potential habitat includes sheltered sandy, shelly or muddy shores, large intertidal mudflats, sandbanks, estuaries, tidal lagoons, saltmarsh, beaches, dunes near the coast, coral reefs, rocky islands and rock platforms.

The species can also use salt lakes, brackish swamps and shallow freshwater wetlands, although it is almost entirely coastal.

  • Estuarine mudflats and sandflats.
  • Sand spits and sand bars.
  • Upper tidal flats and beach margins.
  • Saltmarsh beside estuaries.

Habitat: Habitat features on works sites

Map the whole functional area, not just the proposed footprint. Feeding areas may be separated from roosts by a short stretch of beach, creek bank or low lying land.

Shoreline features change with tides, storms and sediment movement. A site that is not occupied during one visit may still be used at another tide or season.

  • Open, sparsely vegetated sand or mud.
  • Unvegetated sand spits and upper beach.
  • Saltmarsh margins and sandbanks.
  • Rocky outcrops or islands above high tide.

Habitat: Important habitat

Important habitat includes networks of feeding and roosting sites that allow birds to rest, feed, move between sites and maintain energy reserves during migration.

For project assessment, consider whether the site supports nationally significant numbers or forms part of a larger shorebird area. Guidance examples include a site supporting at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species.

  • Treat nearby feeding flats and roosts as one connected system.
  • Check regional records and mapped wetlands before finalising the work area.
  • Refer to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 for migratory shorebird assessment and mitigation.

Foraging habitat: Foraging places to inspect

The Greater Sand Plover forages on open, exposed surfaces during low tide. The best feeding areas are usually bare sand or soft mud with access to benthic invertebrates.

Inspect intertidal mudflats and sandflats, estuary edges, sandbanks, beaches, tidal lagoons and the edges of saltmarsh. Rock platforms and sheltered coastal areas may also be used.

Feeding birds may occur across the tidal range, including on upper tidal flats that remain exposed for longer.

  • Bare, damp mud and sand.
  • Shallow drainage channels and creek margins.
  • Estuary mouths and broad tidal flats.
  • Intertidal areas near known high tide roosts.

Foraging habitat: Behaviour and survey clues

At low tide, birds may walk steadily across exposed flats and probe the substrate. They may feed alone or in mixed flocks with other shorebirds.

High tide pushes birds away from feeding areas. Do not interpret an empty mudflat as evidence that the site is unused.

  • Survey exposed flats near low tide.
  • Record feeding, roosting, flying and disturbance responses separately.
  • Check whether birds move to another nearby flat when people, dogs, vehicles or machinery approach.

Foraging habitat: Protection during works

Keep machinery, vehicles, stockpiles and workers out of feeding flats wherever practicable. Prevent sediment, dirty water, concrete washout, fuel and other pollutants from entering intertidal habitat.

Maintain access between feeding areas and roosts. A barrier, light, noisy plant operation or regular pedestrian route can make otherwise suitable habitat unusable.

Breeding habitat: Breeding range and nest

The Greater Sand Plover does not breed in Australia. Australian sites are used during the non breeding season and during migration, so breeding place controls are generally not the main site issue.

The Australian subspecies breeds in northern parts of the Gobi Desert, north western China and southern Siberia. It uses gravel areas and lays its eggs in a shallow scrape.

Do not assume that a bare scrape in an Australian coastal site belongs to a Greater Sand Plover. Confirm the species and seek specialist advice before disturbing any shorebird nest.

Breeding habitat: Australian project implications

A clearing or construction site in Australia is more likely to affect feeding, roosting or migration habitat than a breeding site for this species.

In Queensland, special legal provisions apply to some migratory birds covered by international agreements. Obtain project specific advice before tampering with any suspected breeding place of a protected bird.

  • Do not clear or grade potential shorebird habitat without checking seasonal use.
  • Report nesting activity by any shorebird to the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist.
  • Use the applicable state and Commonwealth approval conditions.

Sheltering habitat: Roost features

High tide roosts are essential refuge areas. They are usually close to feeding flats, elevated enough to remain dry and open enough for birds to see approaching predators.

Look for sand spits, sand bars, beaches, upper beach, dune edges, saltmarsh, rocky outcrops, rocky islands and ponds above the high water mark.

Roosts may occur in front of mangroves or Casuarina trees, but birds generally need open sightlines and space to settle.

  • Dry sandbanks and beach ridges.
  • Estuary margins above the high tide line.
  • Rocky platforms and outcrops.
  • Open saltmarsh and coastal ponds.

Sheltering habitat: Tide and disturbance

Roost counts are often higher than feeding counts because birds gather when the flats are covered. Spring high tides can concentrate birds into very few remaining sites, while neap tides may spread them across several roosts.

Birds may move between nearby roosts when disturbed or when there is insufficient space. Repeated flushing increases energy use and can cause site abandonment.

  • Survey roosts within two hours either side of high tide.
  • Keep people, dogs, vehicles and machinery away from occupied roosts.
  • Avoid directing lights towards roosts and keep night works away from likely nocturnal roosts.

Sheltering habitat: Known examples

Important roost settings recorded in Australia include sand spits near estuary islands, beaches and dunes at estuary mouths, saltmarsh and sandbanks beside creeks, and rocky areas near intertidal flats.

Greater Sand Plovers have been recorded at Darwin Harbour sites including Lee Point and Buffalo Creek, Sandy Creek, Nightcliff Rocks, East Point, Ludmilla Bay and East Arm Wharf.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence in Australia

The Greater Sand Plover is a long distance migrant. It uses Australia mainly during the austral summer, with birds arriving and departing at different times and some immature birds remaining outside the main movement period.

In northern Australia, shorebirds begin arriving from August. Numbers commonly peak from September to November. Northward departure begins from February to March, with many birds leaving in March and April.

Some birds may remain until May. The main non breeding period for general Australian assessment is roughly October to March, with September to April often used for monitoring. July can help detect birds that remain during the northern hemisphere breeding season.

  • Arrival: August to September.
  • Peak presence and passage: September to November.
  • Main departure: March to April.
  • Late records: birds may remain until May.

Migration and seasonal presence: Breeding and passage route

The Australian subspecies breeds in the Gobi Desert, north western China and southern Siberia. Birds migrate through the East Asian to Australasian Flyway to coastal feeding and staging areas in Australia.

Small numbers move through Torres Strait and south along the east coast between September and November. Movements within Australia appear to follow the coastline more often than crossing inland.

Migration and seasonal presence: Survey timing for projects

Plan surveys across the main non breeding period rather than relying on one visit. Surveys should cover both low tide feeding areas and high tide roosts.

As a practical minimum, undertake at least two surveys in summer and at least two surveys around high tide. Record bird numbers, locations, behaviour and responses to people, dogs, vehicles, boats, noise and machinery.

  • Use suitable vantage points and a telescope where needed.
  • Coordinate low tide and high tide visits across the same site.
  • Include a winter check where the assessment needs to identify birds remaining outside the main migration period.
  • Use EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 migratory shorebird industry guidelines.

Migration and seasonal presence: What matters on a works site

Important habitat is not limited to the area where birds are feeding at the time of inspection. It includes connected feeding flats, roosts, staging areas and movement routes that support the birds through migration.

A site may warrant detailed assessment where it supports at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of the species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species.

  • Assess direct habitat loss and indirect disturbance.
  • Maintain a clear route between roosts and feeding areas.
  • Schedule noisy or high traffic works outside peak shorebird use where practicable.

Threats: Habitat loss and modification

The main risks on clearing and construction sites are habitat loss, disturbance and changes to coastal water and sediment conditions. Effects can occur away from the footprint if birds lose access to feeding areas or high tide roosts.

Reclamation, dredging, drainage, shoreline hardening, vegetation change and development can remove mudflats, sandflats, saltmarsh, beaches and roosts.

Sediment movement can change the shape and elevation of sand spits, channels and shorelines. Mangrove spread can also reduce open roosting space at some sites.

  • Avoid direct clearing of intertidal flats and upper beach roosts.
  • Keep stockpiles, access tracks and laydown areas outside shorebird habitat.
  • Protect the full tidal connection of estuaries and wetlands.

Threats: Human and vehicle disturbance

Walkers, dogs, fishermen, boats, low flying aircraft, recreational vehicles and machinery can flush birds from feeding and roosting areas. Repeated alarm flights use energy needed for migration and can cause birds to abandon a site.

Four wheel drive access along beaches can disturb birds and damage the beach surface. Uncontrolled pedestrian access can have similar effects at popular roosts.

  • Use fencing, signs and designated access routes.
  • Keep dogs and workers away from occupied roosts and feeding flocks.
  • Use a fauna spotter catcher to monitor activity during high risk works.

Threats: Noise, light and night works

Noise, vibration, lighting and moving plant can disturb birds even when no habitat is cleared. Night lighting can reduce the suitability of nocturnal roosts and alter movement between feeding and roosting areas.

Plan generators, tower lights, piling, blasting and other high disturbance activities away from occupied roosts where practicable.

  • Aim lights down and shield them from beaches, mudflats and roosts.
  • Use the quietest practical equipment and avoid unnecessary idling.
  • Stop or modify works if repeated flushing is observed.

Threats: Pollution and climate related pressures

Pollution, weeds, invasive species, altered water regimes, sea level rise and climate change can reduce feeding resources or change roost availability. Dirty water and sediment discharge can affect benthic food resources and intertidal habitat.

Use sediment and erosion controls, prevent spills and keep concrete washout and contaminated water away from coastal wetlands.

  • Inspect controls after rain and high tides.
  • Maintain clean drainage through the work area.
  • Refer actions likely to significantly affect this migratory species under the EPBC Act.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Greater Sand Plovers are coastal, non-breeding migrants in Australia. Survey work should locate both low-tide feeding areas and high-tide roosts, then map how birds move between them. The main field period is October to March, with extra attention from August to November when birds arrive and numbers often peak.

Review recent records, aerial imagery, tidal mapping, local shorebird counts and threatened species databases before visiting the site.

Map intertidal mudflats, sandflats, beaches, sand spits, saltmarsh, sandbanks, rocky shores, tidal lagoons and ponds above the high-water mark.

Treat the connected feeding and roosting areas as one habitat unit. Include areas used for movement between feeding grounds and roosts.

Check whether the site is within or near a nationally important shorebird area. A site may be important if it supports at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species.

  • Identify nearby alternative roosts and feeding areas, but do not assume they can replace the site without field evidence.
  • Check the current conservation listing, permit requirements and any local shorebird management plans before finalising the survey design.

Survey methodology: 2. Field timing and effort

Survey during the main non-breeding period, generally October to March. Use at least two high-tide surveys and two low-tide surveys. Repeat surveys in both summer conditions and around suitable high tides so birds are counted when feeding habitat is exposed and when birds are concentrated at roosts.

Plan high-tide counts within about two hours either side of high tide where practicable. Plan low-tide counts within about two hours either side of low tide where practicable.

Consider an additional survey in July where the project may affect birds remaining in Australia during the northern hemisphere breeding season. In northern Australia, also consider surveys from August to November and before departure in February and March. Some birds may remain until May.

Avoid or postpone surveys during heavy rain or strong winds where practicable. Record tide state, weather, visibility and any factor that may have reduced detection.

  • Use more than one visit when birds may be dispersed during neap tides or concentrated at different roosts during spring high tides.
  • Schedule visits to avoid major disturbance from people, dogs, fishing activity and machinery where practicable.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection and count methods

Count from suitable vantage points without approaching the flock. Use binoculars and a telescope where needed. Walk the accessible edge of low-tide habitat and inspect sandflats, mudflats, beaches and rocky margins from a distance.

At high tide, inspect all likely roosts, including beaches, sand bars, sand spits, rocky outcrops, saltmarsh margins and ponds above the high-water mark. Check for birds moving between roosts if people or predators disturb them.

Greater Sand Plovers are often in mixed flocks and can be confused with Lesser Sand Plovers. Confirm identification using size, bill shape, leg colour and plumage. In Australia, most birds are in non-breeding plumage.

  • Record species, count, age or plumage where practicable, behaviour, location, tide, time and direction of movement.
  • Record feeding, resting, roosting, alarm flights, flushing distance and movement between sites.
  • Map the full occupied area, not only the point where birds were first seen.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey reporting

Report separate counts for each roost and feeding area. Do not combine counts from different locations unless it is clear that the same birds have not been counted twice.

Describe disturbance from walkers, dogs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, lights, noise and machinery. Record the source, distance, duration, bird response and whether birds returned.

Compare the site count with relevant national significance thresholds and assess the connected habitat, not just the project footprint.

  • Include maps, photographs from observation points, survey dates, tide predictions, weather, observers, equipment and survey limitations.
  • Flag any location that supports a large flock, repeated use, nationally important numbers or a broad mix of migratory shorebird species.
  • Use the survey results to set work areas, exclusion zones, timing controls and monitoring triggers.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Desktop approvals and permits

Plan the work around the birds and their habitat before machinery arrives. The safest approach is to retain the feeding and roosting mosaic, keep people and equipment away from occupied areas, and obtain approvals before any clearing or construction starts.

Assess whether the action is likely to have a significant impact on a listed migratory species or a vulnerable species under the EPBC Act. Refer the action if required, and follow any approval conditions before work begins.

Check state and territory threatened species requirements, wildlife permits and land manager approvals. Obtain Queensland approvals where required, including a high risk species management plan for applicable work that tampers with a breeding place of a protected animal.

Use EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and current migratory shorebird industry guidance when assessing impacts, survey needs, buffers and mitigation.

  • Do not rely on a state approval as a substitute for an EPBC assessment.
  • Keep copies of approvals, permit conditions, maps and contact details on site.
  • Escalate uncertainty to the project ecologist or regulator before disturbance.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and site layout

Redesign the work to retain intertidal feeding habitat, high-tide roosts, access routes between them and nearby undisturbed areas.

Keep stockpiles, compounds, access tracks, lighting, generators and laydown areas outside occupied roosts and feeding areas. Prevent runoff, sediment, weeds, rubbish and pollutants from entering wetlands or mudflats.

Set site-specific exclusion buffers around each occupied roost and feeding area. Make the buffer large enough that birds do not flush repeatedly. Increase it if birds show alarm, repeated flight or movement into poorer habitat.

  • Fence or mark exclusion areas before plant arrives.
  • Use a low-impact route for workers and vehicles that avoids beaches, sand spits and roost approaches.
  • Do not block access between feeding habitat and high-tide roosts.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Timing and pre-clearance survey

Where practicable, schedule noisy or ground disturbing work outside the main non-breeding period from October to March. If this cannot be done, use the survey results to avoid peak use, occupied roosts and periods when birds are concentrated.

Greater Sand Plovers breed in the northern hemisphere, including the Gobi region and nearby parts of Mongolia, China and southern Siberia. Australian projects generally affect non-breeding habitat rather than breeding colonies, but any active breeding place found on site must be treated as protected until assessed.

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before works start. Recheck the site after a tide cycle if the habitat or bird use is changing.

  • Search all work areas, access routes, compounds and nearby roosts.
  • Confirm that exclusion fencing, signage and alternative worker routes are in place.
  • Stop and reassess if birds are using an area that was previously empty.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and exclusion controls

Give every worker a short induction on identification, roost locations, exclusion zones, driving restrictions, dog controls, lighting and the stop-work process.

Explain that alarm flights cost birds energy needed for feeding and migration. Keep people, dogs, vehicles, boats and aircraft away from flocks.

Use directional lighting with the lowest practical intensity. Shield lights from beaches, mudflats, roosts and flight paths. Limit night work near known roosts.

  • Display a site map at entry points and in crib areas.
  • Nominate the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist who can stop work.
  • Provide a contact number for reporting an injured bird, newly occupied roost or damaged exclusion fence.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Start with a daily check

Use a staged, supervised work method. The fauna spotter catcher must have clear authority to stop the activity whenever a bird, flock, active breeding place or occupied roost is at risk.

Inspect exclusion fencing, signs, access tracks and nearby roosts before starting each shift. Check whether birds have moved into the work area overnight or after a tide change.

Record weather, tide, bird presence and any change in habitat. Do not assume that a clear inspection remains valid after high tide, heavy rain, loud work or a change in machinery location.

  • Keep plant stopped until the daily check is complete.
  • Use a telescope or other suitable optics to inspect distant roosts.
  • Contact the project ecologist if birds are repeatedly flushing or changing roosts.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Clear in stages

Clear the smallest practicable area at a time. Work from the already disturbed side towards the retained habitat, while keeping an escape route open for fauna.

Keep machinery, workers and materials outside marked buffers. Avoid driving on beaches, sandflats, sand spits and roost areas.

Stop work if a flock enters the work zone, if birds cannot move safely away, or if disturbance causes repeated alarm flights.

  • Use spotters at the active work edge and at nearby roosts where line of sight is limited.
  • Maintain quiet periods when birds are feeding or settling at a roost.
  • Do not herd, chase or deliberately flush birds.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Respond to animals and protected places

Only authorised and appropriately trained people may handle wildlife. Do not catch a Greater Sand Plover merely to move it away from construction.

If an active breeding place, colony, occupied roost or significant flock is found, stop the relevant work. Protect the area, prevent further approach and obtain ecological and regulatory advice before restarting.

If a bird is trapped, injured or unable to fly, keep people and dogs away. Contact the approved wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife authority. Use a ventilated container only when directed by an authorised wildlife handler.

  • Record the exact location and condition of the animal or site.
  • Do not provide food or water unless directed by a wildlife professional.
  • Do not release or relocate a bird without approval and advice from the relevant wildlife authority.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Manage active disturbance

Reduce speed, noise, lighting and worker numbers near occupied habitat. Shield lights and turn off unnecessary lighting.

Pause work when birds flush and allow them to settle before reassessing. If they do not return, move the activity farther away and notify the project ecologist.

Prevent dogs, four-wheel-drive vehicles, boats and recreational users from entering exclusion areas where the project controls access.

  • Use spotters to monitor the nearest flock and the nearest alternative roost.
  • Record each disturbance event, including the activity, duration, number of birds affected and response.
  • Review the buffer and work method after any repeated disturbance.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Keep records

Maintain a daily fauna log. Record inspections, species, numbers, locations, behaviour, injuries, stop-work events, incidents, approvals, notifications and corrective actions.

Photograph signs, fencing, habitat damage and incidents where this can be done without approaching birds.

Report any breach of an approval, injury, mortality, unauthorised handling or damage to a roost through the project incident system and to the relevant authority where required.

  • Keep records with the project environmental file.
  • Link each record to a map, time and work activity.
  • Make the records available for compliance audits and post-project review.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Do not close out the fauna component when the machinery leaves. Check that birds can still use the retained habitat, that exclusion controls have been removed safely, and that any disturbance or injury has been followed through.

Inspect the work area, retained habitat, access routes and nearby roosts after clearing and after major construction stages. Look for injured animals, stranded birds, changed drainage, sediment, rubbish, lighting spill and damaged habitat.

Check that no birds are trapped behind fencing, in excavations, drains, pits or buildings. Make all hazards safe or arrange authorised fauna rescue.

Confirm that the project has not isolated feeding habitat from high-tide roosts.

  • Use the same observation points where possible so results can be compared.
  • Inspect after a suitable tide cycle and after noisy works or major changes to the site.
  • Remove temporary fencing only when it will not open the site to renewed disturbance or create a trapping hazard.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitor bird use

Monitor retained roosts and feeding areas during the first stages of operation and after major changes to lighting, access or shoreline condition.

Use high-tide roost counts and low-tide feeding counts. Record Greater Sand Plovers separately from other shorebirds and map any shift in use.

Continue monitoring if birds stop using a roost, move into unsafe areas, or show repeated alarm responses.

  • Compare counts and behaviour with the pre-work baseline where one is available.
  • Include disturbance sources and bird responses in every monitoring visit.
  • Set a response action before monitoring starts, such as reducing lighting, closing access or increasing the buffer.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Manage relocated or rescued animals

Confirm the destination, release time, condition and authority for every animal handled or relocated. The preferred outcome is to avoid handling and allow birds to move away naturally.

Obtain advice from the wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife authority before release. Release only at an approved, suitable location with access to feeding and roosting habitat.

Follow up any bird that was injured, captured or held. Record treatment, outcome and notifications.

  • Do not release a bird into an unfamiliar or disturbed area without ecological advice.
  • Do not count a relocated bird as evidence that the original habitat remains suitable.
  • Include all handling and release records in the final fauna report.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Reporting and incident review

Prepare a close-out report covering survey effort, bird records, approvals, mitigation, incidents, stop-work events, injuries, mortalities, habitat changes and monitoring results.

Review every disturbance or non-compliance event with the spotter catcher, site supervisor and project ecologist. Identify the cause and change the work method before the next stage.

Notify regulators, approval holders and land managers when required by approval conditions or permit requirements.

  • Retain maps, photographs, daily logs and monitoring data.
  • Update the site environmental management plan when controls change.
  • Record lessons for future works in the same estuary or coastal system.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore feeding and roosting habitat

Rehabilitation should restore a connected coastal habitat mosaic, not just replant the construction footprint. For Greater Sand Plovers, open feeding flats, secure high-tide roosts, suitable hydrology and low disturbance usually matter more than planted vegetation.

Reinstate natural drainage, tidal exchange, substrate levels and shoreline contours where the project has altered them. Use local reference sites and advice from a coastal ecologist.

Restore exposed sandy or soft-mud feeding surfaces, sandbanks, beaches, saltmarsh margins and other natural roost features where they were removed or damaged.

Keep rehabilitation areas open where open habitat is part of the shorebird site. Do not allow dense vegetation, mangrove spread or weed invasion to cover a roost without ecological assessment.

  • Remove redundant hardstand, fill, spoil, barriers and rubbish.
  • Stabilise disturbed soils without covering intertidal feeding habitat.
  • Protect newly restored areas from vehicles, dogs and uncontrolled access.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Control weeds and water impacts

Use local native species only where planting is appropriate to the reference habitat. Avoid planting trees or dense shrubs beside open roosts where they reduce visibility or usable space.

Control weeds before they seed and prevent contaminated soil, washdown water and construction material from entering wetlands.

Maintain the water depth, salinity and tidal connection needed by the restored habitat. Avoid sudden changes that dry feeding flats or flood roosts.

  • Inspect rehabilitation after wet weather and high tides.
  • Repair erosion, blocked drains and sediment movement promptly.
  • Use low disturbance methods near occupied roosts.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Avoid unsuitable artificial structures

Do not install nest boxes or bat boxes for Greater Sand Plovers. This species does not use tree hollows or bat boxes.

Artificial nest sites are generally unsuitable because Australian birds are non-breeding migrants and breeding occurs in the northern hemisphere. Do not create artificial structures unless a qualified shorebird ecologist and the relevant authority have identified a specific need.

If a roost structure is proposed, demonstrate that it provides open sightlines, suitable substrate, flood safety, predator awareness and low disturbance. A natural roost is preferred.

  • Do not replace an intertidal roost with a small isolated platform without testing whether birds use it.
  • Keep artificial structures away from feeding access and flight paths.
  • Monitor any approved structure through at least the relevant migration period before relying on it as mitigation.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Manage lighting and access

Use shielded, downward-facing lights with the lowest practical intensity. Keep light spill away from beaches, mudflats, roosts and movement routes.

Install durable signs, gates and fencing where access by people, dogs or vehicles threatens restored habitat. Provide a clearly marked alternative route.

Keep maintenance crews within defined access areas and brief them before entering coastal habitat.

  • Turn off unnecessary lights when work is finished.
  • Inspect signs and barriers after storms and high tides.
  • Coordinate access controls with the land manager and local community where the site is regularly used.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Monitor long term

Monitor restored feeding areas and roosts across the non-breeding period, including high and low tides. Continue until habitat is stable and bird use is comparable with the agreed performance target.

Record Greater Sand Plover numbers, other migratory shorebird species, roost occupancy, feeding use, disturbance, weeds, erosion, water conditions and lighting spill.

Use the results to adapt planting, drainage, fencing, access and lighting. Coastal shorebird habitat changes naturally, so reassess sand spits, shoals and shorelines after major storms or shoreline movement.

  • Set monitoring dates before rehabilitation begins.
  • Use fixed vantage points and consistent methods where possible.
  • Keep monitoring records with the rehabilitation completion and maintenance reports.

Sources