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Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus)

The Lesser Sand Plover is a small migratory shorebird that visits coastal Australia during the non-breeding season. It uses intertidal flats for feeding and beaches, spits, rocky areas and other open places for roosting, so clearing, reclamation, lighting, noise and people can affect it on works sites. It is listed as Endangered under the EPBC Act and is also a protected migratory species under international agreements.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Endangered.

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

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

The Lesser Sand Plover is a migratory shorebird that breeds in northern Asia and spends the austral summer in Australia. Arrival and departure vary between regions, with the largest Australian concentrations generally present from September to February and some birds remaining into May.

Breeding mode: Oviparous shorebird. Breeding occurs outside Australia in the Northern Hemisphere.

Breeding region: Northern and eastern Siberia, the Russian Far East, Kamchatka and nearby northern Asian regions.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Fledging period: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Australian nest or roost sites: Breeding nest sites are not recorded. In Australia, birds roost on sandy beaches, spits, beaches, rocky outcrops and ponds above the high-water mark.

Timing varies between years and regions, and small numbers of non-breeding or immature birds may remain in Australia during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season.

  • Breeding overseas, northern Siberia and Kamchatka: Breeding occurs overseas during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season, broadly from April to August.
  • Southward arrival in Australia: Arrival generally begins from August, with movement along northern and eastern coasts through October and November.
  • Non-breeding presence in Australia: Most birds are present from September to April, with the highest numbers generally from October to February and some birds remaining until May.
  • Northward departure from Australia: Northward departure generally begins in March, with most movement occurring in March and April, although some birds may remain until May.
  • High tide roosting and low tide foraging: During the Australian non-breeding season, birds forage on exposed intertidal mudflats and sandflats and roost at high tide on nearby beaches, spits, rocky areas and other open sites.
  • Highest clearing risk: The highest risk is from September to April, especially October to March, when clearing or construction can remove feeding flats, high tide roosts or other concentrations of migratory shorebirds.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Lesser Sand Plover is a compact shorebird that usually arrives in Australia in non-breeding plumage. Identification can be difficult when it is among other small plovers, especially the Greater Sand Plover.

Adults have grey-brown upperparts, white underparts, a white forehead and eyebrow, darker lores and ear coverts, and a short black bill. The bill is about as long as the distance from its base to the back of the eye and has a slight bulge towards the tip.

The legs are short and grey to olive-brown. Birds in Australia are usually in non-breeding plumage. Breeding males have a chestnut breast-band and a broad black facial mask, but this plumage is not normally seen on Australian non-breeding grounds.

Length: 18 to 21 cm

Body mass: 56 to 71 g

Identification: Similar species

The Greater Sand Plover is the main identification challenge. It is larger, has a heavier and longer bill, and usually has grey legs. The Lesser Sand Plover has a shorter, finer-looking bill and a more compact appearance.

The Double-banded Plover has a finer bill and a more upright stance. The Red-capped Plover is smaller and has a distinctive chestnut cap.

Identification: Calls and field signs

No reliable call description is available for field identification here. Identification should be based on shape, bill size, plumage, leg colour, behaviour and comparison with nearby plovers.

Look for small plovers feeding or resting in groups on coastal flats and open roosts. Droppings, nests, whitewash, stains and odour are not reliable field signs for identifying this species on a work site.

  • Record photographs where practicable, especially of the bill, legs, breast pattern and overall size.
  • Use binoculars or a spotting scope rather than approaching a flock.
  • Record the number of birds, their activity and the location of feeding and roosting areas.

Distribution: Australian range

The Lesser Sand Plover occurs around the Australian coast during the non-breeding season. It is widespread, but is most numerous in northern and eastern Australia, particularly Queensland and New South Wales.

The species has been recorded in all Australian states and territories listed for the species, including New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It is almost exclusively coastal, with fewer records inland and in southern areas.

Important regional records include the northern Australian coast, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York Peninsula, Torres Strait, the east coast, Darwin Harbour, Moreton Bay, Townsville and the Broome and Kimberley region.

  • Look around sheltered estuaries, bays, harbours and river mouths.
  • Check both the main intertidal feeding areas and nearby high tide roosts.
  • Do not assume that a site with few birds during one visit has low value. Local movements can produce substantial changes in numbers.

Distribution: Overseas range

The Australian birds belong mainly to subspecies that breed in the Northern Hemisphere. Breeding areas include eastern Siberia, the Russian Far East, Mongolia, Kamchatka, the northern Kuril and Commander Islands, and the Chukotka Peninsula.

During migration and the non-breeding season, the species uses parts of China, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia and other areas of the East Asian to Australasian Flyway.

Distribution: Work site records

Record the full extent of suitable habitat, not just the project footprint. A flock may feed on one part of an estuary and roost nearby on a beach, sand spit, rocky platform, pond or other open area.

  • Map feeding areas, roosts, access routes, machinery areas and sources of disturbance.
  • Include adjacent habitat that could be used by the same flock or population.

Habitat: Coastal and estuarine settings

The Lesser Sand Plover uses open coastal and estuarine landscapes. On a work site, focus on the relationship between exposed tidal flats, shallow water, high tide roosts and nearby disturbance sources.

Look for the species in sheltered bays, harbours, estuaries and river mouths with broad intertidal mudflats or sandflats. It also occurs occasionally on sandy ocean beaches, coral reefs, wave-cut rock platforms, rocky outcrops, short saltmarsh and mangrove margins.

  • Intertidal mudflats and sandflats.
  • Sandy beaches, spits and exposed upper shore.
  • Rocky platforms, reefs and small offshore rocks.
  • Short saltmarsh, mangrove edges and shallow coastal ponds.

Habitat: Habitat features to map

Open ground with good visibility is often suitable for roosting, particularly where it is close to feeding flats and protected from strong winds. Suitable areas may be natural or constructed, including ponds, reclamation areas and dredge spoil features.

  • Distance between feeding areas and roosts.
  • Open sight lines and predator visibility.
  • Shallow water and wet margins.
  • Areas protected from strong winds.
  • Existing access tracks, boat routes, lighting and regular human activity.

Habitat: Habitat value

A site may be important because of the number of birds it supports, the number of migratory shorebird species present, or its connection with other habitat. Under migratory shorebird guidance, examples of important habitat 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.

  • Assess the whole connected estuary or coastal system where practicable.
  • Treat repeatedly used roosts and feeding flats as linked habitat.
  • Consider nocturnal and bad-weather use, which may differ from daytime use.

Foraging habitat: Where to look

The Lesser Sand Plover feeds mainly on exposed intertidal flats during low tide. Works that cover, drain, pollute or repeatedly disturb these areas can reduce feeding opportunities even when the birds are not present during the works.

Search broad, sheltered mudflats and sandflats around estuaries, bays, harbours and river mouths. Birds may also use wet sand, shallow pond margins, claypan edges and other wet open surfaces near the coast.

The species is often associated with feeding areas close to a suitable high tide roost. Map the route between the two areas, including beaches, banks and narrow shoreline sections.

  • Exposed tidal flats at low tide.
  • Shallow water and wet edges of coastal ponds or reclamation areas.
  • Firm wet sand on sheltered beaches.
  • Intertidal areas beside mangroves, rocky platforms or saltmarsh.

Foraging habitat: Feeding behaviour and diet

The species takes benthic macroinvertebrates and other small invertebrates from exposed sediment. The specific prey mix can vary with sediment type, water levels and tidal conditions.

Birds may walk, pause and probe the surface or shallow sediment. Record feeding activity rather than relying only on the number of birds present.

  • Count birds that are feeding separately from birds that are roosting or flying.
  • Record the substrate, water level, tide stage and areas used most often.
  • Avoid driving or walking across feeding flats where birds are present.

Foraging habitat: Survey approach

Surveys should cover low tide feeding areas and high tide roosts. Use suitable vantage points and avoid flushing birds, particularly when several flocks are concentrated in a small area.

  • Complete at least four foraging surveys and four roosting surveys during the main non-breeding period where the project may affect migratory shorebird habitat.
  • For Australian conditions, the main monitoring period is broadly October to March, with local timing adjusted to the site and regional arrival and departure pattern.
  • Include at least one survey during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season to detect birds that remain in Australia, generally around mid-April to mid-August.
  • Record species, numbers, activity, tide height, weather, observer details, locations and all disturbance.

Breeding habitat: Breeding range

The Lesser Sand Plover breeds in the Northern Hemisphere and is a non-breeding visitor to Australia. Australian clearing and construction sites are therefore not expected to contain its breeding habitat, but works can still affect the feeding and roosting areas needed during migration and the non-breeding season.

Breeding areas include tundra and inland areas of eastern Siberia, the Russian Far East and Mongolia. The Kamchatka region, northern Kuril and Commander Islands, and Chukotka Peninsula are also used by the relevant northern subspecies.

  • Do not treat an Australian coastal flock as a breeding colony.
  • Focus Australian assessments on non-breeding habitat, passage habitat, feeding flats and roosts.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places

Species-specific information on nest placement, clutch size, incubation and fledging is not needed for routine Australian site management because the species does not breed here. No Australian breeding places should be assumed from the presence of birds during summer.

  • If a suspected nest or breeding display is reported, stop disturbance in the immediate area and seek advice from a qualified ornithologist or the relevant wildlife authority.
  • Check that any bird identified as a Lesser Sand Plover has not been confused with a local breeding plover.

Sheltering habitat: Roost features

At high tide, Lesser Sand Plovers need open, safe places where they can rest without losing excessive energy. Roosts are often close to feeding areas and may be shared with many other migratory shorebirds.

Roosts may occur on sandy beaches, sand spits, rocky outcrops, offshore rocks, ponds above the high-water mark, claypans and other open ground. In tropical areas, shallow water can help birds remain cool.

Good roosts generally provide a clear view of approaching predators, short commuting distances to feeding areas and some protection from wind. Tide height and disturbance strongly affect which roost is used.

  • Open beaches and upper shore.
  • Sandbanks, spits and exposed tidal islands.
  • Rocky reefs, platforms and outcrops.
  • Shallow ponds, wet margins, claypans and reclamation areas.
  • Mangrove or Casuarina margins where birds can rest on open sand or banks.

Sheltering habitat: Roost behaviour

Birds may concentrate tightly at high tide, then spread across feeding flats as the tide falls. High spring tides can cover preferred roost platforms and force birds into smaller or less suitable areas.

Repeated disturbance can cause alarm flights and movement to alternative roosts. A site that appears empty after a disturbance event may still be part of the local roost network.

  • Survey close to high tide and within two hours either side of high tide unless local knowledge indicates a better period.
  • Keep observers and machinery away from occupied roosts wherever practicable.
  • Record alternative refuge sites used after disturbance.

Sheltering habitat: Buffers and site controls

Use a practical no-entry buffer around occupied roosts, set with advice from a shorebird ecologist and adjusted for visibility, terrain, flock behaviour and the type of activity. Keep people, dogs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, lights and noisy machinery away from the roost where practicable.

  • Fence or sign access routes around known roosts.
  • Position lighting away from roosts and feeding flats and prevent light spill onto them.
  • Schedule noisy or ground-disturbing work outside peak shorebird use where practicable.
  • Use binoculars or a 20 to 60 times spotting scope so observers can remain at least 100 m from birds during monitoring where site conditions allow.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence in Australia

The Lesser Sand Plover migrates between Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds and Australian non-breeding areas. Arrival and departure dates vary between regions, so use local records as well as the broad seasonal pattern.

Birds generally arrive between August and October. Numbers often peak from September to December and remain fairly stable at many sites until late February.

Northward movement usually begins from February or March, with many birds leaving in March and early April. Some birds may remain until April or May, and some immature birds may stay through the austral winter.

  • Northern Australia, arrival may begin in August and numbers may peak from September to November.
  • In southern Australia, numbers often build from August to December.
  • At many sites, the main non-breeding period is broadly October to March.
  • Treat July records as possible non-breeding or immature birds that have remained in Australia.

Migration and seasonal presence: Passage and movements

Birds move along the northern and eastern coasts after arrival and may shift between nearby feeding and roosting areas. The Yellow Sea is an important migration region for the East Asian to Australasian Flyway, including northward passage.

Local numbers can change as birds move between estuaries, bays, islands and nearby coastal wetlands. A single survey is not enough to describe site use.

  • Plan surveys around both local high tide roosts and low tide feeding areas.
  • Include likely passage periods when numbers may increase.
  • Survey all contiguous habitat that could be used by the same population.

Migration and seasonal presence: What counts as important habitat

Australian important habitat may be recognised through the number of Lesser Sand Plovers, the total number of migratory shorebirds, the number of migratory shorebird species, or the function of the site as a connected feeding and roosting area.

Examples used in migratory shorebird guidance include 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.

  • Do not assess a feeding flat without its associated roosts.
  • Consider regular use, peak counts, passage use and use during high tides or bad weather.
  • Refer to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 industry guidelines when assessing proposed actions.

Threats: Habitat loss and modification

The main risks on Australian works sites are loss of intertidal habitat and disturbance at feeding and roosting areas. Impacts can occur during construction, operation and maintenance, including when birds are absent from the site.

Reclamation, dredging, filling, drainage, altered water movement and coastal erosion can remove or degrade feeding flats and roosts. Loss of one part of an estuary can increase pressure on remaining habitat, particularly during high tides.

  • Avoid clearing, filling or compacting intertidal mudflats and sandflats.
  • Maintain natural tidal exchange and environmental flows where practicable.
  • Protect nearby roosts, ponds, sand spits, beaches and rocky platforms as well as the project footprint.
  • Assess indirect effects from altered erosion, sedimentation and mangrove colonisation.

Threats: Disturbance from people and machinery

People, dogs, vehicles, boats, fishermen, kite-surfers, low-flying aircraft, pile driving and other machinery can flush birds from roosts or feeding areas. Repeated alarm flights increase energy use and may cause birds to abandon a site.

Use access controls, exclusion fencing and clear signs. Keep workers and visitors away from occupied roosts and avoid unnecessary movement along the shoreline.

  • Brief all workers and subcontractors before works begin.
  • Record every disturbance event, including the source, distance, flock response and recovery time.
  • Stop or modify work if birds repeatedly flush or move from a roost.

Threats: Light, noise and night works

Artificial light can affect nocturnal activity and may make roosts less suitable. Noise and vibration, including pile driving, can disturb birds even when the source is outside the roost itself.

Keep lighting directed onto the work area, shielded from wetlands and roosts, and no brighter than needed for safety. Schedule high-noise works away from peak shorebird use where practicable.

  • Use downward-facing, shielded lights with no spill across feeding flats or roosts.
  • Avoid overnight lighting near known roosts.
  • Plan noisy works outside the main non-breeding period where practicable, subject to project constraints and ecological advice.

Threats: Pollution and operational risks

Sediment, spills, contaminated runoff, weeds, pest fauna and pathogens can reduce water quality and affect benthic prey. Machinery or object strike is generally avoidable through site controls, exclusion zones and safe access planning.

Use spill prevention, sediment controls, equipment hygiene and biosecurity procedures. Keep machinery and stored materials out of intertidal habitat and away from roost access routes.

  • Prepare a response plan for fuel, chemical and sediment spills.
  • Inspect and clean machinery before moving between sites.
  • Prevent runoff from entering feeding flats, ponds and estuaries.
  • Rehabilitate temporary access areas and remove redundant structures that attract unsafe access or disturb roosts.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Lesser Sand Plover is a migratory shorebird that uses Australian coastal and estuarine habitats during the non-breeding season. Survey both feeding areas at low tide and roosts at high tide, especially from October to March, when most birds are present.

Map all contiguous intertidal habitat that could be used by the same shorebird population. Include mudflats, sandflats, sheltered bays, estuaries, beaches, spits, rocky platforms, saltmarsh, mangrove edges and artificial ponds or dredge areas used as roosts.

Check nearby high tide roosts as well as low tide feeding areas. Review records for the whole local coast, including sites connected by short movements.

Treat a site as potentially important habitat where it supports at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of a species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species. Assess the whole site and connected habitat, not only the project footprint.

Australian presence: Usually present from August to April or May, with greatest numbers generally from September to February.

Breeding range: Breeds in the Northern Hemisphere, including eastern Siberia and the Kamchatka region for Australian subspecies.

  • Check EPBC Act protected matter information, Biologically Important Areas, Ramsar sites and local shorebird records.
  • Identify access points, public use, dogs, boats, machinery, lighting and existing disturbance before fieldwork.
  • Use EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 migratory shorebird industry guidelines when assessing significance.

Survey methodology: 2. Field timing and effort

Plan the main survey period for October to March. In northern Australia, also consider surveys from August to April, because arrival can begin in August and northward departure can extend into April or May.

Complete at least four high tide roost surveys and four low tide foraging surveys during the main period when shorebirds are present. Add at least one survey during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season, commonly around mid-April to mid-August, to detect birds that remain in Australia.

For a practical Darwin style program, survey monthly from September to April and add a July survey where seasonal use is uncertain.

Seasonal movement: Numbers commonly peak in September, October and November. Departure generally begins in February or March.

  • Conduct high tide surveys as close as practicable to high tide and within two hours either side of high tide.
  • Conduct low tide surveys as close as practicable to low tide and within two hours either side of low tide.
  • Avoid heavy rain and strong winds where practicable. Do not survey when visibility is too poor for reliable counts.
  • Repeat surveys across suitable tidal states and weather conditions if the first results may have missed birds.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection and observation methods

At high tide, count from a suitable elevated vantage point or use a slow walking survey where the whole roost can be seen. Keep well back from birds and use binoculars and a spotting scope.

At low tide, walk the accessible edge of mudflats, sandflats and beaches. Check rocky islets, spits and distant roosts with a telescope.

Look for a small, compact, erect plover with grey brown upperparts, white underparts, a short stout black bill and short grey or olive brown legs. Take care to separate it from the larger Greater Sand Plover.

  • Scan systematically from one end of the site to the other.
  • Count birds more than once only when movement makes this unavoidable, and record the direction of movement.
  • Use photographs or detailed field notes for uncertain identifications.
  • Do not flush birds to improve detection.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and survey quality

Record the total number of birds, the number of Lesser Sand Plovers, the activity of each group and the areas used. Map feeding areas, roosts, refuge sites and flight paths.

Record disturbance during the survey, including people, dogs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, kite surfers, predators, noise, lights and machinery.

A low count does not demonstrate that habitat is unimportant. Lesser Sand Plovers can move between nearby feeding and roosting sites, and use may change with tide, weather and disturbance.

  • Record date, start and finish time, tide height and survey position.
  • Record weather, visibility, wind, rainfall and observer numbers and experience.
  • Record survey method, areas searched, access limitations and any unsurveyed habitat.
  • Record species richness, counts of other migratory shorebirds and any evidence of nocturnal roosting.
  • Retain maps, photographs, raw counts and disturbance records with the project file.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and legal checks

Avoid impacts to feeding and roosting habitat wherever practicable. Complete approvals, field checks and crew planning before machinery enters the site, and schedule works outside periods of highest shorebird use where this can be achieved.

Have an ecologist assess whether the action is likely to have a significant impact on this EPBC listed threatened and migratory species. Refer the action under the EPBC Act before starting work where referral is required.

Check state and territory requirements before clearing or construction. Obtain any required wildlife, threatened species, development or disturbance permits.

In Queensland, confirm whether a high risk species management program is required for the proposed action. A Queensland species management program does not replace EPBC Act approval where a significant impact is likely.

  • Keep approval conditions and permit conditions at the site office and in the supervisor vehicle.
  • Confirm who can approve changes to the work area, timing, access and lighting.
  • Use the approved method statement where the action has been assessed or conditioned under the EPBC Act.
  • Seek advice from the relevant regulator if an active breeding place, major roost or nationally important habitat is identified.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and timing

Retain intertidal mudflats, sandflats and high tide roosts in the project design. Avoid reclamation, drainage changes, infilling, erosion and changes to tidal or freshwater flows.

Where practicable, schedule noisy, bright or high traffic works outside the main non-breeding period from October to March. In northern Australia, plan around arrival from August and departure from February to April, allowing for birds that remain until May.

Do not assume that winter is free of shorebirds. Some immature birds may remain in Australia during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season.

  • Keep works out of mapped roosts and feeding areas.
  • Use existing access tracks and keep vehicles off mudflats, sandflats and beach roosts.
  • Stage works so that alternative feeding and roosting habitat remains available at every stage.
  • Stop or redesign works if monitoring shows repeated flushing, abandonment of a roost or loss of access to feeding habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre clearance inspection and exclusion

Complete a pre clearance inspection shortly before disturbance begins. Search the project footprint and nearby connected habitat at both high and low tide where relevant.

Mark roosts, feeding areas, flight paths, refuge sites and no go areas on plans and on the ground. Set buffers according to the species, site, activity, line of sight, noise, lighting and regulator conditions. Do not apply an arbitrary buffer where a site specific assessment is available.

The Lesser Sand Plover is not known to breed in Australia, but treat any suspected breeding activity or breeding place as a stop work matter until assessed by an appropriately qualified person.

  • Use visible fencing, bunting or signs to mark exclusion areas without placing markers on the intertidal substrate where they could be washed away.
  • Inspect artificial ponds, dredge areas, claypans, beaches, spits and rocky margins that may serve as high tide roosts.
  • Schedule the inspection in suitable weather and record all birds and disturbance.
  • Brief the fauna spotter catcher and supervisor on the limits of the approved work area.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and site controls

Induct every worker, contractor and visitor before they enter the work area. Show photographs of the Lesser Sand Plover and the Greater Sand Plover, and explain why birds may be concentrated at high tide.

Set clear rules for people, dogs, vehicles, boats, lights, noise and machinery near shorebird habitat. Use a named environmental contact with authority to change the work sequence or stop work.

Plan lighting so that it does not shine across roosts, beaches or mudflats. Use shielding, low spill lighting and the minimum lighting needed for safe work.

  • Keep dogs out of the work area and nearby roosts.
  • Keep workers and vehicles outside marked buffers.
  • Prevent unauthorised public or vehicle access to roosts.
  • Tell workers to report any flock, injured bird, unusual behaviour or suspected breeding activity immediately.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Staged work and active supervision

Work slowly and in stages so birds can move away without being trapped or repeatedly flushed. The fauna spotter catcher or nominated ecologist must be able to stop work when conditions differ from the approved plan.

Clear the smallest practical area at one time and retain escape routes to suitable open habitat. Do not drive birds towards water, traffic, machinery, fencing or areas already cleared.

Use a spotter catcher or suitably qualified ecologist to monitor the work face, nearby roosts and flight paths. Increase monitoring when tides, weather or construction activity change.

Avoid starting noisy or bright activities when birds are moving to or from a roost.

  • Complete a pre start check each day in active shorebird habitat.
  • Maintain exclusion zones and replace damaged signs or fencing immediately.
  • Pause work if a flock repeatedly takes flight, circles, lands and flushes again, or cannot return to a roost.
  • Keep machinery, people and vessels away from roosts unless the approved action specifically allows access.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Authority to stop work and animal handling

Give the fauna spotter catcher clear authority to stop work without waiting for approval from the machine operator. Record the name of the person exercising that authority in the site plan.

Do not catch or handle a Lesser Sand Plover unless the person is authorised under the relevant permit, approval or wildlife legislation and is trained for shorebird handling. Most birds should be allowed to move away naturally.

Never chase a flock or enter a roost to capture a bird.

  • Stop work for an injured bird, trapped bird, bird at risk of machinery strike, unexpected breeding place or major roost concentration.
  • Keep machinery still and clear people back while the fauna spotter catcher assesses the situation.
  • Use a quiet, low stress approach if authorised handling is required.
  • Record the reason for handling, the person responsible and the destination of the animal.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Unexpected roosts, colonies or breeding places

If a roost or feeding concentration is found, stop the activity affecting it and establish a temporary exclusion area. Have an ecologist assess whether the site is part of important habitat and whether the work can be moved or retimed.

If an active breeding place is found, stop work in the immediate area. Do not move eggs, chicks, adults or nest material unless specifically authorised by the relevant regulator and permit.

A Lesser Sand Plover breeding place in Australia would be unexpected, so obtain specialist and regulatory advice before proceeding.

  • Protect the site from people, dogs, vehicles, vibration, noise and light.
  • Do not use a temporary buffer as a substitute for a formal approval decision.
  • Map the location and record bird behaviour, numbers, tide, weather and the activity that caused the discovery.
  • Resume work only after the fauna spotter catcher and project environmental manager confirm that controls are in place.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals and incident records

Keep people and machinery away from an injured bird. Contact a permitted wildlife carer, veterinarian or the relevant wildlife authority through the project incident pathway.

Do not release a bird or move it to another site without advice from an authorised wildlife professional. A suitable release location must provide safe habitat and avoid adding disturbance to an existing roost.

Treat a collision, entrapment, repeated flushing event or unauthorised entry into a roost as an environmental incident.

  • Record the date, time, location, species, condition and apparent cause.
  • Take photographs from a safe distance and record nearby machinery, lighting, people and weather.
  • Notify the project manager, environmental representative and regulator where required by approval or permit conditions.
  • Preserve relevant footage, access logs and observer notes.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Immediate post clearance checks

Post work checks should confirm that birds can still feed, roost and move through the area. Use the results to correct controls before the next work stage and to meet approval and permit reporting duties.

Inspect the cleared area, access routes, exclusion fencing and nearby roosts at the next suitable high and low tides. Check for trapped animals, debris, altered drainage, erosion, lighting spill and new barriers to movement.

Confirm that retained habitat remains accessible and that birds are not being forced into unsafe areas or repeatedly displaced.

Remove temporary hazards such as open trenches, loose netting, waste, sediment controls and unsecured materials.

  • Check all work edges and water holding areas.
  • Inspect roosts from a distant vantage point rather than entering them.
  • Record bird numbers, activity, locations and any change from the pre work condition.
  • Repair or enlarge exclusion zones if birds are using areas outside the original plan.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and reporting

Continue monitoring while works remain near feeding or roosting habitat. Use the same observation points and methods where possible so results can be compared over time.

Report compliance with EPBC Act conditions, state approvals, permits and species management program conditions. Include both successful controls and incidents.

If habitat loss or disturbance was assessed as significant, follow the approved monitoring, offset and reporting commitments rather than relying only on informal observations.

  • Complete high tide and low tide checks at the frequency set by the approval or environmental management plan.
  • Report changes in numbers, species richness, roost use, feeding use and disturbance.
  • Submit incident and monitoring reports within the required timeframes.
  • Keep raw data, maps, photographs, weather and tide information with the project records.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated or rescued animals

Confirm the condition and outcome of any animal that was rescued or relocated. The wildlife carer, veterinarian or regulator should determine treatment, release and follow up.

Do not count a relocated bird as evidence that the impact was avoided. Assess whether the action caused loss of habitat, repeated disturbance or displacement from the original site.

Check the release area for suitable feeding and roosting habitat and for conflicts with people, dogs, machinery or existing shorebird concentrations.

  • Record the identification method used for the bird.
  • Record the date, location, handler, authority, treatment and release decision.
  • Notify the relevant authority if the animal dies, cannot be released or is transferred.
  • Monitor the release area where required by the permit or rehabilitation plan.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Review and corrective action

Hold an environmental review after each major work stage and after any shorebird incident. Compare what occurred with the approved method and the assumptions used in the impact assessment.

Change timing, lighting, access, buffers, supervision or work methods when monitoring shows that birds are being disturbed or habitat is being lost.

Escalate repeated disturbance or declining use of a roost to the project manager and relevant regulator.

  • Document the cause of each non compliance or disturbance event.
  • Assign a person and due date for every corrective action.
  • Update the induction and daily pre start briefing after a significant incident.
  • Do not close an action until field verification confirms that the control works.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore feeding and roosting habitat

Rehabilitation should restore feeding areas, high tide roosts and safe movement between them. For this species, open coastal habitat and suitable tidal conditions are generally more useful than constructed breeding structures.

Reinstate natural drainage, tidal exchange and sediment movement where these have been altered. Restore intertidal mudflats, sandflats, beaches, spits and shallow wet edges where they formed part of the original habitat.

Shape restored areas to provide open sight lines and safe high tide refuge. Retain low vegetation or bare ground where appropriate for roosting, and avoid creating hidden approaches for predators.

Link restored habitat to nearby feeding and roosting areas. A small isolated patch may not replace a connected shorebird site.

  • Remove spoil, rubble, fencing and other obstacles from the intertidal zone.
  • Stabilise eroding edges with methods that do not remove feeding habitat or block tidal flow.
  • Prevent people, dogs and vehicles from entering recovering roosts.
  • Use local ecological advice when setting levels, substrate types and tidal connections.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Vegetation, weeds and water

Control weeds that reduce open sight lines or cover feeding and roosting ground. Use methods that prevent sediment, herbicide or contaminated runoff from entering mudflats and shallow waters.

Manage water levels so that restored ponds and wet edges do not become deep freshwater features that shorebirds cannot use. Retain shallow margins where they support invertebrates and safe roosting.

Inspect rehabilitation areas after rainfall, high tides and storm events.

  • Remove invasive plants before they seed where practicable.
  • Use clean fill and weed free materials.
  • Keep stockpiles and drainage outlets away from intertidal habitat.
  • Test and manage polluted soil, sediment and water before reuse or discharge.
  • Record vegetation cover, bare ground, water depth, erosion and weed presence.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Structures and artificial habitat

Nest boxes and bat boxes are not suitable replacement structures for the Lesser Sand Plover. The species is a ground nesting plover that breeds in the Northern Hemisphere, and Australian habitat use is mainly for feeding and roosting.

Do not install artificial nest sites, boxes or roost structures unless a qualified shorebird ecologist and the regulator identify a site specific need. Poorly placed structures can attract predators, obstruct flight paths or increase disturbance.

Where a roost replacement is justified, design it as open, predator aware shorebird habitat with suitable substrate, elevation, drainage, visibility and access to feeding areas.

  • Base the design on local tidal levels and observed bird use.
  • Keep people, dogs, vehicles and lighting away from the replacement roost.
  • Provide more than one suitable refuge where the site is likely to be disturbed.
  • Monitor use before removing temporary habitat or closing an existing roost.
  • Remove unused structures that create hazards or encourage predators.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long term monitoring and maintenance

Monitor restored habitat through at least the main shorebird season from October to March, and include high tide and low tide observations. Continue longer where the approval, offset or rehabilitation plan requires it.

Compare bird use, species richness, roost condition, feeding access and disturbance with baseline surveys. Success is demonstrated by functioning habitat and safe use, not only by the presence of one bird.

Maintain fencing, access controls, drainage, lighting controls and weed management for as long as the site remains a project risk.

  • Survey after construction, after the first wet season and after major storm events where relevant.
  • Record Lesser Sand Plover counts separately from total shorebird counts.
  • Record use by other migratory shorebirds and any signs of displacement.
  • Inspect for predators, unauthorised access, litter, erosion, weeds and light spill.
  • Review the rehabilitation plan if birds do not use the area or if nearby roosts decline.

Sources