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Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius)

The Pied Cormorant is a large, black and white waterbird of coastal waters, estuaries and inland wetlands across Australia. Breeding colonies, roosts, nests and nearby feeding water can be affected by clearing, construction, access and water management. It is listed as least concern in Australia, but it is a colonial breeder and Queensland breeding places receive additional protection under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020.

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

Pied Cormorants can breed in most months, with breeding commonly reported in autumn and winter. Timing varies between regions and years, and colonies may also be active in spring or summer.

Breeding mode and timing: Colonial breeder. Breeding occurs in most months, commonly in autumn and winter, with some breeding in spring and summer.

Breeding places: Nests are large platforms made from sticks, foliage and seaweed, held together with droppings. They are built in trees or on the ground, close to water, including coastal islands, flooded tree plains, mangroves, estuaries, lakes and artificial structures such as beacons.

Colony size and site fidelity: Small sheltered colonies of fewer than 30 pairs are preferred. Colonies of 30 to 3,000 birds are also reported. Site fidelity is not recorded.

Recognising an active breeding place: Look for adults carrying sticks or foliage, large occupied platforms, birds sitting low on nests, fresh droppings, calling adults, eggs, nestlings or groups of young on branches or the ground.

Clutch and incubation: Clutch size is 2 to 5 eggs, most commonly 3. Incubation takes 25 to 33 days, and both parents incubate.

Young and fledging: Chicks remain in the nest for about 40 days. After fledging, young may form crèches and remain dependent on adults until about 3 months of age.

Maturity and breeding frequency: Breeding begins from about 2 years of age. Pairs generally breed once a year, with a breeding cycle of about 6 months.

Breeding activity can shift between autumn, winter, spring and summer in response to local conditions, water levels, food supply and differences between regions and years.

  • Breeding activity: Breeding is possible throughout the year, with the strongest seasonal pattern generally in autumn and winter.
  • Eggs and nestlings: Eggs and nestlings may occur in any month because breeding has been recorded in most months.
  • Dependent young and crèches: Fledged young may gather in crèches and remain dependent on adults for about 3 months.
  • Adult presence and juvenile dispersal: Adults are generally sedentary and may remain near colonies, while juveniles disperse without a defined seasonal movement period.
  • Highest clearing risk: Treat active colonies and breeding places as high risk year round, avoid flushing birds, plan works outside active nesting where possible, and use a site specific buffer because no fixed species distance is established; in Queensland, tampering with a breeding place is subject to the high risk SMP requirement for a least concern colonial breeder.

Identification: Appearance

The Pied Cormorant is a large, long-necked cormorant with a strong hooked bill and fully webbed feet. It is often seen swimming low in the water, flying close to the surface or standing with its wings spread to dry.

Adults have a glossy black back, wings and legs, with white underparts. Black stripes on the thighs form the distinctive black trousers. The bill is long, grey to ivory and hooked.

The eye is green, with a blue eye ring and an orange to yellow patch between the eye and bill. Females are smaller with a shorter bill, but the sexes are not reliably separated in the field.

Typical posture: Head and neck held upright when swimming. Wings often spread after diving.

Flight: Usually low over water, sometimes in a line or V-shaped formation.

  • Length: 60 to 75 cm, with some references giving 65 to 85 cm.
  • Wingspan: 110 to 130 cm.
  • Large black webbed feet.
  • Juveniles are browner above and have streaked pale underparts.

Identification: Calls and similar species

Pied Cormorants are usually quiet away from colonies. Adults can be noisy at breeding colonies, with rough calls described as ark and kerlik. Females may give a soft hiss.

The Little Pied Cormorant is much smaller. It has a shorter yellowish bill and lacks the Pied Cormorant's strong black thigh stripes. The Black-faced Cormorant is also smaller.

Echolocation: Not used. This is a visual and vocal species.

  • Check the size, black trousers, long pale bill and orange facial patch together.
  • Do not rely on a single colour feature in poor light or when viewing a wet bird.

Identification: Field signs

Look for large stick and foliage nests cemented with droppings. Nests are usually about 80 cm across and may be in trees or on suitable elevated ground.

Whitewash, fish remains, feathers, trampled vegetation and a strong bird odour can indicate a regular roost or colony. Repeated wing spreading on perches, many birds entering and leaving one area, and adult alarm calls are useful supporting signs.

Nest material: Sticks, twigs, seaweed and foliage held together with droppings.

  • Inspect trees, mangroves, flooded tree plains, islands, beacons, logs and rocks near water.
  • Treat fresh droppings and recently repaired nests as signs of current use.
  • Use binoculars where possible. Avoid approaching a suspected colony to confirm activity.

Distribution: Australian range

The Pied Cormorant occurs around much of Australia's coast and at suitable inland waters. Adults are generally sedentary, so a regular local group may depend on nearby roosting, breeding and feeding places.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. It is commonest in suitable coastal and wetland areas, with particularly strong representation in western and southern Australia and moderate numbers in eastern Australia.

Inland records are associated with large wetlands, lakes, rivers, dams and deep open water. Local abundance can change with water levels and fish availability.

Queensland status: Least concern, but a colonial breeder for breeding-place management purposes.

WildNet taxon ID: 1264

  • Coastal waters, harbours, bays and estuaries.
  • Large inland wetlands and lakes in eastern Australia.
  • Mangrove-lined waterways and sheltered coastal lakes.
  • Tasmanian records should be checked against current local distribution information before planning site works.

Distribution: Movement and local use

Adults usually remain near their colony or regular feeding area. Banding information indicates that birds generally remain within 20 km of their colonies, although young birds can disperse much further.

A construction site may therefore affect a colony even when the active nest trees are outside the work footprint. Check nearby water, roosts, flight paths and access routes.

Overseas range: The species group occurs in Australasia, including New Zealand, where related forms are commonly called pied shag.

  • Survey the wider wetland or estuary, not only the clearing boundary.
  • Record regular flight directions between roosts, colonies and feeding water.
  • Recheck sites where water levels, fish populations or wetland extent change.

Habitat: Water and wetland settings

Pied Cormorants need open water for feeding and secure perches for resting and drying. They use both marine and freshwater environments, provided there is suitable prey and a place to perch.

On or near a work site, search estuaries, harbours, coastal lakes, bays, rivers, large dams and open inland wetlands. The species tolerates variation in salinity and turbidity when suitable perches and food remain available.

Deep and shallow water can both be used. Productive shallow margins, channels and moving water may attract feeding birds.

Site feature to retain: A connected combination of open water, fish habitat, perches and low-disturbance resting areas.

  • Estuarine channels and tidal wetlands.
  • Open lakes, dams and flooded tree plains.
  • River margins, wetland edges and coastal lagoons.
  • Mangrove areas and sheltered harbour margins.

Habitat: Perches and landscape features

Look for trees, logs, rocks, beacons, jetties and other structures beside or over water. Perches used for drying may be stained with whitewash and droppings.

A site can remain attractive to birds after vegetation clearing if water, fish and artificial perches remain. Conversely, removing perches can force birds into areas closer to machinery, roads or people.

Daily activity: Usually active by day. Roosting and nesting sites may be used repeatedly.

  • Retain suitable shoreline trees and logs where safe.
  • Map artificial structures used by birds before demolition or modification.
  • Avoid creating isolated high-use perches immediately beside active work areas.

Foraging habitat: Feeding areas

The Pied Cormorant catches prey underwater by diving from the surface. It usually hunts alone, although groups may form where small fish are concentrated near the surface.

Most of the diet is benthic fish, commonly 6 to 15 cm long. Crustaceans, prawns, shrimp, molluscs and some cephalopods make up the remainder.

The species feeds in shallow still water, deeper water and rapidly moving currents. It commonly uses water less than 10 m deep, but may dive deeper when conditions or predator risk change.

Typical dive: About 40 seconds, followed by a surface recovery period of about 10 to 15 seconds.

Daily food intake: Adults may eat up to about 500 g of food a day.

  • Open water beside mangroves and wetland vegetation.
  • Shallow channels, tidal flats and lake margins.
  • River pools, dams and areas below weirs or other flow structures.
  • Fish-rich water near islands, flooded trees and sheltered shores.

Foraging habitat: Construction risks to feeding habitat

Works can reduce feeding value through bank clearing, loss of aquatic vegetation, altered flows, sediment release, pollution, fish passage barriers and changes to water depth. Repeated boat movement and machinery near feeding birds can also displace them from productive water.

Plan noisy or water-based works so birds retain access to alternative feeding areas. Keep fuels, concrete washout, spoil and sediment out of drainage lines and open water.

Foraging behaviour: The bird propels itself with fully webbed feet and steers underwater with partly opened wings.

  • Inspect for regular diving, repeated underwater pursuit and groups following fish schools.
  • Record water levels, fish kills, algal events and changes in turbidity during works.
  • Maintain clean, connected water between roosts, colonies and feeding areas.
  • Use staged works where complete isolation of a wetland or channel is not avoidable.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places

Pied Cormorants breed in colonies, although some pairs nest singly. Breeding can occur in most months and timing varies between locations and years, so a calendar-only approach is not reliable.

Breeding sites are generally close to water and food. They include sheltered coastal islands, estuaries, harbours, mangroves, flooded tree plains, lakes and artificial structures such as beacons.

Nests may be in trees or on the ground, but are not normally placed on bare earth or bare rock. Some sites are used repeatedly and may contain old nests as well as active nests.

Nest: Large platform, about 80 cm across, made from sticks and foliage cemented with droppings.

Clutch: Usually 2 to 5 eggs, most commonly 3.

  • Flooded or partly flooded trees and shoreline vegetation.
  • Islands, sandbanks and quiet wetland margins where nests are above ordinary water levels.
  • Mangroves and sheltered harbour edges.
  • Beacons and other structures over or beside water.

Breeding habitat: Breeding cycle

Both parents build the nest, incubate the eggs and feed the young. Incubation takes about 25 to 33 days. Young remain in the nest for about 40 days in one field account, and can then form crèches on branches or on the ground.

Young are fed by their parents for about a further 11 weeks in banding information. Independence is reached at about 3 months. Adults can begin breeding from about 2 years of age.

Breeding frequency: Usually once a year. The full breeding cycle is about 6 months.

Parental care: Both adults share incubation and feeding.

  • Commonly reported breeding periods include autumn and winter.
  • Some pairs breed in spring, summer or other months.
  • Allow for breeding activity whenever adults, eggs, chicks or fresh nests are present.

Breeding habitat: Recognising an active breeding place

An active colony may show adults carrying sticks or foliage, fresh green or wet nest material, whitewash, repeated adult attendance, alarm calls, eggs, chicks or fledglings. Young birds may gather in crèches after leaving the nest.

Do not rely only on seeing eggs or chicks. A quiet nest can still be active, and repeated adult visits may be the only obvious sign from a safe distance.

Site fidelity: Adults are generally sedentary and can remain close to their colony. Treat established nesting areas as potentially important across more than one breeding period.

  • Use binoculars from outside the site rather than walking into the colony.
  • Have a fauna spotter catcher or ecologist check trees, ground nests, structures and nearby crèche areas.
  • Stop and reassess if adults repeatedly flush, circle, call or fail to return to nests.

Sheltering habitat: Roost features

Roosts are resting and drying places used outside and during the breeding period. They may hold far more birds than a nest colony and can be overlooked when the birds are away feeding.

Look for trees, mangroves, logs, rocks, jetties, beacons and other structures beside or over water. Pied Cormorants commonly spread their wings after diving because their feathers are not fully waterproof.

Roosts may be shared with other cormorants, pelicans, spoonbills and waterbirds. A small daytime group can still be part of a much larger roost used at other times.

Roost size: Communal roosts can contain hundreds or thousands of birds. A roost of up to 8,000 birds has been recorded at one Western Australian site.

  • Whitewash and droppings on branches, rocks or structures.
  • Repeated use of the same perch at dawn, late afternoon or after feeding.
  • Feathers, fish remains, odour and worn perches.
  • Flight paths between a roost, feeding water and a colony.

Sheltering habitat: Protection during works

Avoid removing or isolating regular roost trees, logs or structures unless a site assessment shows that birds have suitable alternatives. Keep people, vehicles, cranes, vessels and bright night lighting away from high-use roosts where practicable.

There is no single disturbance distance that suits every site. Set a site-specific buffer after considering the number of birds, visibility, noise, access route, topography, water conditions and whether the roost is also a breeding place.

Flushing response: Repeated disturbance can make birds leave a roost or colony, use less suitable habitat and expend energy returning to nests or feeding areas.

  • Schedule high-noise work outside the main roosting period where practicable.
  • Use screening and fixed access routes to reduce repeated approach and flushing.
  • Monitor for abandonment, repeated flushing or movement into unsafe areas.
  • Keep dogs, recreational users and unauthorised access away from roosts during works.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony can look like

A Pied Cormorant colony is a concentrated breeding place where many nests, adults and young occur together. Colonies need special care because one disturbance event can affect many nests and a large share of the local breeding population.

Colonies may occupy wetland trees, mangroves, flooded tree plains, coastal islands, quiet lake margins or artificial structures. Nests can be dense in trees or spread across ground and low vegetation, with birds moving between nests, water and nearby crèche areas.

Some colonies are small sheltered groups of fewer than 30 pairs. Other reports describe colonies of 30 to 3,000 birds. Do not judge significance from size alone. A small colony can still be a substantial local breeding site.

Possible colony locations: Wetland trees, mangroves, flooded plains, islands, sandbanks, sheltered river or lake margins, cliffs or structures beside water, including beacons.

  • Look for multiple large platform nests rather than a single isolated nest.
  • Check nearby trees, islands, banks, structures and shallow water for associated birds.
  • Map the colony, access routes, flight paths, roosts and feeding water as one system.
  • Include ground crèches and recently fledged young in the site inspection.

Colonies and breeding places: Disturbance and flushing risk

People, machinery, vegetation clearing, drones, boats, piling, blasting, sudden lighting and repeated vehicle movement can flush adults from nests. Eggs and small chicks may then be exposed to heat, cold, predators or other birds.

Large colonies can create a misleading impression that a few birds leaving is harmless. Repeated flushing across several days can reduce feeding time and may cause nests to fail or birds to shift into unsafe areas.

Disturbance buffer: Use a clearly marked, site-specific buffer around an active colony. Set the distance with a qualified ecologist or wildlife authority because terrain, visibility, colony size and work type change the response.

  • Stop work if adults repeatedly leave nests, circle, call or refuse to return.
  • Keep workers and equipment out of the colony and its access paths.
  • Do not enter islands, reedbeds, mangroves or flooded trees to inspect nests without an approved method.
  • Avoid drone flights over colonies, roosts and crèches.

Colonies and breeding places: Timing, buffers and water management

Plan vegetation clearing, demolition, piling, dredging and other high-disturbance works outside the active nesting period where practicable. Because breeding can occur in most months, confirm that the colony is inactive rather than relying on a fixed seasonal window.

Flooding can create or remove nesting habitat, change access to trees and islands, and affect fish availability. Water releases, drawdown, dewatering and altered flows can expose nests, strand young or remove feeding habitat.

Colonial breeder: Birds of the same kind co-exist in close association for breeding. A breeding place can therefore support a large share of the local population.

  • Have an ecologist inspect before clearing or construction starts and again if works are delayed.
  • Keep buffers around active nests, crèches, roosts and the water used to reach them.
  • Stage water management so nests and young are not suddenly isolated or exposed.
  • Retain alternative perches and feeding water when a temporary exclusion or access change is needed.
  • In Queensland, obtain the required advice and approvals before tampering with a breeding place. A least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020.

Threats: Clearing and habitat loss

The Pied Cormorant is least concern, but local colonies and roosts can be vulnerable to concentrated disturbance and loss of wetland function. Development controls should focus on keeping breeding places, feeding water and safe movement routes connected.

Removing shoreline trees, mangroves, flooded vegetation, islands, logs or other perches can eliminate nests and roosts. Clearing can also expose colonies to people, predators, wind and visual disturbance.

Retain suitable vegetation and structures where safe. If removal cannot be avoided, survey first and obtain species-specific advice before work begins.

Main development concern: Loss or disturbance of a breeding place can affect many nests at once.

  • Map nests and roosts before removing trees or structures.
  • Avoid fragmenting the water, perch and colony system.
  • Rehabilitate disturbed wetland margins with locally suitable vegetation where appropriate.

Threats: Noise, access and flushing

Construction noise, piling, blasting, cranes, vessels, lights, drones and repeated pedestrian access can flush adults from nests and roosts. Unplanned access by workers, dogs or the public can cause ongoing disturbance.

Use exclusion fencing, clear signage, fixed access routes, screening and a site-specific buffer. Monitor bird behaviour rather than assuming that a listed distance will suit every site.

Early warning signs: Repeated flushing, circling, alarm calls, adults not returning to nests, chicks gathering in exposed areas or birds abandoning a regular perch.

  • Keep works outside active nesting periods where practicable.
  • Use a spotter catcher or ecologist to check for changes in behaviour.
  • Pause work when repeated flushing or alarm calling occurs.
  • Control night lighting near roosts and colonies.

Threats: Water quality and flow changes

Sediment, contaminants, concrete washout, fuel spills, dewatering and altered flows can reduce fish and crustacean availability. Flooding and drawdown can also change the suitability of nest trees, islands, banks and shallow feeding areas.

Protect drainage lines and open water throughout the project. Manage water levels gradually where practicable and check colonies after major rainfall, releases or drawdown.

Relevant habitat link: Breeding sites are generally close to water and food, so damage to feeding habitat can affect a colony even when nests are untouched.

  • Install effective sediment and spill controls before earthworks.
  • Keep spoil and contaminated water away from wetlands and estuaries.
  • Maintain fish passage and suitable shallow feeding areas where flow is altered.
  • Record changes in water level, turbidity, fish activity and bird use.

Threats: Fishing gear and entanglement

Fishing line, hooks, set nets and inshore drift nets can injure or kill Pied Cormorants. Colonies and roosts can accumulate discarded line and hooks, creating a local hazard for adults and young.

Include a clean-up response in site environmental controls where fishing occurs. Do not handle an injured bird unless trained and authorised. Contact an appropriate wildlife rescue or government service.

Conservation status: Least concern in Australia and globally, but local breeding places still require careful management.

  • Remove discarded line and hooks safely from work areas and accessible roost margins.
  • Keep netting and temporary mesh securely managed around water.
  • Report entanglements and repeated fishing interactions near colonies.
  • Check temporary structures for snag points before installation.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Pied Cormorants use marine waters, estuaries, coastal lakes and large inland wetlands. Adults are generally sedentary, so a colony, roost or regular feeding area may remain important even when birds are absent during one visit.

Map nearby estuaries, harbours, coastal lakes, islands, flooded tree plains, mangroves and large inland wetlands before planning works.

Check trees, ground platforms, beacons and other structures close to water. Also check islands, sandbanks, riverbanks, reedbeds, lignum, culverts, bridges, cliffs and caves where colonial waterbirds may occur, although these are not established breeding places for this species.

Review recent records, aerial imagery, wetland water levels, previous environmental reports and known fishing or access activity. Treat a reported colony or communal roost as a constraint until it has been checked in the field.

  • Map the proposed clearing, access tracks, laydown areas, pile locations, lighting and water management footprint.
  • Identify all waterside vegetation and structures that could support nests, roosting birds or landing birds.
  • Plan survey access from outside the wetland where possible. Avoid entering islands, nesting trees or shallow roost areas during the initial assessment.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Survey from a quiet, concealed position with binoculars or a telescope. Walk the project boundary and inspect likely nesting and roosting habitat without approaching birds closely.

Use repeated observations where the first visit is inconclusive. Pied Cormorants may be solitary or occur in flocks. Breeding colonies may contain fewer than 30 pairs, while reported colonies range from 30 to 3,000 birds. Communal roosts can be much larger, with up to 8,000 birds recorded at one Western Australian site.

Breeding can occur during most months and is commonly reported in autumn and winter. Timing varies with location and conditions, so do not rely on a fixed closed season.

  • Survey at times when birds are likely to be using the site, including early morning and late afternoon, and repeat the visit under calm conditions if wind, rain, glare or high water prevents a reliable inspection.
  • Observe the site from more than one position where this can be done without flushing birds.
  • Use boat or drone surveys only where authorised and where the method will not disturb the colony.

Survey methodology: 3. What to record

Record the location and extent of every colony, nest tree, ground nest area, roost and regular flight path. Record the relationship to open water and likely feeding habitat.

An active breeding place may show large stick and foliage platforms, fresh green material, white droppings, adults carrying nest material, incubating birds, chicks, fledglings, repeated adult flights, begging calls or defensive behaviour. Young may form crèches on branches or on the ground after leaving the nest.

Record whether birds are nesting alone, with other cormorant species, or with pelicans or spoonbills. A colony can be quiet when adults are away feeding, so absence of birds during a short inspection does not confirm that it is inactive.

  • Record date, time, weather, water level, observer position and survey duration.
  • Count birds, nests and occupied nests separately where practicable. State whether counts are direct, estimated or based on photographs.
  • Photograph the site from a distance and map the proposed disturbance area, access route and recommended exclusion zone.
  • Record visible fishing line, nets, hooks, rubbish, erosion, fire, weeds, artificial lighting and signs of recent flooding or water drawdown.

Survey methodology: 4. Assessing disturbance risk

Pied Cormorants have large nests, often about 80 cm across, in trees or on the ground. Nests are usually close to water in sheltered harbours, estuaries and lakes, although exposed coastal and island sites also occur.

Birds can flush from nests when approached, driven, flown over or exposed to noise, vibration, lighting and sudden movement. Repeated flushing can expose eggs or young, interrupt feeding and cause a colony to move from a site.

Set buffers with the project ecologist after considering colony size, nest height, terrain, line of sight, machinery, vessels, blasting, piling, lighting, access and the likelihood of repeated disturbance. Use a larger buffer where birds flush, circle repeatedly or show defensive behaviour.

  • Keep observers, vehicles, machinery, boats, drones and pedestrians outside the agreed buffer.
  • Keep works outside the active nesting period where practicable. If this cannot be achieved, obtain species-specific advice and use staged, closely supervised works.
  • Maintain suitable water levels and access to feeding areas during breeding. Review water releases, pumping, dewatering and floodplain works before they begin.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Confirm approvals and responsibilities

Avoid colonies, active nests and communal roosts wherever practicable. Because one breeding place can hold a large share of the local population, plan the work area, timing and controls around the whole site rather than individual birds only.

Confirm the legal status of the project before clearing, construction, vegetation removal, dewatering or disturbance starts. Least concern status does not remove duties relating to protected native animals, nests or breeding places.

Assess whether the action may affect a matter of national environmental significance. Seek an EPBC Act referral or other Commonwealth advice where a listed matter or protected place may be affected.

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 required Queensland SMP with the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation before work.

  • Check state or territory wildlife, vegetation, wetlands, fisheries, planning and local government requirements.
  • Obtain any required fauna, wildlife handling, scientific, clearing, waterway, marine park and protected area permits before mobilisation.
  • Nominate the project ecologist, fauna spotter-catcher and person authorised to stop work. Put their contact details in the site environmental plan.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Complete the pre-clearance survey

Complete a targeted survey shortly before disturbance. Inspect all trees, ground areas, islands, mangroves, artificial structures and nearby roosts within the proposed work area and its likely disturbance footprint.

Inspect for nests, chicks, eggs, crèches, repeated adult flights, droppings, nest material and birds carrying fish or vegetation. Check nearby habitat as well as the exact clearing line because birds may use a colony outside the footprint and still be affected by noise or access.

Have a qualified ecologist determine whether the place is active, recently used or suitable for reoccupation. Do not dismantle or relocate nests as a routine measure.

  • Survey during the period when works will occur if possible, and repeat the survey if there is a long delay, major flood, water-level change or change in the work method.
  • Mark exclusion zones on plans and on the ground without entering the colony.
  • Brief all crews on the species, nest signs, colony locations, buffer limits, stop-work authority and reporting pathway.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Set the work controls

Locate compounds, access tracks, cranes, pumps, generators, lights, spoil and noisy plant away from colonies and roosts. Retain trees and ground vegetation supporting nests or landing birds.

Use a site-specific buffer based on the disturbance risk. There is no single reliable distance for every colony. A buffer that prevents flushing is the minimum starting point, and it must be increased if birds react to the work.

Schedule high-noise, vibration, piling, blasting, tree removal and water-level changes outside the active breeding period where practicable. Breeding may occur in most months, commonly in autumn and winter, so confirm local activity rather than applying a calendar rule.

  • Use visual screening and low-glare, downward-facing lighting where work near water cannot be avoided.
  • Keep boats, drones and aircraft away from colonies unless the method has been assessed and authorised.
  • Protect feeding waters, roost trees, nest trees, shoreline vegetation and floodplain connections from avoidable alteration.
  • Do not isolate a colony from water through temporary bunds, fencing, dewatering or access roads without ecological approval.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Prepare contingency arrangements

Agree in advance what will happen if an active breeding place, large roost or injured bird is found. A colony is a site-level constraint, not a reason to move birds to another location without specialist approval.

Prepare a quiet holding area, transport container and wildlife carer contact only if fauna handling is authorised and likely to be required. Pied Cormorants can have fishing hooks and line embedded in their bodies, and handling can cause additional injury.

Where flooding, drought, pumping or construction may alter a wetland, include water-level triggers and a process for stopping or changing the work.

  • Keep wildlife permits, the SMP, contact numbers and the fauna management plan available at the work front.
  • Identify the nearest appropriately authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian before work starts.
  • Set stop-work triggers for a new nest, eggs, chicks, crèche, colony, roost, repeated flushing, entanglement or unexpected mortality.
  • Record who can approve recommencement and what evidence is required.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Start with a controlled work front

Use a staged, supervised approach and keep the active work area as small as practicable. The fauna spotter-catcher must be able to stop work immediately when birds, nests or an unexpected breeding place are at risk.

Clear only the area that has been checked and released. Retain the agreed buffer and keep plant, people, stockpiles and vehicles outside it.

Use sequential clearing so each stage can be inspected before the next stage begins. Work from the least sensitive edge towards the disturbed area, without driving birds towards water, roads or machinery.

Maintain a quiet escape route for birds. Do not chase, herd, net or deliberately flush Pied Cormorants.

  • Use spotter-catcher supervision for all approved vegetation removal or structure work near habitat.
  • Stop work during poor visibility, unexpected flooding, heavy smoke or conditions that prevent effective inspection.
  • Inspect trees and ground platforms again after wind, flood, fire, collision or other events that may expose nests or chicks.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Apply stop-work rules

Stop work if an active nest, egg, chick, crèche, colony, communal roost or injured Pied Cormorant is found inside the work area or buffer. Stop also if birds repeatedly flush, circle, call defensively or abandon a nest during the activity.

The fauna spotter-catcher has authority to stop work without waiting for supervisor approval. The project ecologist must reassess the buffer, method and approvals before work resumes.

If a colony is found, protect the entire breeding place and associated access to water. Do not remove nest material, fell a nest tree, enter the colony or use noise to move birds.

  • Make the area safe without approaching the birds. Shut down plant if this can be done safely.
  • Mark a larger temporary exclusion zone and notify the site supervisor and project ecologist.
  • Contact DETSI or the relevant wildlife authority if the finding may require an amended SMP, permit or other approval.
  • Document the decision to stop, the advice received and the conditions for recommencement.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handle animals lawfully and safely

Only an appropriately authorised person may capture, handle, restrain or transport a Pied Cormorant. Most birds should be left in place while advice is obtained.

Do not attempt to remove hooks, fishing line or other entanglement unless the handler is authorised, trained and equipped. Cormorants have strong bills, and wet plumage, stress and injury create handling risks.

If a bird is found in a dangerous location, reduce immediate hazards and keep people and machinery away while the authorised handler assesses it.

  • Place an injured bird in a secure, ventilated container only on the direction of the authorised handler or wildlife carer.
  • Keep the bird dark, quiet and cool, away from direct sun and unnecessary handling.
  • Do not feed or give water unless directed by the wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Record the location, condition, visible injuries, photographs, capture details and receiving carer or clinic.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Record work and incidents

Keep a daily fauna log for the work area and nearby exclusion zones. Record observations even when no animals are found, as this supports the release decision and later review.

Record any change to water levels, pumping, flooding, lighting, noise, vibration, access or work timing that could affect a colony or roost.

Report mortality, injury, nest damage, egg exposure, chick separation, entanglement, unauthorised approach and buffer breaches under the project incident process and relevant approvals.

  • Record date, time, location, weather, activity, plant, observers and the number and behaviour of birds.
  • Map active nests, roosts, colony edges, flight paths and changed exclusion zones.
  • Attach photographs, permits, advice and corrective actions to the environmental record.
  • Do not restart work until the authorised release process has been completed.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Complete post-clearance checks

A release from construction does not end the risk. Check the site for displaced birds, damaged nests, new roosts and changes to water or feeding habitat before removing controls.

Inspect the cleared area, retained vegetation, nearby water edge and exclusion boundary after each work stage. Look for nests, chicks, crèches, injured birds, entangled birds and birds attempting to return to a disturbed place.

Check for fallen branches, damaged nest trees, sediment, debris, lighting spill, changed access and blocked movement between the colony and feeding water.

Keep the buffer in place if birds continue to use the area or show disturbance responses. Seek ecological advice before removing it.

  • Complete a final fauna inspection before the work front is signed off.
  • Check all temporary fencing, bunds, pits, trenches, pipes and tanks for trapped wildlife.
  • Remove hazards such as loose line, netting, wire, open containers and unsecured waste.
  • Ensure temporary access routes do not cut off roost trees, nesting habitat or safe flight paths.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitor retained sites

Monitor an active or recently used colony at a frequency set by the project ecologist. Monitoring should be from outside the buffer and should not add disturbance.

Use the same observation points and recording method where possible. Compare nest occupancy, adult behaviour, chicks, crèches, roost use, water levels and visible disturbance with the pre-work baseline.

Continue monitoring through the relevant breeding period where works may have affected a colony. Breeding timing is variable and can occur during most months.

  • Record signs of successful nesting, including adults feeding young, fledged birds and continued use of the site.
  • Record abandonment, repeated flushing, reduced attendance, dead birds, nest collapse, erosion and loss of access to feeding habitat.
  • Increase controls or stop nearby work if monitoring shows adverse effects.
  • Report monitoring results to the approval authority where required by the EPBC Act, SMP or state permit.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Close out relocated or treated animals

A Pied Cormorant should not be relocated from an active breeding place as a standard mitigation measure. If an injured or displaced bird has been handled, obtain the wildlife carer's outcome and release information.

Release should be managed by the authorised wildlife professional at a safe, suitable location with access to water and away from active machinery. Do not release a bird into a colony without specialist advice.

Update the fauna register when the animal is released, transferred, dies or remains under care.

  • Record the animal identification, location found, handler, permit, treatment provider, destination and outcome.
  • Report any death or failed release under the project and permit conditions.
  • Follow up birds that were displaced by construction if the project ecologist considers monitoring necessary.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Review and report

Hold an incident review after any colony disturbance, nest damage, injury, mortality or permit breach. Include the spotter-catcher, supervisor, ecologist and relevant contractor.

Use the review to change the buffer, timing, access route, lighting, water controls, induction or supervision before the next work stage.

Retain maps, counts, photographs, daily logs, incident reports, approvals, advice and corrective actions in the project environmental file.

  • Report material incidents to the relevant regulator within the required timeframe.
  • Update the construction environmental management plan and fauna management plan.
  • Share lessons with all crews before similar work resumes.
  • Confirm that rehabilitation obligations and any monitoring commitments have been assigned to a named person.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore wetland habitat

Rehabilitation should restore safe access to water, suitable nesting and roosting places, and the wetland conditions that support fish and other prey. Design for this species first, and avoid adding structures that create hazards or attract birds into an unsafe work area.

Reinstate wetland trees, mangroves, shoreline vegetation and sheltered waterside habitat where these were removed or damaged. Retain mature trees and stable natural platforms used for nests or roosting.

Reconnect floodplain wetlands and drainage paths where approved. Manage pumping, bunds and water releases so breeding and feeding habitat are not stranded, rapidly dewatered or contaminated.

Use local native species suited to the salinity, inundation and soil conditions. Protect new plantings from erosion, grazing, vehicles and repeated human access.

  • Remove temporary roads, pads, bunds, fencing and hardstand from wetland areas when no longer required.
  • Stabilise eroding banks with soft engineering and native vegetation where practicable.
  • Keep open water and safe landing areas available around retained roost and nest habitat.
  • Prevent sediment, hydrocarbons, concrete washout and rubbish entering feeding or roosting water.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Manage vegetation, weeds and hazards

Control weeds without disturbing active nests or roosts. Stage weed removal outside the active breeding area and use methods that avoid sudden noise, smoke and loss of protective cover.

Remove fishing line, nets, wire, plastic and other entanglement hazards from access areas and project waters. Inspect retained trees and structures after storms and high flows.

Avoid creating isolated dead trees or unstable branches over public access routes. Any required arboricultural work near a colony must be assessed and supervised.

  • Use non-toxic, wetland-appropriate weed control methods approved for the site.
  • Keep lighting low, shielded and directed away from water, colonies and flight paths.
  • Design culverts, bridges and services to avoid trapping birds and to retain clear movement along the waterway.
  • Inspect rehabilitation areas for new hazards during routine environmental inspections.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Consider replacement structures carefully

Pied Cormorants build large stick and foliage platforms in trees or on the ground. Nest boxes and bat boxes are not a standard replacement for this species and should not be installed unless a suitably qualified ecologist confirms that they suit the local site.

Where a breeding platform has been unavoidably lost and approvals require replacement, consider a purpose-designed artificial nest platform or other structure that is stable, close to suitable feeding water and safely separated from people and machinery.

A replacement roost structure may be appropriate only after a site assessment. It must not concentrate birds where fishing gear, roads, powerlines, predators, poor water quality or future construction create additional risks.

  • Use durable, non-toxic materials and an engineering design suited to wind, flooding, droppings and nest weight.
  • Place any structure before the next likely breeding opportunity only when the ecologist and approval authority agree that installation will not disturb existing birds.
  • Do not move an active nest, eggs or chicks onto a replacement structure without specialist authorisation.
  • Inspect artificial platforms for stability, occupancy, nest collapse and entanglement hazards.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Monitor rehabilitation outcomes

Monitor restored habitat and any replacement structure through establishment and at least one relevant breeding period where required by the approval or project risk assessment.

Assess whether birds use the site without repeated flushing, whether nests remain stable, whether young are raised successfully and whether feeding and roosting access has been retained.

Use monitoring results to adjust water management, vegetation maintenance, lighting, public access and structures.

  • Record plant survival, weed cover, erosion, water conditions, fish access, roost use, nest activity and signs of injury or entanglement.
  • Keep observation points outside active colonies and use binoculars or a telescope.
  • Remove or redesign a structure that creates a hazard or attracts birds to an unsafe location.
  • Provide a final rehabilitation report with maps, photographs, monitoring results, maintenance actions and any outstanding risks.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Maintain long-term protection

Pied Cormorants are generally sedentary, and adults may remain within about 20 km of their colonies. Protecting a local colony therefore requires attention to nearby feeding waters, roosts and movement routes, not just the nest site.

Keep future maintenance, dredging, vegetation works and water management subject to the same colony and roost checks. A site that is empty on one inspection may be used again when conditions change.

  • Add confirmed colonies, nest trees, roosts and buffers to the site spatial register.
  • Include seasonal and flood-related access controls in maintenance schedules.
  • Repeat desktop and field checks before future works near the wetland.
  • Review long-term monitoring results with the land manager and update the management plan when colony use changes.

Sources