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Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica)

The Metallic Starling, also called the Shining Starling, is a social rainforest and woodland bird that forms large breeding colonies in northern Australia. Colonies can contain hundreds of nests and many birds, so clearing, construction noise or tree removal near an active colony can affect a substantial part of the local population. The species is least concern and is not listed as threatened in Australia, but in Queensland it is a colonial breeder and interference with a breeding place requires the high risk species management program pathway.

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.

Migration and breeding season

Metallic Starlings migrate between Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. Arrival in Australia is recorded from August, with breeding timing varying between regions from August to April, including the wet season in Cape York.

Breeding mode: Colonial breeder. Metallic Starlings build suspended, globular or gourd-shaped woven nests in large rainforest trees, often with hundreds of nests in one tree.

Clutch size: 1 to 3 eggs per clutch.

Incubation: About 15 days.

Fledging: Young leave the nest at 21 to 25 days and remain dependent on their parents for some time.

Breeding frequency: Females may produce multiple clutches during an extended breeding season.

Age at maturity: About 1 year.

Colony and roost use: Colonies may contain hundreds of birds, with breeding colonies of 400 or more nests recorded. Large nearby trees are also used for overnight roosting.

Timing may shift between Cape York, other northern Queensland sites and offshore islands, and between years according to rainfall, food availability, migration and local colony use.

  • Southward arrival in Australia: Most birds arrive in far north Queensland from Papua New Guinea around August, although some may remain in Australia over winter.
  • Breeding and nesting in Australia: Breeding colonies form in large trees, with timing reported from August to early spring in some accounts and through the wet season from December to April in Cape York.
  • Eggs and dependent young: Nestlings and recently fledged birds may be present while colonies are active, and young continue receiving food after leaving the nest.
  • Seasonal presence and flock activity in Australia: Flocks are most conspicuous around breeding colonies and communal roost trees, with loud calling, frequent movement and swirling displays before roosting.
  • Northward departure to Papua New Guinea: Return movement to Papua New Guinea is recorded around April, but departure timing can vary and some birds now overwinter in northern Queensland.
  • Highest clearing risk: Avoid clearing, tree removal and noisy construction near active colonies or roost trees from arrival in August through April, and have an ecologist set a site-specific buffer because no species-specific disturbance distance is established.

Identification: Appearance and size

Metallic Starlings are medium-sized, glossy black birds that are usually detected in noisy, fast-moving flocks. They can be conspicuous around a nesting tree, but individual birds may be difficult to pick out when moving through dense canopy.

Adults are black with a green and purple iridescent sheen in good light. The eye is a strong red colour. The bill, legs and feet are black.

The tail is long, pointed or forked. Adults are about 20 to 24 cm long. Males and females look alike.

  • Immatures are browner or pale below, with dark streaking or a pale chest and throat.
  • Juveniles develop the adult black plumage and red eye as they mature.

Identification: Calls and flock behaviour

Metallic Starlings are highly social and constantly vocal when in groups. Expect chattering calls, fast movement and whirling flocks around feeding, nesting and roosting trees.

A loud noise can cause birds to leave a nesting tree in tight formation, circle and return. This behaviour is a useful sign that a tree may contain an active breeding place.

  • Listen for sustained chatter from one tree or a small group of nearby trees.
  • Watch for repeated flights between a colony tree and surrounding rainforest or woodland.
  • Avoid using loud calls, vehicle horns or unnecessary machinery noise during checks.

Identification: Field signs

The clearest field sign is a cluster of bulky, suspended nests hanging from branches in a large tree. Active colonies may also produce regular bird traffic, noise and accumulations of droppings or fallen nesting material below the canopy.

Droppings, food scraps and seed remains may occur below a colony tree. These signs are not diagnostic on their own, so they should be assessed with the nests and bird activity.

  • Multiple hanging, globular or oval nests.
  • Birds carrying twigs, grass, bark or food into the canopy.
  • Fledglings calling from branches or being fed outside nests.
  • Fresh droppings, feathers or nest material beneath the tree.

Identification: Similar species

The combination of glossy black plumage, red eyes, long tail and flocking behaviour is distinctive in northern Australia. Immature birds can be less obvious and should not be dismissed as a different species without checking photographs or obtaining an expert identification.

Distribution: Australian range

In Australia, the Metallic Starling is associated mainly with the tropical north and north-east. Records and detailed natural history accounts are concentrated in Queensland, although the species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

The main Australian range extends through north-eastern Queensland, from Cape York Peninsula south towards Sarina. Records include Lockerbie Scrub, Cairns, Kuranda, Mossman Gorge, the Daintree region and Dunk Island.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Queensland. Site teams should confirm the current state and local distribution through the relevant government database before works commence.

  • Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait region.
  • Far north Queensland rainforests and adjacent coastal areas.
  • Northern Queensland islands and town fringes with large trees.

Distribution: Overseas range and movement

Metallic Starlings also occur in Papua New Guinea, the Moluccas, the Sula Islands and the Aru Islands. Many birds move between Papua New Guinea and northern Australia.

In far north Queensland, arrival is commonly reported around August. Birds may remain through the wet season and return towards Papua New Guinea by about April. Some birds may now remain in Queensland over winter.

Typical reported arrival: Around August

Typical reported return: By about April

Australian breeding period: Often overlaps the wet season, with observations from about October to March and August to early spring in different parts of the range

Distribution: Planning implications

A site may be used seasonally even when no birds are present during a single inspection. Check large trees and known colony locations during the local breeding period, and review recent records where works are proposed in northern or north-eastern Australia.

  • Do not treat an empty nest tree as unused without considering season and recent evidence.
  • Record all nearby colony trees, roost trees and regular flight paths.
  • Recheck sites if works are delayed across the wet season.

Habitat: Vegetation to inspect

Metallic Starlings use tall vegetation and large trees, particularly in tropical landscapes. On works sites, focus on mature canopy trees and connected areas of rainforest, woodland or wetland vegetation rather than only the cleared footprint.

Look for tall rainforest trees, including trees with broad branches and an open canopy structure. Elaeocarpus trees have been associated with colonies, but other large trees may also be used.

The species may also occur in woodland and coastal wetland settings where suitable large trees and food resources are available.

  • Rainforest edges and tall gallery vegetation.
  • Large trees beside clearings, roads, tracks and urban open space.
  • Coastal wetland margins and wooded islands.
  • Tall trees near fruiting rainforest plants.

Habitat: Landscape features

Inspect trees that stand above surrounding vegetation or provide broad, stable branches. Colonies may be visible from a distance because of the number of birds and the volume of calling.

  • Islands and isolated tree groups.
  • Rainforest remnants surrounded by grassland or savanna.
  • River margins and drainage lines with mature trees.
  • Large trees near feeding areas and overnight roosts.

Habitat: Site inspection

Begin with a quiet scan from outside the canopy. Use binoculars where possible and avoid walking directly under a suspected colony until activity has been assessed.

  • Check the upper canopy for hanging nests.
  • Check the ground for droppings, fallen food, feathers and nesting material.
  • Map the tree or tree group, canopy extent and nearby access routes.
  • Record whether birds are entering nests, carrying food or repeatedly returning to the tree.

Foraging habitat: Food resources

Metallic Starlings feed mainly in trees and can travel in large parties between food trees and colony sites. Their diet includes fruit, seeds, nectar and insects, so a colony may depend on vegetation outside the immediate nesting tree.

Look for fruiting and flowering rainforest trees, palms and other mature native vegetation. Ptychosperma elegans fruit has been recorded as a food source in Cairns.

Insects and other small food items may be taken from foliage, branches and the ground. The full local diet can vary with season and available vegetation.

  • Fruiting rainforest trees.
  • Flowering trees and palms that provide nectar.
  • Mature vegetation supporting insects.
  • Seed-producing plants near colony and roost trees.

Foraging habitat: Foraging signs

Large, noisy parties moving through the canopy are typical. Birds may carry fruit or seeds back to nesting trees, and dropped food may accumulate below the canopy.

Regular movement between a food tree and a colony can identify a wider area of habitat that should be considered during clearing and construction planning.

  • Flocks feeding noisily in one tree for extended periods.
  • Repeated flights along a consistent route.
  • Fruit fragments, seeds or droppings below feeding trees.
  • Birds carrying food towards a nesting colony.

Foraging habitat: Managing feeding habitat

Retain mature food trees where practicable, particularly around an active colony or roost. Avoid isolating a colony tree from nearby canopy where this would remove regular feeding access or increase exposure to disturbance.

  • Schedule vegetation removal outside the local breeding period where practicable.
  • Keep machinery, laydown areas and access routes away from active feeding and flight paths.
  • Use staged clearing so birds can continue to use retained vegetation.

Breeding habitat: Nest and tree features

Metallic Starlings are colonial breeders. They build suspended nests in large trees, often using broad branches and open tree architecture, and may return to suitable areas in successive seasons.

Nests are bulky, messy, globular or oval structures suspended from branches. Materials include twigs, grasses, bark and feathers.

Suitable trees are generally tall and large, with branches that can support several nests. One documented tree held hundreds of nests.

  • Multiple hanging nests in the upper or middle canopy.
  • Broad, stable branches with space for nests to hang.
  • Smooth-barked or open-structured trees in rainforest or nearby woodland.
  • Tree groups with frequent bird movement and persistent chatter.

Breeding habitat: Breeding timing and activity

Breeding timing varies across the range. In northern Australia it commonly overlaps the wet season. Reports include breeding or nest preparation from about October to March, and breeding from August to early spring in other accounts.

Females may produce more than one clutch during an extended breeding period. Eggs and young are likely to be present for part of the period even when adults are not visibly entering every nest.

Eggs per clutch: 1 to 3, based on published species accounts

Incubation: About 15 days, based on published species accounts

Young leave the nest: About 21 to 25 days after hatching, based on published species accounts

  • Adults carrying twigs or soft nesting material.
  • Adults carrying fruit or insects into the canopy.
  • Nestlings calling from inside nests.
  • Fledglings perched near the colony and receiving food.

Breeding habitat: Recognising an active breeding place

Treat a nest tree as potentially active when fresh material, adult attendance, food deliveries, calling young or recently fledged birds are present. A cluster of old nests can still identify a seasonally important breeding place.

  • Fresh green or pale nesting material.
  • Adults entering or leaving nests.
  • Food deliveries to nests or fledglings.
  • Fresh droppings and nesting debris under the tree.
  • Young birds calling or roosting near the colony.

Sheltering habitat: Roost trees

Metallic Starlings roost in trees, often close together, and may use large trees for both nesting and overnight shelter. Roosting trees can be separate from breeding trees, so inspect the wider site and nearby retained vegetation.

At dusk, birds may gather in tight, noisy flocks and swirl above a tree before settling. They commonly roost in large trees or groups of nearby trees.

Roosts may be conspicuous because of repeated evening flights and concentrated calling. A roost may contain many birds even when there are few or no visible nests.

  • Large mature trees near water, rainforest or feeding areas.
  • Dense or connected tree groups that provide several adjoining roost sites.
  • Trees used repeatedly at dusk or before dawn.
  • Canopy retained beside roads, construction areas or cleared land.

Sheltering habitat: Roosting signs

Look for repeated arrival at dusk, birds leaving at first light, concentrated chatter and droppings beneath a particular tree. Use quiet observation from a distance rather than entering the roost canopy.

  • Large flocks circling before settling.
  • A regular evening flight path.
  • Noise continuing after most birds have entered the canopy.
  • Droppings and feathers concentrated below one tree or tree group.

Sheltering habitat: Worksite controls

Avoid placing bright lighting, noisy plant, worker facilities or access routes beside a known roost. If a roost cannot be avoided, obtain ecological advice on timing, lighting, noise and monitoring before works begin.

  • Keep evening and early morning disturbance away from roost trees.
  • Retain connecting canopy where practicable.
  • Do not remove a suspected roost tree until use has been assessed.
  • Recheck roost use if works extend across the wet season.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony looks like

A Metallic Starling colony is usually a group of large trees carrying many suspended nests, with constant movement between the nests, feeding areas and roosts. Colonies need special care because disturbance at one tree can affect many breeding birds and dependent young at once.

Colonies can contain hundreds or thousands of birds. Breeding colonies may contain 400 or more nests, and one large tree can carry hundreds of hanging nests.

The birds may arrive and leave continuously through the day. At dusk, the colony or nearby roost may produce a large swirling display followed by concentrated chatter.

Reported colony size: From hundreds of birds to thousands of birds

Reported nest concentration: 400 or more nests in a breeding colony, with hundreds recorded in one tree

  • Several to hundreds of suspended, globular or oval nests.
  • Frequent adult traffic into the canopy.
  • Flocks moving between several nearby trees.
  • Young birds calling from nests or recently fledged birds nearby.

Colonies and breeding places: Colony locations and site fidelity

For this species, focus on tall rainforest trees, large trees in woodland or coastal wetland settings, wooded islands and mature trees beside clearings. The species is not known from the supplied accounts as a cave, hollow, burrow or culvert breeder.

Seasonal return movements mean that a colony may be vacant during part of the year and active later. Treat a former colony tree as a potential breeding place until its status has been checked in the relevant season.

  • Rainforest trees with broad branches.
  • Large trees on islands or at rainforest edges.
  • Mature trees beside rivers, wetlands and drainage lines.
  • Tree groups near regular feeding areas and overnight roosts.

Colonies and breeding places: Disturbance and buffers

There is no species-specific disturbance distance established in the information available for this profile. Set a precautionary no-entry and no-work area around an active colony based on the tree canopy, flight paths, sight lines, noise, machinery type and advice from the project ecologist or regulator.

Do not rely on a narrow ground buffer if noise, vibration, lighting or repeated vehicle movement can reach the colony. A wider buffer may be needed for high-noise works or where birds flush repeatedly.

  • Keep works outside the local nesting period where practicable.
  • Stop or modify works if birds repeatedly flush, circle, call continuously or fail to return to nests.
  • Use quiet inspection methods and avoid approaching directly beneath active nests.
  • Retain nearby roost trees, food trees and flight paths where practicable.

Colonies and breeding places: Regulatory and water management context

In Queensland, the Metallic Starling is a least concern colonial breeder. Tampering with its breeding place requires the high risk species management program pathway under the Nature Conservation legislation, rather than the low risk pathway used for other least concern animals.

The wetland colony examples often used for colonial waterbirds, such as reedbeds, sandbanks, riverbanks and islands, are not the main breeding places described for Metallic Starlings. Flooding and water-level management should still be considered where works affect wetland trees, access to colony trees or seasonal food resources.

  • Confirm the required Queensland species management program before disturbing an active breeding place.
  • Keep works outside the nesting period where feasible.
  • Control noise, lighting, vibration and worker access near active colonies.
  • Seek specialist advice where flooding, drainage or water-level changes could remove access to nesting or feeding habitat.

Threats: Clearing and tree removal

Metallic Starlings are abundant and listed as least concern, but a local colony can still be highly exposed to a single clearing or construction activity. The main worksite risks are disturbance, removal of colony trees and loss of connected feeding or roosting habitat.

Removing a large nesting or roosting tree can destroy many nests at once. Clearing nearby food trees and connecting canopy can also reduce access to the colony.

Do not fell trees carrying nests, or trees immediately supporting an active colony, until the breeding place has been assessed and the required approvals or management program are in place.

  • Retain active colony trees wherever practicable.
  • Retain large nearby trees used for roosting and feeding.
  • Stage clearing away from the colony and maintain safe flight routes.
  • Inspect trees again immediately before works.

Threats: Noise, vibration and flushing

Metallic Starlings may leave a colony in tight formation after loud noise. Repeated flushing can interrupt feeding, incubation and care of young, particularly when caused by piling, blasting, heavy vehicles, generators or tree felling.

Use quiet plant and keep unnecessary personnel away from the colony. A fauna spotter catcher should have authority to pause works if disturbance is causing repeated flight responses.

  • Avoid high-noise works during active nesting where practicable.
  • Keep machinery and vehicle routes away from the colony.
  • Use acoustic controls and avoid sudden noise.
  • Monitor bird behaviour during the first stage of works.

Threats: Lighting and night works

Bright lighting can alter evening flock behaviour and disturb roosting birds. Night works near a colony or roost should be avoided where practicable, especially during the breeding period.

  • Do not direct lights into colony or roost canopies.
  • Use the lowest practical light level and shield lights from retained trees.
  • Keep worker movement and vehicle parking away from roost trees.
  • Monitor dusk activity if night works cannot be avoided.

Threats: Habitat fragmentation and water management

Loss of rainforest edges, wetland trees, food plants or safe movement routes can reduce the value of a colony site even when the nest tree is retained. Drainage, flooding changes and access works may affect wetland vegetation and seasonal food resources.

Plan erosion, drainage and water-level works so that retained colony, roost and feeding trees are not destabilised or isolated.

  • Protect mature trees outside the clearing footprint where they support the colony.
  • Maintain canopy links and access to feeding areas where practicable.
  • Prevent sediment, changed drainage or construction access from damaging retained habitat.
  • Review the plan if seasonal flooding changes access to the site or colony trees.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Metallic Starlings are conspicuous, social birds that can be detected by sight, calls and nest concentrations. Surveys should cover tall trees and nearby feeding and roosting areas, with extra care during the breeding season and seasonal movements in northern Australia.

Check records and aerial imagery for tall rainforest, woodland and coastal wetland trees. Give particular attention to large trees with broad, open branches and trees near fruiting or flowering vegetation.

Review recent records for colonies, nesting trees, roosts and seasonal movements. Confirm whether the site is in NSW, the Northern Territory or Queensland, and identify any local approval requirements.

Typical nest site: Suspended, bulky or globular nests in tall trees, often on broad branches.

Social behaviour: Flocks can number in the hundreds or thousands.

  • Map all large trees that could support suspended nests.
  • Map nearby wetlands, rainforest patches, riparian vegetation, islands and other quiet roosting areas.
  • Check whether the proposed work could affect a breeding place, colony, roost, feeding area or flight path.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Search from the ground for glossy black birds with red eyes, long tails and loud, chattering calls. Watch for repeated flights to one tree, birds carrying nesting material, and birds gathering beneath or around a nesting tree.

Inspect trees from several angles where safe. Nests can be partly hidden by foliage and may be easier to detect when birds are active.

Recognisable colony: Many suspended nests, constant bird movement, loud calling and repeated flights to the same trees.

Roost indication: Tight, vocal flocks gathering around dusk and settling in nearby trees.

  • Conduct an early morning and late afternoon visit where practicable, when flock activity and movements between feeding, nesting and roosting areas are more apparent.
  • Use quiet observation and binoculars. Avoid entering the area beneath a suspected colony until the site has been assessed.
  • Use motion activated cameras or other remote methods where a colony is sensitive to people or noise.
  • Do not use loud noise to flush birds or test whether nests are active.

Survey methodology: 3. Timing and survey effort

Plan at least one survey during the period when birds are expected locally, then revisit if the site contains suitable nesting trees or if the first visit occurs outside the likely breeding period. In far north Queensland, birds commonly arrive around August and may remain into April, although timing varies between locations and some birds may overwinter.

Increase effort where vegetation is dense, access is difficult or a suspected colony is present. The species is poorly documented in some parts of its mapped range, so absence on one visit should not be treated as proof that a site is unused.

Breeding information: Breeding is associated with the wet season in some parts of the range. Local timing should be confirmed with regional records and observed activity.

  • Survey in calm, dry conditions where possible, and record rain, wind, visibility and noise levels.
  • Repeat observations at different times of day if birds, nests or roosts are suspected but not confirmed.
  • Allow enough time to watch the full site, nearby trees and flight paths, rather than checking only the proposed clearing footprint.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey records

Record evidence that can be checked by the project ecologist and approval authority. Photograph nests and trees from a safe distance, without approaching an active colony unnecessarily.

  • Record date, start and finish time, weather, observer names and survey methods.
  • Map each occupied or potentially occupied tree, colony, roost and flight path with coordinates.
  • Record bird numbers as an estimate, flock direction, calls, nest numbers and signs of feeding or breeding.
  • Describe whether nests contain adults, eggs or young only when this can be confirmed without disturbance.
  • Record nearby works, access routes, noise sources and any proposed clearing boundary.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and legal checks

Avoidance is the preferred option because one colony can contain a large share of the local population. Treat a tree with a cluster of nests, or a nearby communal roost, as a potentially active breeding place until a suitably qualified ecologist confirms otherwise.

Confirm the approval pathway before works begin. Least concern status does not remove the need to comply with animal welfare, native animal and planning requirements.

Consider whether the project needs an EPBC Act referral because of possible significant impacts on a protected species or important habitat. Obtain any required state or territory permits before clearing, handling or relocating animals.

In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder requires the high risk species management program pathway under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020. Confirm the current requirements with the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation before work.

  • Keep copies of approvals, permits, the approved species management program and contact details at the site office.
  • Ensure the spotter catcher is authorised for the proposed work and is familiar with the relevant conditions.
  • Stop work if the planned activity differs from the approved method or footprint.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoid colonies and breeding places

Retain occupied nesting trees wherever practicable. Also retain adjacent trees and vegetation that provide approach routes, shade, feeding resources and nearby roosting habitat.

A colony can include hundreds of nests and hundreds or thousands of birds. A single documented colony has included more than 400 nests, and suitable trees may support much larger flocks. Treat the whole group of nesting trees as one management unit.

  • Redesign the footprint, access track, crane position and service alignment to avoid the colony and its supporting vegetation.
  • Set a site specific no entry and no works buffer around active nests, the nesting tree and the flight approaches. The ecologist should define the buffer after considering tree height, line of sight, noise, vibration, machinery and the activity proposed.
  • Keep workers, vehicles, lighting and storage areas outside the buffer.
  • Do not prune branches, remove nests, fell a nesting tree or disturb a communal roost without written approval and specialist direction.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance inspection

Complete a final inspection immediately before clearing. Recheck all trees identified during the survey and inspect any trees that have become occupied since the earlier visit.

Look for fresh nest material, adults carrying food, repeated bird movements, calling, droppings beneath trees, eggs, nestlings and recently fledged birds. A quiet nest is not necessarily unused.

  • Mark no-go trees and buffers clearly on the ground and in the clearing plan.
  • Brief the crew on the species, nest appearance, colony behaviour, stop work rules and the location of the fauna spotter catcher.
  • Use a staged approval system so clearing cannot start until the spotter catcher and site supervisor have signed off the area.
  • Schedule clearing outside the local nesting period where practicable. Confirm the timing with local records and the pre-clearance inspection rather than relying on a generic calendar.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Crew induction and exclusion controls

Colonies are sensitive to noise and sudden movement. People may scatter birds before they reach the tree, making a colony harder to assess and increasing the chance of flushing adults from nests.

Keep the work area quiet during inspection and establish one controlled access route.

  • Explain that only authorised fauna personnel may approach, handle or relocate wildlife.
  • Install signs and temporary fencing around no-go areas before machinery arrives.
  • Keep dogs, vehicles, generators and unnecessary personnel away from the buffer.
  • Do not use drones, horns, machinery or other noise to flush birds from a colony.
  • Nominate the spotter catcher as the person who can direct an immediate stop to work.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep the fauna spotter catcher in a position to see the work front. Work must stop whenever a nest, colony, roost or animal is found outside the approved method.

Clear from the least suitable edge towards retained habitat, using small stages. This gives mobile birds a chance to move away and allows the spotter catcher to inspect each area before machinery advances.

Retain marked nesting and roost trees unless their removal is specifically authorised.

  • Complete a final fauna sweep before each clearing stage.
  • Remove non habitat vegetation first, then reassess retained trees and the edge of the colony.
  • Keep escape routes open to retained trees and do not surround a colony with machinery or personnel.
  • Pause work during heavy rain, poor visibility or conditions that prevent effective observation.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop work triggers

The spotter catcher must have authority to stop all relevant work without waiting for approval from the machine operator or supervisor. Stop work is required if an active breeding place, colony, roost or animal is discovered, or if the approved controls cannot be maintained.

  • Stop immediately if a nest with an adult, egg or young is found.
  • Stop if birds repeatedly return to a tree, gather at dusk, or show distress or persistent alarm calling.
  • Stop if a communal roost is found in or beside the work area.
  • Stop if a bird is injured, trapped, grounded or unable to leave the clearing zone.
  • Secure the area, withdraw workers and machinery, and contact the project ecologist and relevant approval holder before resuming.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and animal welfare

Only an authorised and appropriately trained person may catch, handle, examine or transport a Metallic Starling. Do not attempt to catch healthy flying birds or remove nests without approval.

Reduce noise, handling time and crowding. Keep captured birds in a dark, ventilated container suitable for short term restraint and follow the permit or species management program.

  • Do not touch eggs, nestlings or fledglings unless directed by the authorised fauna professional.
  • Do not relocate a colony or move a nest as an informal mitigation measure.
  • If a dependent young bird is found, search for the parents from a distance and obtain specialist direction before moving it.
  • Release a healthy relocated bird only at a suitable approved location and in accordance with the relevant permit or management program.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured animal pathway

Treat an injured bird as a wildlife incident. Minimise handling and keep the bird quiet, shaded and secure while advice is obtained.

Contact the authorised wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife rescue service nominated in the project plan. Follow permit conditions and veterinary advice.

  • Record the location, time, apparent injury and circumstances of discovery.
  • Do not give food or water unless directed by a veterinarian or authorised wildlife carer.
  • Keep machinery and people away from the treatment and release area.
  • Report deaths, serious injuries and suspected unlawful disturbance to the project manager and the relevant authority where required.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Field records

Maintain a daily fauna log. Good records support compliance, incident review and decisions about whether work can continue.

  • Record each stop work event, inspection, nest, colony, roost, animal capture, release and injury.
  • Record tree locations, nest condition, bird numbers, photographs and the name of the person making each decision.
  • Document start and finish times for exclusion zones and any changes to the clearing method.
  • Have the spotter catcher and site supervisor sign the daily record.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Immediate post clearance check

Post clearance checks confirm that no animals, nests or dependent young remain in the work area and that retained colonies have not been displaced. Use the results to close out approval conditions and improve the next clearing stage.

Inspect the cleared area, retained trees, stockpiles, trenches and machinery before the site is released to the next activity. Check for grounded birds, injured animals, fallen nests and animals trapped in excavations or structures.

Repeat the check at the end of the day where works occurred beside an active colony or roost.

  • Search under nesting trees and along the clearing edge.
  • Check open pits, pipes, culverts and temporary buildings before they are covered or moved.
  • Remove or secure hazards that could trap birds.
  • Record whether retained trees remain intact and whether birds continue to use them.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitoring retained colonies and roosts

Monitor retained nesting trees and nearby roosts after works begin. Watch for reduced use, repeated flushing, abandoned nests, injured birds or changes in flight paths.

Use quiet observations or remote cameras where practical. Do not approach repeatedly or create extra disturbance just to collect a count.

  • Compare bird activity and nest condition with the pre work record.
  • Inspect after major changes in noise, lighting, access or vegetation removal.
  • Escalate any ongoing disturbance or colony abandonment to the project ecologist and approval holder.
  • Maintain the agreed buffer until the breeding place is confirmed to be inactive and approval conditions allow its removal.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated or recovered animals

Confirm the outcome for every captured or injured bird. A release record should show where and when the bird was released, who authorised it and its condition at release.

Do not assume a bird has survived because it leaves the container. Seek follow up advice for injured, immature or dependent birds.

  • Record the carer, veterinarian or facility receiving the animal.
  • Record treatment, transfer and release details where available.
  • Check approved release sites for hazards, domestic animals, construction activity and suitable trees.
  • Report any mortality or failed release through the project incident system.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Reporting and incident review

Prepare a close out report that links field records to the permit, species management program and construction drawings. Review every stop work event, injury, nest disturbance and change to the approved method.

  • Summarise survey dates, clearing dates, methods, bird observations, nests, colonies, roosts and outcomes.
  • Attach maps, photographs, daily logs, permits and fauna records.
  • Notify the relevant authority within the required timeframe for reportable incidents.
  • Hold a short review with the supervisor, spotter catcher and ecologist before the next clearing stage.
  • Update the induction, buffer, timing or sequencing controls where the review identifies a weakness.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore suitable habitat

Rehabilitation should restore tall, connected vegetation and the food resources used by Metallic Starlings. Protect retained large trees first, because replacement structures are unlikely to provide an equivalent alternative to a mature colonial nesting tree.

Retain and protect mature rainforest, riparian, wetland and coastal trees wherever possible. Replant locally appropriate native trees that can provide fruit, nectar, shelter and future nesting structure.

Link restored vegetation to retained habitat and known feeding or roosting areas where the project layout allows.

  • Use local provenance plants suited to the site and soil conditions.
  • Protect new plantings from vehicles, grazing, fire and compaction.
  • Maintain a staged canopy so habitat is available while taller trees develop.
  • Avoid removing large trees solely because they are not currently occupied.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Breeding and roost structures

Metallic Starlings build suspended woven nests in trees rather than using the tree hollows commonly used by many other birds. Standard nest boxes and bat boxes are therefore not a direct substitute for a suitable mature tree.

Artificial nest sites or roost structures should only be considered where a qualified ecologist has identified a genuine need and an approved design suited to the species and site.

  • Do not install nest boxes or bat boxes as a generic mitigation measure for this species.
  • Consider artificial suspended nest supports only after consultation with the approval authority and species specialist.
  • Place any approved structure away from machinery, bright lighting, public access and predators.
  • Monitor whether birds use the structure and remove or modify it if it creates welfare, disease or safety problems.
  • Prioritise protection and planting of large trees over artificial replacement structures.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weeds, water and food resources

Manage weeds that suppress native tree regeneration or reduce access to feeding habitat. Retain native fruiting and flowering plants where they are safe and compatible with the project.

Water management should maintain the condition of rainforest, riparian and wetland vegetation. Avoid sudden drying, erosion, sediment movement or altered flooding that damages retained habitat.

  • Use staged weed control to avoid removing shelter and food all at once.
  • Prevent sediment, chemicals and concrete washout from entering wetlands and waterways.
  • Maintain natural drainage and avoid blocking flight access to retained trees.
  • Coordinate flood and water management works with the breeding period and any active colony nearby.
  • Inspect rehabilitation after wet season events and repair erosion or failed plantings.

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

Keep lighting and noise away from retained nesting trees and roosts. Sudden noise can flush large groups and cause repeated disturbance.

Monitor restored areas and retained colonies over the period specified by the approval or management plan. Longer monitoring may be needed where a colony was adjacent to major works.

  • Aim lights down and away from trees, wetlands and roosts.
  • Use timers, shielding and the lowest practicable light level.
  • Avoid night works near known roosts unless specifically assessed and approved.
  • Record nest use, flock activity, roost use, tree condition, weed cover and planting survival.
  • Use monitoring results to adjust buffers, access, lighting, noise controls and maintenance practices.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Rehabilitation handover

Transfer responsibility for retained trees, revegetation and monitoring to the land manager before the project closes. Keep the colony and roost maps with the site environmental records.

A future work crew should be able to identify the breeding places and understand the controls without relying on personal knowledge from the construction phase.

  • Mark retained habitat and no-go trees on the final site plan.
  • Provide the land manager with monitoring results, photographs and maintenance schedules.
  • Record future inspection dates and trigger points for specialist review.
  • Include the species and known breeding places in the site environmental management plan.

Sources