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Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)

The Little Black Cormorant is a highly social Australian waterbird of freshwater wetlands, rivers, lakes and sheltered coastal waters. Its large breeding colonies and communal roosts can be concentrated in a small number of trees or wetland sites, so clearing, construction noise, access and water level changes need careful control. It is listed as least concern and is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia, but in Queensland tampering with a breeding place requires a high risk species management program.

Conservation status

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

Breeding season

The Little Black Cormorant breeds once each year, with timing varying across Australia. In southern Australia, breeding is recorded in spring or autumn. In tropical areas, breeding is linked broadly to the period before or after the monsoon.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. It commonly nests in mixed colonies with cormorants, herons, ibises and spoonbills. Both sexes build the nest, incubate the eggs and feed the young.

Clutch size: Usually 3 to 5 eggs, commonly around 4. Six or 7 eggs are uncommon.

Incubation: About 3 to 4 weeks.

Nest and breeding places: Large stick platforms are usually built in tree forks over water, including trees standing in water. Ground nesting has also been recorded. Large colonies may occur in wetland trees and near other colonial waterbirds.

Young: Juveniles remain in the nest for more than a month. Fledging age and the period of post fledging dependence are not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Recognising and protecting an active colony: Look for adults carrying sticks, occupied stick nests, eggs, nestlings, repeated adult traffic, fresh droppings and adults defending or flushing from nests. Colony size can be large, while roosting groups may contain half a dozen or more birds. Site fidelity is not recorded, so treat an active colony and its access routes as sensitive. There is no species specific disturbance distance in the available species accounts. Set a site specific buffer, keep noisy works and vegetation clearing outside the nesting period where practicable, and avoid works that flush birds from nests. Consider water levels, flooding and water management because nests are commonly over or near water.

Timing can shift between years and regions, particularly where rainfall, flooding, water levels and monsoon conditions alter food availability and nesting habitat.

  • Breeding and nesting, southern Australia: Breeding is recorded in autumn or spring, with the exact timing varying between regions and years.
  • Eggs and nestlings: Eggs are incubated for about 3 to 4 weeks and young remain in the nest for more than a month, so dependent young may extend beyond the main nesting period.
  • Tropical breeding activity: In tropical Australia, breeding is associated broadly with periods before or after the monsoon, so activity can occur in any month depending on local conditions.
  • Aquatic activity and flocking: The species is active in or near water throughout the year and may forage in large, coordinated flocks.
  • Highest clearing risk: Risk is highest during likely autumn and spring nesting periods, and remains elevated while eggs or dependent young may still be present. Use field checks and a conservative site specific buffer before clearing or construction near colonies.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Little Black Cormorant is a small, slender cormorant that is usually seen in or beside water. Its dark plumage, green sheen and habit of resting with its wings spread make it readily recognisable at most works sites.

Adults are black all over, with a greenish sheen on the back and wings. The sheen can become more bronze during breeding.

The bill is slender, grey and hooked. The legs and fully webbed feet are black. Adults have green or blue-green eyes, while immature birds have browner eyes and more brown in the plumage.

During breeding, fine white feathers can appear around the head, above the eyes and on the sides of the neck.

Length: About 60 to 65 cm, with some field references placing the species up to 75 cm.

Sexes: Males and females have similar size and plumage.

Identification: Calls and similar species

Identification is best based on appearance, flocking behaviour and habitat rather than sound. A distinctive call or echolocation system is not used for field identification.

The Great Cormorant is much larger and has a yellow facial patch and bill. The Little Pied Cormorant may occur with Little Black Cormorants, but is pied rather than entirely black.

  • Look for a slim black cormorant with a grey hooked bill.
  • Check for green or bronze sheen and blue-green eyes.
  • Compare size carefully when birds are mixed with other cormorants.

Identification: Behavioural field signs

The species is strongly aquatic and is seldom seen far from water. Birds often fly in V-shaped formations or move together in tight feeding groups.

After diving, birds commonly perch with their wings held out to dry. This behaviour reflects their reduced feather waterproofing and is a useful clue when checking wetland trees, islands, jetties and other water-side perches.

  • Groups moving together across the water surface, repeatedly taking off, landing and diving.
  • Birds lined along branches, rocks, jetties or other perches with wings spread.
  • Dark birds gathered in trees over water or on wetland islands.

Identification: Nests, droppings and stains

Active nesting trees may have large stick platforms in branch forks, usually over water. Droppings can stain the nest, branches and water below, and may create a noticeable whitewash or nutrient-rich patch.

Look for adults carrying sticks, birds sitting low on nests, repeated movements to and from the same tree, chicks, or adults feeding young. Nest material may include sticks, twigs, leaves and water weeds.

  • Large stick nests in tree forks.
  • Accumulated droppings on nests, branches and the water below.
  • Several cormorant or other waterbird species nesting close together.
  • Regular flight paths between the colony and nearby feeding areas.

Distribution: Australian range

The Little Black Cormorant occurs throughout Australia, including Tasmania. It is widespread but can shift between inland and coastal sites as water availability changes.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. It occurs across mainland Australia and Tasmania, including inland lakes, rivers and storage waters.

It may become more common in coastal areas during inland drought, when inland water bodies contract or become unsuitable.

  • Inland rivers, lakes, dams and wetlands.
  • Floodplain water bodies and permanent or semi-permanent freshwater areas.
  • Sheltered estuaries, lagoons and coastal waters.

Distribution: Regional movements

The species is described as nomadic rather than tied to a fixed migration route. Birds move inland when water is abundant and may shift towards coastal areas during dry periods.

Movement can be relevant to works programs. A site that is quiet in one season may become heavily used after flooding, water storage or local changes in water availability.

Breeding timing: In southern Australia, breeding may occur in spring or autumn. In tropical regions, breeding may occur before or after the monsoon.

Distribution: Overseas range

Outside Australia, the species occurs from the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia through New Guinea and nearby islands, and in the western Pacific. It also occurs in New Zealand, where it is known as the Little Black Shag.

Habitat: Waterbodies to check

Search for Little Black Cormorants wherever there is open water with suitable perches nearby. They spend most of their time in or around water and are rarely encountered on dry land away from a wetland.

The species uses freshwater wetlands, lakes, dams, rivers, ponds and sheltered water bodies. It also uses mangroves, estuaries, lagoons and sheltered coastal inlets.

On construction sites, check farm dams, quarry lakes, sewage ponds, floodplain wetlands, river edges and isolated pools that retain fish.

  • Permanent and temporary freshwater wetlands.
  • Smaller rivers and lakes.
  • Dams, ponds and storage lakes.
  • Sheltered estuaries and coastal lagoons.

Habitat: Vegetation and landform features

Priority habitat includes trees standing in water, trees on wetland margins, islands, submerged branches and other structures where birds can dry their wings or build nests.

The species may occur in mixed waterbird colonies. Check trees and wetland margins used by herons, ibises, spoonbills, darters and other cormorants.

  • Dead or live trees with branch forks over water.
  • Wetland islands and tree lines along riverbanks.
  • Mangrove edges and sheltered inlet margins.
  • Rocks, jetties, bridge structures and other perches over water.

Habitat: Site inspection clues

A concentration of birds, droppings, stick nests or repeated flight paths should trigger a closer inspection before vegetation removal or water works begin.

Use binoculars where possible. Avoid entering islands, shallow nesting areas or dense wetland margins simply to confirm a suspected colony.

  • Groups of dark birds on the same trees or structures.
  • Repeated diving and coordinated movement across open water.
  • Whitewash, stained branches or accumulated nesting material.
  • Fish activity or other signs of productive water.

Foraging habitat: Diet and feeding areas

Little Black Cormorants catch prey underwater and often forage in groups. Works near feeding water can affect birds even when nests or roosts are outside the work footprint.

The diet consists mainly of fish, with aquatic insects and crustaceans also taken. Common carp can make up more than half of the diet at some inland storage lakes.

Birds may feed in rivers, lakes, dams, ponds, estuaries and sheltered marine inlets. They often swallow fish at the water surface after diving.

  • Open water with fish schools.
  • Edges of ponds, islands and channels where fish can be herded.
  • River pools, inlets and areas with tidal or flood-driven movement of prey.

Foraging habitat: Foraging behaviour

Groups may surround fish, form a line across an inlet or advance together across the water. Birds at the rear fly forward, land and dive ahead of the group.

Tight feeding groups may move across the surface in a coordinated formation. Sudden approach by boats, machinery or people can interrupt feeding and cause repeated flight.

Recorded group formation: Some feeding groups have been observed in tight formations about 10 to 20 m across.

  • Repeated diving by many birds in the same area.
  • Birds travelling together in the same direction across the water.
  • Short flights from the rear of a group to the front.
  • Fish being swallowed at the surface after a dive.

Foraging habitat: Works site precautions

Keep machinery, barges and unnecessary personnel away from active feeding groups where practicable. Maintain clear access to water and avoid creating sudden barriers between roost trees, nesting trees and feeding areas.

If birds repeatedly flush from a feeding area, pause and reassess the activity. Repeated flushing can increase energy use and may cause birds to abandon a useful feeding site.

  • Plan noisy or high traffic activities away from concentrated feeding areas where practicable.
  • Avoid unnecessary boat movements through feeding flocks.
  • Keep sediment, fuel, concrete washout and other contaminants out of water.
  • Recheck waterbodies after flooding, drawdown or other major water level changes.

Breeding habitat: Nesting habitat

The Little Black Cormorant breeds colonially, often alongside other waterbirds. Breeding habitat is usually associated with trees standing in water or trees on wetland islands and margins.

The usual nest is a large platform of sticks in a fork of a tree, commonly over water. Nests may also be built on the ground, although tree nests over water are the main site feature to check.

Nesting trees may be close to other cormorants, darters, herons, ibises and spoonbills. A mixed-species colony can therefore be larger and more sensitive than the number of Little Black Cormorants alone suggests.

  • Trees standing in water.
  • Trees on islands or isolated wetland margins.
  • Branch forks with stable support for stick platforms.
  • Ground sites close to water where dense nesting activity is present.

Breeding habitat: Breeding signs

An active breeding place may contain fresh sticks, adults sitting low in nests, adults carrying nesting material, eggs, chicks or repeated feeding visits.

Droppings and staining increase as the breeding season progresses. Chicks may remain in the nest for more than a month and can be close to adult size before leaving.

Clutch: Usually about four eggs. Three to five eggs are commonly recorded, with up to seven possible.

Incubation: About three to four weeks.

  • Fresh nest building or repair.
  • Adults regularly arriving with sticks or water weeds.
  • Adults incubating or sheltering chicks.
  • Chicks visible in nests or begging when adults return.
  • Repeated flights between the colony and nearby water.

Breeding habitat: Breeding season and water levels

Breeding timing varies with region and water conditions. In southern Australia it may occur in spring or autumn, while tropical breeding can occur before or after the monsoon.

Flooding can create new feeding habitat and may encourage colonial waterbird breeding. Conversely, rapid drawdown, loss of access to water or disturbance around nesting trees can make a colony unsuitable.

  • Confirm current nesting activity before clearing or construction near wetland trees.
  • Avoid rapid water level changes near active colonies where the project controls water management.
  • Keep access tracks, lighting and noisy works away from nesting trees where practicable.

Sheltering habitat: Roost and drying sites

Little Black Cormorants need safe places to rest, dry their wings and roost near water. Roosts may be used by many birds and may be separate from the breeding colony.

Look for groups perched in trees on islands, along wetland edges or on other structures over water. Birds also use rocks, jetties, bridge structures and exposed branches.

Roosting groups may contain half a dozen or more birds. A small roost can still be important if it is the only suitable dry perch near a feeding area.

  • Trees on islands or overhanging water.
  • Dead branches, snags and exposed limbs.
  • Rocks, jetties, bridge components and other water-side structures.
  • Quiet edges of ponds, rivers, dams and sheltered inlets.

Sheltering habitat: How to recognise a roost

Roost trees often have repeated bird use, whitewash below perches and bare or stained branches. Birds may arrive together near dusk or after feeding and leave in groups.

A roost may be occupied outside the breeding period. Do not assume that a tree without nests is unused.

  • Several birds perched close together with wings spread.
  • Accumulated droppings beneath the same branches.
  • Regular arrival and departure flights.
  • A quiet island or wetland margin used repeatedly by cormorants.

Sheltering habitat: Disturbance response

Cormorants may flush readily from a low, isolated perch or a narrow wetland margin. Flight, circling and relocation to another perch are signs that the activity is too close or too sudden.

Use a site-specific buffer around regularly used roosts. Start with the greatest practicable separation, then adjust only after an ecologist or fauna spotter catcher confirms that birds are not repeatedly flushing.

  • Keep people, vehicles and machinery out of the roost area where practicable.
  • Avoid lighting roost trees directly at night.
  • Retain alternative perches and clear flight paths over water.
  • Schedule high disturbance works outside periods of regular roost use where practicable.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony looks like

A colony is a shared breeding place where many pairs nest close together. For this species, a colony is most likely to be in wetland trees or on an island, often with other colonial waterbirds, and one site can support a substantial part of the local population.

Look for many stick nests concentrated in a small group of trees, usually over water or on an isolated wetland margin. Little Black Cormorants may be mixed with other cormorants, darters, herons, ibises and spoonbills.

The species is also highly social outside breeding. Large resting groups and feeding flocks are not automatically colonies, but they can identify trees or wetlands that deserve further inspection.

Typical colony size: Colonies are described as large, but a standard numerical colony size has not been established.

Flock size: Foraging flocks can number in the hundreds or possibly thousands.

  • Multiple stick nests in several branch forks.
  • Many adults moving between the trees and nearby water.
  • Whitewash, stained branches and fallen nesting material.
  • Mixed-species nesting in the same trees or wetland area.

Colonies and breeding places: Active breeding place checks

Inspect from outside the colony wherever possible. Use binoculars and watch for nest attendance, stick carrying, adults feeding chicks and repeated flights to the same trees.

Treat a place as active when fresh nests, eggs, chicks, incubating adults or regular nest visits are present. An apparently empty nest can still be active if adults are away feeding.

  • Complete an early inspection before finalising the work footprint.
  • Check nearby trees, islands and water edges, not only the planned clearing area.
  • Record nest trees, flight paths, roost trees and access points.
  • Recheck after rain, flooding, water level changes or a long pause in works.

Colonies and breeding places: Site fidelity and protection

Colonial waterbirds may return to suitable breeding places, although use can change with water levels, food availability and disturbance. Retain colony trees, nearby roosts and the wetland conditions that support feeding.

Keep works outside the active nesting period where practicable. If works cannot be delayed, establish a clearly marked buffer around the active colony and manage noise, vibration, lighting, access and water levels under a site-specific plan.

  • Do not enter an island or nesting tree group without a clear ecological reason and approval.
  • Do not fell, prune or destabilise active nest trees.
  • Stop and seek ecological advice if birds repeatedly flush, circle, call persistently or fail to return to nests.
  • In Queensland, obtain the required high risk species management program before tampering with a breeding place.

Colonies and breeding places: Why colonies need special care

A single colony can contain many breeding pairs in a small area. Disturbance at one tree can affect neighbouring nests and can flush a large number of adults at once.

Repeated disturbance can expose eggs or chicks, interrupt feeding and cause birds to abandon a section of the colony. Water management, access and construction timing should therefore be planned around the whole colony, not just individual nests.

  • Use the colony boundary, nearby roosts and regular flight paths when setting the work area.
  • Keep noisy, vibrating and high traffic activities outside the nesting area where practicable.
  • Avoid sudden drawdown, isolation of nesting trees or loss of nearby feeding water.
  • Maintain a competent fauna spotter catcher or ecologist during works near an active colony.

Threats: Clearing and loss of colony trees

The Little Black Cormorant is widespread and listed as least concern, but local colonies and roosts can still be vulnerable to poorly timed works. The main risks on development sites are disturbance, loss of nesting trees, reduced water quality and changes to wetland conditions.

Removing trees over water, island vegetation or wetland edge trees can remove active nests, future nest sites and important drying perches. Even dead branches and snags may be used for roosting.

Retain suitable trees and protect their root zones, banks and supporting vegetation from machinery, sediment and accidental damage.

  • Survey all trees over and beside water before clearing.
  • Mark active and regularly used trees in the field.
  • Avoid pruning branches that support nests or communal perches.
  • Keep access tracks and laydown areas outside wetland islands and colony margins.

Threats: Noise, access and repeated flushing

People, vehicles, boats, machinery, vibration and sudden lighting can flush adults from nests and roosts. Repeated flushing can interrupt incubation and chick feeding.

Use a site-specific buffer and monitor bird behaviour. Increase separation or pause the activity if birds repeatedly leave the colony, circle, call persistently or do not return promptly.

  • Fence or clearly mark the exclusion area.
  • Use one controlled access route rather than repeated movement around the colony.
  • Keep workers, dogs, boats and machinery away from nesting islands and roost trees.
  • Avoid night lighting directed at colony or roost trees.

Threats: Water level and water quality changes

Flooding can create feeding habitat and may support colonial waterbird breeding. Rapid drawdown, blocked access to water or loss of nearby feeding areas can make a colony unsuitable.

Sediment, fuel, concrete washout, chemicals and other pollutants can reduce water quality and affect fish and aquatic prey. Protect the wetland, riverbank and drainage lines throughout the works.

  • Plan dewatering and drawdown around active breeding places.
  • Maintain fish access and open water near nesting and roosting sites where practicable.
  • Use effective erosion, sediment and spill controls.
  • Inspect the site after major rainfall or flooding, when bird use may change.

Threats: Legal and project controls

The species is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia. Its least concern status does not remove the need to protect an active breeding place or comply with local wildlife and planning requirements.

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

  • Confirm the relevant state or territory approvals before works begin.
  • Use a high risk species management program in Queensland where the breeding place may be tampered with.
  • Document colony inspections, buffers, behavioural observations and any stop work decisions.
  • Escalate unexpected nesting, injured birds or repeated disturbance to the project ecologist.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Little Black Cormorants are conspicuous on open water, in flight and when perched with their wings spread to dry. Surveys should cover the waterbody, shoreline, islands, trees over water and nearby structures, with care taken not to flush birds from breeding places or roosts.

Map all wetlands, lakes, rivers, dams, estuaries, lagoons and sheltered coastal waters within and near the work area.

Identify trees standing in water, tree forks over water, islands, reedbeds, lignum, riverbanks, sandbanks, bridges, culverts and other structures that could support roosting or nesting waterbirds.

Review recent aerial imagery, local records, previous environmental reports and observations from landholders or wetland managers.

Check whether the area supports mixed-species colonies containing cormorants, herons, ibis, spoonbills or darters. A Little Black Cormorant colony may occur on the edge of one of these colonies.

Typical breeding place: A stick platform in a tree fork, usually over water, sometimes on the ground.

Colony description: Large colonies, often mixed with other waterbirds. No reliable numerical breeding-colony size is available.

  • Record known or suspected breeding colonies, roosts, feeding areas and flight paths on project maps.
  • Treat a site as potentially important where large flocks, repeated roosting or coordinated feeding are reported.
  • Allow for nomadic movements. Birds may move inland when water is abundant and coastal numbers may increase during inland drought.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection survey

Survey from public roads, existing tracks, stable banks or other locations that provide a clear view without approaching the birds.

Use binoculars and a telescope where needed. Scan open water, tree canopies, islands, shorelines and structures for perched, flying, swimming and diving birds.

Watch for birds carrying sticks, repeated flights to one tree, adults landing at nests, chicks, white breeding flecks, faeces below nests and birds defending a nest area.

Search for roosts at the same time. Roosting birds commonly sit in groups with wings spread, including in trees on islands and beside ponds.

Observed roost group: Groups of half a dozen or more have been recorded in trees on islands.

Foraging flock: Foraging flocks may number in the hundreds or possibly thousands.

  • Record the number of birds, location, behaviour, direction of travel, water conditions and whether birds are feeding, roosting or breeding.
  • Map every nest tree, occupied nest, colony edge, access route and nearby work area.
  • Do not enter an island, shoreline colony or wetland tree stand merely to improve the count.

Survey methodology: 3. Timing and survey conditions

Use calm, clear conditions with good visibility and low background noise where possible. Avoid surveys during heavy rain, strong winds, poor visibility or conditions that may cause birds to leave exposed perches.

Repeat observations when the site is suitable for breeding or when a colony has been reported. In southern Australia, breeding may occur in spring or autumn. In tropical areas, breeding may occur before or after the monsoon.

Schedule observations around periods when birds are likely to be using the wetland, while avoiding close approach during the nesting period.

If breeding status remains uncertain, have a suitably experienced ecologist assess the site before works proceed.

Southern breeding period: Spring or autumn.

Tropical breeding period: Before or after the monsoon.

  • Use distant observation and allow birds to settle before assessing behaviour.
  • Treat repeated presence of adults at one location as evidence that the site may be an active breeding place, even if nests are difficult to see.
  • Record the date, start and finish time, weather, visibility, observer, observation point and survey limitations.

Survey methodology: 4. What to record

Record all observations in a way that allows another person to relocate the site and understand the level of risk.

Photograph nests, colony edges and roost trees from a safe distance. Do not use photographs as a reason to approach or climb into a colony.

Record signs of disturbance, including repeated take-off, alarm calling, circling, abandonment of a perch, adults refusing to return to nests or chicks left unattended.

  • Record species, count, age class where clear, behaviour and exact location.
  • Record nest trees, nest condition, eggs or chicks where visible, colony composition and the nearest proposed work.
  • Record water depth or level changes where relevant, nearby access tracks, plant, vehicles, lighting and other disturbance sources.
  • Submit records to the project database and relevant land or wildlife authority where required.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and approvals

Plan the work around the wetland and its breeding places, not just around the clearing footprint. A colony can concentrate a large share of the local birds, so retaining the colony and its access to water is usually the safest option.

Redesign the work to retain occupied nest trees, colony trees, island vegetation, roost trees, shoreline habitat and flight paths wherever practicable.

Obtain advice on approvals before clearing, tree removal, dewatering, bank works, piling, lighting or access works near a colony or roost.

Check whether the action may affect a matter of national environmental significance and whether an EPBC Act referral is required.

In Queensland, obtain the required approval and species management program before tampering with the breeding place of this least concern colonial breeder. A high risk species management program applies rather than the low risk program used for other least concern animals.

Check state and territory wildlife, vegetation, waterway, protected-area and planning requirements. Obtain any required permits before work starts.

Queensland colonial breeder requirement: Tampering with the breeding place requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020.

  • Nominate one environmental decision maker for the project.
  • Keep approval conditions, permits, maps and the fauna management plan at the work front.
  • Do not assume that least concern status removes the need for approval or protection of an active breeding place.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Breeding places, roosts and buffers

Define the active colony as the occupied nests, supporting trees or substrate, the immediate colony area and the access routes used by adults. Include associated roost trees where birds regularly rest or dry their wings.

Set a no-entry and no-disturbance buffer around the colony and roost in consultation with the project ecologist and approving authority. The buffer must reflect the work type, terrain, line of sight, noise, vibration, lighting and whether birds flush.

Increase the buffer if birds repeatedly leave, circle, call, fail to return to nests or show other signs of disturbance.

Keep plant, vehicles, workers, spoil, generators, lighting and storage outside the buffer. Prevent access by dogs and unauthorised visitors.

Do not rely on a single measured distance for every colony. A tree colony over water, an island roost and a colony beside a busy work area require different controls.

Nest density: Nests may be close together in a large colony. A project-specific density should be mapped rather than assumed.

Flushing risk: Repeated flushing can expose eggs and chicks, interrupt feeding and cause abandonment.

  • Mark the buffer on plans and on the ground before mobilisation.
  • Use screens or temporary visual barriers only where they will not block flight paths or cause birds to flush.
  • Maintain a clear route for birds to travel between nests, roosts and feeding water.
  • Keep works outside the nesting period where practicable. If works cannot be timed out, obtain ecologist and approval authority sign-off before proceeding.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Water and timing controls

Avoid abrupt drawdown, flooding, diversion, pumping or contamination of water used by the colony or its feeding birds.

Maintain suitable water around nest trees and islands where this is consistent with lawful water management and safety requirements.

Obtain hydrological advice before changing water levels during breeding. Flooding can affect ground nests, while drawdown can remove access to nest trees, roosts and feeding areas.

Schedule noisy, vibratory and high-traffic works outside the active nesting period where practicable.

  • Prepare a wetland water management plan for works near a colony.
  • Inspect the colony after major rainfall, flooding, fire, prolonged drying or sudden water-level change.
  • Stop and reassess if water conditions cause nests, chicks, adults or access routes to be exposed.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Pre-clearance survey and induction

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before works begin, including trees to be removed, trees over water, nearby islands, shoreline vegetation and structures.

Use a suitably experienced fauna ecologist or spotter catcher to confirm whether nests, eggs, chicks, roosts or injured birds are present.

Repeat the inspection if works are delayed, the footprint changes or water and bird use changes.

Induct every worker, operator and subcontractor before entering the work area.

  • Show workers photographs or maps of the colony, roost and exclusion areas.
  • Explain that workers must not approach, feed, chase, photograph at close range or handle a cormorant.
  • Give the spotter catcher authority to stop work immediately.
  • Display the stop-work contact, wildlife rescue contact and escalation pathway at the site office and work front.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and active supervision

Use a slow, supervised sequence and keep the colony under observation. The fauna spotter catcher must be able to stop work whenever a bird, nest, roost or breeding place is at risk.

Clear only the approved footprint and work in small, manageable stages.

Start with habitat away from the colony and move towards the work area only after the spotter catcher confirms that controls remain effective.

Maintain the approved buffer throughout clearing, demolition, piling, drilling, vehicle movement and night works.

Use low-noise methods and avoid sudden movements, direct lighting and unnecessary workers near the water edge.

  • Have the fauna spotter catcher inspect each stage before plant enters.
  • Check tree forks, branches, ground nests, shoreline debris and structures before removal.
  • Pause work during poor visibility, flooding, unexpected bird concentration or any loss of the approved buffer.
  • Record each stop and restart time, the reason, action taken and person who authorised the restart.

During habitat disturbance: 2. If a colony, nest or roost is found

Stop work immediately if an active nest, colony, roost, egg, chick or adult showing injury is found within or near the work area.

Withdraw workers and plant without moving through the colony or forcing birds into the water.

Have the ecologist assess whether the place is active, the likely disturbance pathway and whether the existing buffer remains adequate.

Notify the project manager and relevant approving authority where required by the permit, approval or Queensland species management program.

Active breeding signs: Adults repeatedly visiting a nest, eggs, chicks, nest construction, feeding of young and defensive or alarm behaviour.

Nest structure: Large stick platforms, usually in a tree fork over water, sometimes on the ground.

  • Do not remove, move, trim or fell a nest tree without written approval and an agreed wildlife management procedure.
  • Do not enter the colony to count nests or retrieve materials unless authorised and suitably trained.
  • Suspend work until the ecologist confirms the control measures, buffer, timing and approval pathway.
  • If the colony cannot be protected, obtain specialist advice on lawful alternatives. Do not relocate a colony or nest as a routine control.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injured birds

Only authorised and appropriately trained wildlife handlers may capture or handle a Little Black Cormorant.

Do not chase a healthy bird into water or attempt to catch a bird that can leave safely.

Keep people, vehicles and dogs away from an injured bird. Reduce noise and visual pressure while the authorised handler is contacted.

Use a wildlife rescue or veterinary pathway approved for the project and jurisdiction.

  • Record the location, condition, visible injury, time found and actions taken.
  • Do not provide food, water or medication unless directed by the treating wildlife professional.
  • Use suitable transport and temporary containment only under the direction of the authorised handler.
  • Release a rehabilitated bird only when the wildlife professional confirms that the release site and conditions are suitable.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily records and escalation

Maintain a daily fauna log for all observations, stops, incidents and decisions. Include observations from the waterbody, colony, roost, access tracks and work area.

Report repeated flushing, nest abandonment, dead or injured birds, water pollution, uncontrolled lighting, buffer breaches and unauthorised disturbance immediately.

Escalate any suspected breach of an approval, permit or species management program to the project environmental manager and the relevant authority.

  • Record date, time, location, observer, bird count, behaviour, work activity, equipment, weather and water conditions.
  • Record nest or colony status before, during and after each work stage.
  • Attach photographs and maps taken from outside the exclusion area.
  • Do not restart work after an incident until the nominated environmental decision maker authorises it.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Immediate post-clearance check

Post-work checks should confirm that the colony, roost and wetland remain usable. Follow up quickly after any disturbance because adults may take time to return to nests or may shift to nearby trees.

Inspect the completed work area and the edge of the exclusion zone from a distant observation point.

Check for injured or dead birds, damaged nests, fallen nest trees, displaced chicks, trapped animals, entanglement hazards, loose sediment and contaminated water.

Confirm that access to feeding water, nest trees, roost trees and flight paths remains open.

Remove temporary hazards, waste, wire, netting and unsecured materials.

  • Do not enter an active colony for a close inspection unless authorised and necessary.
  • Record whether adults return to the colony or roost and whether normal feeding and flight behaviour resumes.
  • Refer any injured, dead or displaced bird through the authorised wildlife pathway.
  • Photograph the final condition from outside the exclusion area.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring and reporting

Monitor an active colony or roost at a frequency set by the ecologist and approval conditions. Use distant observations to minimise further disturbance.

Continue monitoring through the relevant nesting period where works occurred near an active breeding place.

Compare bird presence, nest use, chick activity, roost use, water conditions and disturbance responses with the pre-work record.

Prepare a close-out report for the project manager, land manager and relevant authority where required.

  • Report the work dates, approved controls, buffer breaches, incidents, bird responses, corrective actions and monitoring results.
  • Map any changed colony edge, new roost, unused nest tree or relocated group.
  • State clearly whether controls were effective and what must change before the next work stage.
  • Retain permit, approval, induction, daily log, photograph and monitoring records.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated or displaced birds

Treat birds that move to a nearby tree, island or wetland edge as displaced until monitoring shows that the new location is stable and safe.

Do not move birds, nests or eggs without specific authorisation and advice from a qualified wildlife professional.

Protect the new location with an appropriate buffer and reassess nearby work access, noise, lighting and water conditions.

If chicks are separated from adults, stop work and contact the authorised wildlife handler.

  • Record the original and new locations, numbers of adults and young, and the apparent cause of movement.
  • Check whether the new site is exposed to people, predators, vehicles, low water or unsuitable substrate.
  • Update project maps, inductions and exclusion fencing before work resumes.
  • Escalate abandonment, repeated displacement or mortality to the approving authority where required.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every colony disturbance, buffer breach, injury, mortality, nest loss or unexpected water-level change before the next work stage.

Include the spotter catcher, site supervisor, ecologist, plant operators and project manager in the review.

Change the method, timing, buffer, supervision or water controls where the review identifies a risk that was not adequately managed.

  • Identify what happened, why it happened, the birds affected and the immediate response.
  • Update the risk assessment and fauna management plan.
  • Re-induct workers after any change to controls.
  • Share lessons with the land manager and future project teams.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore wetland structure

Rehabilitation should restore connected wetland habitat and the conditions that support feeding, nesting and roosting. For this species, retained mature trees over water are generally more useful than generic nest boxes.

Retain and protect mature trees standing in water and trees with forks over water wherever practicable.

Re-establish native wetland trees, shrubs, lignum, reeds and other local vegetation around waterbodies, islands, banks and drainage lines.

Restore shallow and deeper water areas, open water for fishing, safe perches and sheltered roost locations using local wetland design advice.

Link the wetland to nearby feeding and roosting areas where the project has severed access.

  • Use local native species suited to the site hydrology.
  • Protect new plantings from grazing, trampling, vehicles and erosion.
  • Keep a clear flight path above and between water and nesting trees.
  • Prevent sediment, nutrients, chemicals and rubbish from entering the wetland.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Breeding and roost structures

Do not install nest boxes or bat boxes as a default measure. Little Black Cormorants build open stick platforms rather than using hollows or bat boxes.

Prioritise retaining suitable trees and allowing natural nest platforms to develop in forks over water.

Where tree loss cannot be avoided, obtain specialist advice on artificial open nest platforms or other structures that replicate a stable fork over water.

Design any replacement roost structure for group use, safe access, wing drying and a clear view over the water.

Suitable natural nest setting: An open stick platform in a fork of a tree, usually over water.

General suitability of boxes: Hollow nest boxes and bat boxes do not match the known nesting habit of this species.

  • Obtain approval before installing, modifying or removing an artificial nest or roost structure.
  • Use a qualified avian ecologist and engineer to select the structure, height, materials, load capacity and location.
  • Keep artificial structures away from high human traffic, bright lighting and predator access.
  • Monitor use, stability, fouling, corrosion and maintenance needs.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Water, weeds and lighting

Manage water levels to retain access to feeding areas, roosts and nest trees. Avoid abrupt drawdown or flooding during breeding unless required for safety or ecological management and supported by specialist advice.

Control invasive weeds without removing shelter, nest trees or roost vegetation used by the colony.

Use targeted weed treatment and prevent spray drift, runoff and contamination of feeding water.

Use low-spill, warm-spectrum lighting only where lighting is necessary. Direct lights away from water, colony trees, roosts and flight paths.

  • Keep machinery out of wetland margins where practicable.
  • Maintain erosion and sediment controls until vegetation is established.
  • Inspect after storms, floods, drought and water-level changes.
  • Coordinate water management with the land manager and relevant water authority.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long-term monitoring

Monitor restored wetlands and replacement structures over more than one breeding cycle where a colony or roost was affected.

Check vegetation establishment, nest-tree condition, artificial platform use, roost use, water quality, water levels and disturbance from people and vehicles.

Use distant observations and consistent methods so results can be compared between visits.

Adapt planting, fencing, water management, lighting and access controls when monitoring identifies a problem.

  • Record birds, nests, chicks, roosting groups, feeding activity and signs of disturbance.
  • Record whether birds use the restored area or shift to nearby habitat.
  • Inspect nest trees and artificial structures after severe weather.
  • Keep monitoring records with the rehabilitation completion report and approval records.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Site handover

Handover should identify the retained colony, roost, wetland buffers, water controls, maintenance responsibilities and response contacts.

Provide the land manager with maps, photographs, monitoring results and instructions for routine inspections.

Keep exclusion markers and signs in place while the colony or roost remains active and while rehabilitation is establishing.

Review the management plan if the site develops a new colony, repeated roost or mixed-species breeding area.

  • Include colony and roost locations in the asset and maintenance register.
  • Prohibit tree pruning, bank works, lighting changes and access changes within the managed area unless assessed first.
  • Schedule maintenance outside active breeding where practicable.
  • Keep a clear escalation pathway for injured birds, nest damage, water pollution and unauthorised disturbance.

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