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Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis)

The Red-necked Stint is a very small migratory shorebird that visits wetlands and coastal areas throughout Australia. It may occur on mudflats, beaches, saltmarsh, shallow wetlands and artificial waterbodies near works sites, where disturbance or habitat loss can affect feeding and roosting birds. It is listed as migratory under the EPBC Act through the Bonn, CAMBA, JAMBA and ROKAMBA agreements, and is least concern in Australia.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed migratory. Listed under the Bonn Convention, CAMBA, JAMBA and ROKAMBA. Listed migratory species are a matter of national environmental significance, so a significant impact needs referral.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Special least concern. A least concern bird covered by an international migratory bird agreement. Tampering with its breeding place needs a high risk species management program.

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Specially protected (migratory).

Migration and breeding season

Red-necked Stints are non-breeding visitors to Australia. Most arrive from August to September, remain through the main non-breeding period from October to March, and depart from late February to April, with some individuals staying until May. Timing varies between years and regions.

Breeding mode: Breeds on the ground in the high Arctic, mainly in Siberia and northern and western Alaska. It does not normally breed in Australia.

Breeding habitat: Specific breeding habitat and nest-site details are not recorded.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Fledging period: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded. Birds are seasonal migrants and return to northern breeding areas after the Australian non-breeding season.

Arrival, departure and abundance can shift between years and regions, particularly after rainfall or changes in wetland conditions, so check both high-tide roosts and low-tide feeding areas before works.

  • Breeding overseas, high Arctic: Breeding is expected during the northern summer in Siberia and Alaska, while most birds are absent from Australia.
  • Southward arrival in Australia: Some birds begin arriving in August, with most arrivals from early September and numbers increasing into October.
  • Non-breeding presence in Australia: Red-necked Stints use coastal and inland wetlands across Australia, with the main non-breeding period generally October to March.
  • Northward departure from Australia: Numbers generally decline from late February, with departure continuing through March and April and a few birds remaining until May.
  • Highest clearing risk: Avoid clearing, construction and high disturbance near wetland feeding areas and high-tide roosts during the main concentration period from October to March.

Identification: Appearance and plumage

The Red-necked Stint is a small, active wader that often moves in dense flocks. Identification is easiest when bill length, leg length, body size and plumage are considered together.

The species has a short, straight black bill, short black legs and a compact, plump body. It is the smallest wader regularly seen in Australia.

In non breeding plumage, the upperparts are grey brown with pale feather edges. The underparts are white, with some grey streaking on the breast. A white supercilium is usually visible.

In breeding plumage, the head, neck and breast become rufous red with black streaking. Birds in Australia may show little or none of this colour because they are usually in non breeding plumage.

Weight: About 30 grams

Wings: Long, pointed wings suited to long distance migration

  • Juveniles are browner than adults and have buffish orange fringes on the back feathers.
  • The bill and legs are both short, helping separate this species from larger sandpipers.

Identification: Calls and similar species

No call or echolocation feature is needed for routine identification. For survey work, rely on visual characters and flock composition.

Broad billed Sandpipers are the main potential confusion species in mixed flocks. They are slightly larger, have a longer, slightly down curved bill and a distinctive double supercilium.

  • Curlew Sandpiper, larger, with a strongly down curved bill.
  • Sharp tailed Sandpiper, larger and more strongly patterned.
  • Sanderling, larger and paler, and more often associated with sandy beaches.

Identification: Field signs

Look for compact flocks moving quickly across exposed mud, sand or shallow water. Birds often feed continuously while the substrate is exposed.

At high tide, birds may gather tightly on open roosts. They may tuck the head under a wing when resting and often remain close together.

  • Droppings, whitewash, stains and odour are not reliable field signs for this species.
  • Ground nests are not expected in Australia because the species is a non breeding visitor.

Distribution: Australian range

The Red-necked Stint occurs around most of Australia's coastline and can also occur inland when suitable shallow wetlands are available. Birds recorded inland may be migrating between coastal sites and northern breeding areas.

The species has been mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

It is widespread around the Australian coast, including estuaries, sheltered bays, lagoons, coastal beaches and intertidal mudflats. Inland records occur in suitable conditions.

  • Queensland, including Moreton Bay and the Port of Brisbane.
  • South Australia, including the Coorong, Lower Lakes and other estuarine and inland wetlands.
  • Victoria, including Corner Inlet and other coastal mudflats.
  • Western Australia, including Broome and Roebuck Bay.
  • New South Wales, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, where suitable coastal or inland wetlands occur.

Distribution: Overseas range

The Red-necked Stint breeds in the high Arctic, from the Taimyr Peninsula to the Bering Sea. It breeds mainly in eastern Siberia and also breeds sporadically in northern and western Alaska.

It migrates through Japan and Korea along the East Asian to Australasian Flyway before reaching Australia.

  • Breeding range, eastern Siberia and northern and western Alaska.
  • Non breeding range, Australia and other parts of Australasia.

Distribution: Records on works sites

A site can support Red-necked Stints even when it is not a major wetland. Small claypans, wet edges, flooded paddocks, shallow drains and temporary pools may be used during migration or when nearby habitat is unavailable.

Check both the site and connected wetlands. Birds may feed in one location and roost at another location several kilometres away.

  • Search coastal and estuarine areas first.
  • Include inland wetlands with bare mud, shallow water or sparse vegetation.
  • Treat records from nearby roosts and feeding areas as relevant to the works area.

Habitat: Wetland and coastal settings

Red-necked Stints use open wetlands with shallow water, wet sediment and little tall vegetation. Habitat can be natural, modified or artificial if it provides suitable feeding or roosting conditions.

Common settings include sheltered inlets, bays, lagoons, estuaries, intertidal mudflats, sandflats, saltmarsh and protected beaches. The species also uses shallow freshwater, brackish and saline wetlands.

Look for habitat around spits, islets, banks, mudbanks, sandbanks, coral or shingle surfaces and low samphire.

  • Coastal lagoons and estuaries.
  • Intertidal mud and sandflats.
  • Saltmarsh and samphire margins.
  • Ephemeral or permanent shallow inland wetlands.
  • Flooded paddocks, farm dams, riverbanks, waterholes and bore drains when conditions are suitable.

Habitat: Site features to map

Map areas of bare wet mud, shallow water and exposed wet edges. These features can appear or disappear with tides, rainfall, water extraction and changes to wetland levels.

Record links between feeding habitat, high tide roosts and nearby escape areas. Open ground with clear views can be preferred where predators or people are present.

  • Bare or sparsely vegetated sediment.
  • Shallow pools and wetland edges.
  • Open beaches, spits and banks.
  • Low saltmarsh or samphire.
  • Artificial ponds with soft mud, shallow water and wet margins.

Habitat: Artificial and modified habitat

Dredge reclamation ponds and other artificial wetlands can support large numbers when they contain shallow water, soft muddy substrates and wet edges. Such areas may allow birds to feed during high tide when natural mudflats are covered.

Do not assume disturbed or constructed wetlands have low value. Assess the habitat and bird use before clearing, filling, draining or changing water levels.

  • Dredge ponds and reclamation areas.
  • Claypans and shallow basins.
  • Flooded paddocks and low lying construction areas.
  • Temporary wetlands formed after rainfall.

Foraging habitat: Foraging surfaces

The Red-necked Stint feeds mainly on exposed wet mud, sandflats and very shallow water. It usually forages where its short legs remain above the water.

Inspect saturated mudflats, wet sand, shallow pools and the wet edges of wetlands. Birds often feed on the surface or probe rapidly into soft mud.

They may continue feeding at high tide in shallow ponds, wet edges or non tidal wetlands if these areas remain exposed.

  • Intertidal mudflats and sandflats.
  • Very shallow water.
  • Wet edges around lagoons, claypans and ponds.
  • Saltmarsh margins and areas with a film of surface water.

Foraging habitat: Food resources

The species is omnivorous. Food includes small invertebrates and plant material, with the exact mix changing between wetlands and seasons.

Recorded food items include worms, molluscs, crustaceans, insects, small vertebrates, seeds and saltmarsh plants. In the Coorong, midge larvae are an important food resource at some sites.

  • Molluscs, including gastropods and bivalves.
  • Polychaete worms and other annelids.
  • Amphipods and other crustaceans.
  • Insects and insect larvae.
  • Seeds and plant material, including Ruppia.

Foraging habitat: What to record during surveys

Record whether birds are feeding, roosting or moving through. Note the substrate, water depth, tide, weather, flock size and any disturbance.

Pay particular attention to feeding activity during falling tide and low tide. At high tide, identify whether birds have moved to artificial ponds, saltmarsh or other refuge areas.

  • Feeding location and substrate.
  • Tidal stage and water level.
  • Flock size and direction of movement.
  • People, dogs, vehicles, machinery, boats, aircraft, lighting and noise nearby.

Breeding habitat: Breeding range

Red-necked Stints are non breeding visitors to Australia. They breed in the high Arctic, so Australian clearing and construction projects generally do not affect nests or breeding colonies directly.

Breeding occurs in eastern Siberia and northern and western Alaska. The breeding range extends from the Taimyr Peninsula to the Bering Sea.

The species lays its eggs on the ground in the Arctic. Australian sites are used mainly for feeding, resting and preparation for migration.

  • High Arctic breeding grounds.
  • Eastern Siberia.
  • Northern and western Alaska.

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat on Australian sites

A breeding nest or breeding colony is not expected during the Australian non breeding season. However, habitat used in Australia can be essential to survival and successful return migration.

Avoid describing a wetland as having no value simply because no nest is present. For this species, the relevant habitat values are usually feeding areas, high tide roosts and migration stopover areas.

  • Do not disturb tightly packed shorebird flocks without first checking whether they are using a roost.
  • Protect connected feeding and roosting habitat during construction planning.
  • Use a qualified fauna ecologist if unusual breeding behaviour is observed.

Breeding habitat: Breeding place controls in Queensland

In Queensland, the Red-necked Stint is a special least concern animal because it is a least concern bird covered by migratory bird agreements or the Bonn Convention.

Tampering with a breeding place for a special least concern animal requires a high risk species management program. Although breeding is not normally expected in Queensland, seek advice before disturbing any suspected breeding place.

Australian breeding status: Non breeding visitor

Queensland control: A high risk species management program is required for tampering with a breeding place of a special least concern animal

Sheltering habitat: Roost landforms

High tide roosts are often as important as feeding areas. Red-necked Stints commonly roost in open, sheltered places where they can see approaching predators and remain close to water.

Look for sheltered beaches, spits, banks, islets and open edges of wetlands. Roost substrates may be sand, mud, coral or shingle.

Birds may also roost in saltmarsh, samphire, short fringing vegetation or shallow pools when these areas are suitable.

  • High sandy beaches and spits.
  • Mudbanks and sandbanks.
  • Rocky, coral or shingle surfaces.
  • Low saltmarsh and samphire.
  • Open wetland margins and artificial roosts.

Sheltering habitat: Roost characteristics

Preferred roosts are generally open, with little tall cover. Small mounds and depressions can provide shelter from wind and help birds maintain a clear view of predators.

Roosts may be close to feeding areas, allowing birds to move between the two as the tide changes. Some artificial ponds have supported most of the roosting shorebirds at the Port of Brisbane.

Port of Brisbane example: Dredge reclamation ponds supported 79 to 94 percent of migratory shorebirds roosting at the Port in each year since 2003

  • Bare ground with little or no cover.
  • Dry or damp substrate above the tide line.
  • Nearby shallow water or feeding flats.
  • Low disturbance and clear sight lines.

Sheltering habitat: Roost checks during works

Survey high tide roosts as well as low tide feeding areas. A site can appear empty at low tide while birds are feeding elsewhere, then become heavily used when the tide covers the flats.

Record disturbance responses. Repeated flushing can reduce feeding time and may cause birds to abandon otherwise suitable roosts.

  • Check beaches, spits, banks, islands, claypans and artificial ponds.
  • Observe from a suitable vantage point rather than walking into a flock.
  • Record flock movement between roosts and feeding areas.
  • Identify alternative roosts before works begin.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence in Australia

The Red-necked Stint makes one of the longest regular journeys undertaken by an Australian shorebird. Australia is used during the northern hemisphere winter, when birds feed and rebuild energy reserves before returning north.

The first birds can arrive from August, with most arriving from early September. Numbers commonly increase from mid September and are generally highest and most stable from October to mid March.

Most birds leave from late February or March to April. A few individuals may remain until May. In South Australia, departure is recorded mainly in February and March.

  • Arrival, August to September, with most birds from early September.
  • Main non breeding period, roughly October to March.
  • Departure and northward movement, late February or March to April.
  • Late records, sometimes into May.

Migration and seasonal presence: Migration route and breeding areas

The species travels along the East Asian to Australasian Flyway. It moves between Arctic breeding grounds and Australian wetlands, using a series of stopovers to rest and feed.

The journey between Australia and the breeding range is about 15,000 kilometres one way. Birds may travel in flocks of thousands.

  • Breeds in eastern Siberia and northern and western Alaska.
  • Passes through Japan and Korea.
  • Uses coastal and inland wetlands across the flyway.
  • Uses Australia mainly during the non breeding season.

Migration and seasonal presence: Important habitat in Australia

Important habitat can include a feeding area, a roost, or a connected set of wetlands used during the non breeding season. Assess the whole wetland system rather than only the footprint of the proposed works.

For impact assessment, refer to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21, the 2017 industry guidelines for avoiding, assessing and mitigating impacts on EPBC listed migratory shorebird species.

  • A site supporting at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one species.
  • A site supporting at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds.
  • A site supporting at least 15 migratory shorebird species.
  • Connected roosting and feeding areas that allow birds to use the site through the tidal cycle.

Migration and seasonal presence: Survey timing and coverage

Plan surveys during the main non breeding period, roughly October to March. Use both high tide and low tide observations because roost use and feeding use occur in different places.

For a development assessment, aim for at least two surveys in summer and at least two surveys around high tide, with counts made from suitable vantage points. Record tide, weather, disturbance and bird behaviour.

  • Cover high tide roosts.
  • Cover low tide mudflats, sandflats and shallow feeding areas.
  • Use repeated counts to identify seasonal variation.
  • Avoid approaching flocks closely or causing repeated flight responses.

Threats: Habitat loss and water changes

The main risk to Red-necked Stints in Australia is loss or degradation of wetlands used for feeding and roosting. Construction can also reduce habitat value through disturbance, altered water levels, lighting, noise and pollution.

Coastal development, dredging, filling, drainage, changed water regimes and removal of wetland margins can reduce available habitat. Drought can have similar effects by reducing shallow water and wet sediment.

Protect the full wetland function, including mudflats, shallow edges, saltmarsh, high tide roosts and movement routes between them.

  • Avoid clearing or filling wet mudflats, saltmarsh and shallow wetland edges.
  • Keep sediment, spoil and stockpiles out of feeding and roosting areas.
  • Manage dewatering and water diversions so that shallow habitat is not removed unexpectedly.
  • Maintain access between feeding areas and safe high tide roosts.

Threats: Disturbance from people and machinery

People, dogs, vehicles, boats, machinery and repeated site access can flush birds from roosts and interrupt feeding. Repeated disturbance can make a site unsuitable even when the physical habitat remains.

Use exclusion zones around active roosts and feeding flocks. Set these zones with advice from a qualified ecologist and adjust them if birds show repeated alarm or flight responses.

  • Keep workers, vehicles and dogs away from high tide roosts.
  • Use designated access routes and low disturbance vantage points.
  • Schedule noisy or high traffic activities outside peak shorebird use where practicable.
  • Stop and seek advice if large flocks repeatedly flush from the works area.

Threats: Lighting, noise and pollution

Night lighting, construction noise, vibration, fuel spills, sediment runoff and other pollution can affect roosting and feeding habitat. Changes to benthic communities can reduce the food available in mudflats and shallow water.

Use shielding and directional lighting, maintain spill controls and keep runoff out of wetlands. Inspect drains, bunds and water quality controls after rainfall.

  • Shield lights from mudflats, roosts and wetland edges.
  • Prevent fuel, oil, concrete washout and contaminated water entering wetlands.
  • Control dust, sediment and nutrient runoff.
  • Avoid introducing weeds or invasive marine species.

Threats: Legal and project controls

Listed migratory species are a matter of national environmental significance. Refer an action under the EPBC Act if it is likely to have a significant impact on the Red-necked Stint or its important habitat.

Use the EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 migratory shorebird industry guidelines when planning surveys, buffers, timing controls and mitigation. In Queensland, obtain advice about a high risk species management program if any suspected breeding place could be disturbed.

  • Complete a desktop check for nearby records and important habitat.
  • Survey high tide roosts and low tide feeding areas during the main non breeding period.
  • Map disturbance sources and set out controls in the construction environmental management plan.
  • Monitor bird use during works and review controls if habitat use or disturbance changes.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Red-necked Stints are small, mobile shorebirds that can be missed if surveys focus only on dry land or only one tidal state. Survey both high tide roosts and low tide feeding areas during the main non-breeding period, generally October to March.

Map all coastal and inland wetland habitat that could support Red-necked Stints. Include estuaries, mudflats, sandflats, shallow lagoons, saltmarsh, sheltered beaches, spits, banks, islets, flooded paddocks and shallow freshwater, brackish or saline wetlands.

Check for nearby roosts, feeding areas, alternative roosts and known shorebird count sites. Consider the wider wetland system, not only the project footprint, because birds may move between high tide roosts and low tide feeding areas.

  • Review recent records, protected matters information, Ramsar site information and local shorebird count data.
  • Assess whether the site could form part of important habitat. Relevant indicators include at least 0.1 percent of the flyway population of one species, at least 2,000 migratory shorebirds, or at least 15 migratory shorebird species.
  • Treat a connected network of smaller roosts and feeding areas as potentially important where birds move between them during the tide cycle.

Survey methodology: 2. Field survey timing and effort

Survey during the main non-breeding period, generally October to March. Red-necked Stints begin arriving from August, with most arrivals from early September. Most leave from late February or March to April, although a few may remain until May.

Complete at least two surveys during summer and include surveys around high tide. Pair high tide counts with low tide observations so that roosting and feeding birds are both covered.

Plan surveys when visibility is good and avoid strong rain, dense fog and conditions that prevent reliable counts. Repeat surveys if tides, weather or access prevent full coverage.

  • Visit high tide roosts when birds are concentrated on beaches, spits, banks, islets, claypans or other open roosting areas.
  • Visit low tide feeding areas while mudflats and shallow wet edges are exposed.
  • Use suitable vantage points, binoculars and scopes. Keep observers outside the roost and feeding area wherever possible.
  • Allow enough time to scan the full wetland edge, intertidal flat and nearby roost.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection and identification

Look for a very small, compact wader with short black legs and a short, straight black bill. Non-breeding birds are grey brown above and white below. Breeding plumage is rufous red on the head, neck and breast, but birds in Australia are usually in non-breeding plumage.

Check mixed flocks carefully. Broad-billed Sandpipers are similar but are slightly larger, have a longer, slightly down-curved bill and a double supercilium. Sanderlings are larger and paler. Curlew Sandpipers are larger and have a down-curved bill.

  • Scan the whole flock rather than identifying only the nearest birds.
  • Use photographs or other evidence for large, distant or mixed flocks where practical.
  • Do not approach a roost to improve identification.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and mapping

Record the date, start and finish time, tide state, weather, observer effort and survey route. Map all observations and distinguish roosting, feeding, loafing and flying birds.

Record the highest reliable count, flock location, habitat condition and the direction of movement between roosts and feeding areas.

  • Record Red-necked Stint numbers separately from total shorebird numbers.
  • Record other migratory shorebird species and their numbers.
  • Describe people, dogs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, machinery, lights, noise and other disturbance.
  • Photograph habitat and flock locations from a safe distance where this will not disturb birds.
  • Record any injured or dead birds, pollution, weeds, altered water levels or damaged roost surfaces.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and legal checks

Plan works around the species' use of wetlands, mudflats and roosts. Avoid habitat loss and disturbance first, then use site controls to protect birds that remain nearby.

Confirm whether the action could have a significant impact on a listed migratory species under the EPBC Act. Refer the action if required, and follow any approval conditions before clearing or construction starts.

Red-necked Stints are listed as migratory under the EPBC Act through Bonn, CAMBA, JAMBA and ROKAMBA. They are a matter of national environmental significance.

  • Obtain required state or territory approvals and wildlife permits before works begin.
  • In Queensland, treat this species as a special least concern animal where the relevant migratory agreements apply. Obtain a high risk species management program before tampering with a breeding place, where the legislation requires it.
  • Confirm whether a Queensland SMP, fauna spotter catcher authorisation or other state permit is required for the proposed work.
  • Keep approvals, permit conditions, maps and contact details in the site environmental plan.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and timing

Keep clearing, earthworks, vehicle movements, piling, dredging, lighting and noisy construction away from roosts and feeding areas. Schedule works outside peak use where practicable, particularly October to March.

The species breeds in northeastern Siberia and northern and western Alaska. It does not breed in Australia, but Australian wetlands support non-breeding birds that need to rest and build energy for migration.

  • Retain intertidal mudflats, shallow wet edges, saltmarsh, open roost surfaces and wetland connections.
  • Avoid works during high tide where they would disturb a concentrated roost.
  • Avoid blocking movement between roosts and feeding areas.
  • Use a site-specific buffer around each roost and feeding area. Set it from survey results, flock behaviour, visibility, noise and the activity being undertaken.
  • Stop or reschedule work if birds repeatedly flush, circle, abandon a roost or cannot return to feed.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey and exclusion

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before works begin. Recheck all wetland edges, mudflats, shallow ponds, beaches, spits, banks, islands, saltmarsh and artificial roosts.

Mark no-go areas clearly on plans and on the ground. Fencing must not block tidal flow, bird movement or access to retained habitat.

  • Use a fauna spotter catcher or suitably qualified ecologist to inspect the work area and its access routes.
  • Mark roosts and feeding areas with visible exclusion fencing, signs and GPS locations.
  • Keep workers, dogs, vehicles, plant and stored materials outside exclusion areas.
  • Inspect proposed lighting locations and shield lights away from wetlands, roosts and flight paths.
  • Check that erosion, sediment and spill controls will not discharge into wetland or intertidal habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and site controls

Give every worker a short induction before entering the site. Explain the species, its small size, its protected status and the location of no-go areas.

Set a clear chain of command. The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work when a bird, flock or sensitive habitat is at risk.

  • Prohibit recreational access, dogs and unnecessary vehicle movement near roosts.
  • Keep machinery on defined routes and maintain low speeds near wetlands.
  • Use screens, directional lighting and quiet plant where work is close to habitat.
  • Keep noise, vibration and night work to the minimum needed for the task.
  • Display the stop work procedure and wildlife contact numbers in site offices and vehicles.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and supervision

Use a staged, supervised work method. Red-necked Stints may be present on wetland edges, shallow water and exposed mud, even when they are not visible from the work area.

Clear in small, defined stages from the least sensitive area towards retained habitat. Keep escape routes open and avoid driving birds towards water, roads or active machinery.

A fauna spotter catcher must inspect each stage before work and remain available while habitat is disturbed.

  • Begin with a pre-start wildlife check each day.
  • Clear low vegetation and ground cover slowly where this is safe and authorised.
  • Pause machinery when birds enter the work zone or when a flock gathers nearby.
  • Maintain exclusion fencing and repair damaged sections immediately.
  • Do not chase, herd or deliberately flush birds.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Handling and found animals

Only authorised and appropriately trained people may handle wildlife. Red-necked Stints are small, stress-sensitive shorebirds and should not be caught for convenience.

If a bird is found in the work area, stop nearby work and allow it to leave if it can do so safely. Contact the fauna spotter catcher or wildlife authority if it cannot leave.

  • Keep people and machinery away from the bird.
  • Do not feed, water or release a bird without direction from a wildlife carer or relevant authority.
  • Use a quiet, ventilated container only when capture is authorised and necessary.
  • Record the location, time, condition, action taken and receiving carer or authority.
  • Treat an injured bird as a wildlife incident and arrange prompt assessment by a permitted wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active breeding place, colony or roost

Red-necked Stints do not breed in Australia, but other protected fauna may use the same work area. Treat any suspected active breeding place as protected until a qualified person confirms its status.

Treat a concentrated roost or feeding flock as sensitive habitat, even if no breeding is occurring.

  • Stop work within the affected area and establish a temporary exclusion zone.
  • Do not touch eggs, chicks, nests, birds or roost surfaces.
  • Contact the project ecologist, fauna spotter catcher and relevant regulator or permit holder.
  • Confirm the required buffer, timing and approval conditions before restarting.
  • For a large or repeatedly used roost, review the whole work program, not only the immediate find location.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Disturbance and pollution response

Watch the flock during work. Repeated flushing, alarm behaviour, crowding at an alternative roost or abandonment of feeding areas indicates that controls are not adequate.

Prevent sediment, concrete washout, fuel, oil, rubbish and contaminated water from reaching wetland or intertidal habitat.

  • Stop the source of any spill or discharge.
  • Contain and recover pollutants using the site spill plan.
  • Stop work if lighting, noise, vibration or machinery causes persistent disturbance.
  • Move plant, access routes or work hours if the exclusion area is not effective.
  • Notify the site environmental manager and regulator where approval conditions or pollution laws require it.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Daily records

Keep a wildlife and disturbance log for every work shift. Records support compliance decisions and help identify patterns that are not obvious during one inspection.

  • Record the date, weather, tide, work area, personnel and fauna spotter catcher.
  • Record species, numbers, behaviour, location and whether birds were roosting or feeding.
  • Record all stop work events, captures, injuries, releases, spills and complaints.
  • Record corrective actions and the time work resumed.
  • Attach photographs, maps and GPS points where suitable.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Do not close out a work area when machinery leaves. Check retained habitat, confirm that controls remain effective and document any change in bird use or wetland condition.

Inspect the cleared area, access routes, exclusion fencing and nearby wetland edges after each stage. Look for stranded animals, injured birds, new hazards, sediment movement and disturbed roost surfaces.

Complete a final fauna sweep before the area is handed back to the construction team or rehabilitation crew.

  • Check drains, trenches, pits, stockpiles and temporary ponds.
  • Remove mesh, netting, wire, waste and other entanglement hazards.
  • Confirm that no animal remains trapped inside the work area.
  • Repair damaged fencing and signs.
  • Photograph the completed area and record the inspection.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and compliance

Prepare a clear close-out record for each work stage. Report incidents under the approval, permit and project environmental management requirements.

Escalate any unexpected flock concentration, roost loss, injury, mortality, pollution event or repeated disturbance.

  • Provide survey results, counts, maps and disturbance records to the project ecologist.
  • Report EPBC Act incidents and Queensland SMP matters as required by approval or permit conditions.
  • Record whether the work remained within approved areas and timing windows.
  • Keep wildlife records with the project compliance file.
  • Update the risk assessment before the next work stage.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring after works

Monitor retained roosts and feeding areas after construction where habitat was close to the works or where birds were recorded during baseline surveys.

Use the same vantage points, count method and tide conditions where practical so results can be compared.

  • Survey during the main non-breeding period, generally October to March.
  • Include high tide roost counts and low tide feeding observations.
  • Record flock size, habitat use, disturbance and movement to alternative sites.
  • Continue monitoring for the period required by approvals or the project environmental plan.
  • Investigate a sustained decline in use, repeated flushing or loss of feeding habitat.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Relocated or rescued animals

Do not release a rescued bird into a new location without advice from the authorised wildlife carer, fauna authority or project ecologist. Red-necked Stints depend on suitable wetland habitat and may need access to both feeding and roosting areas.

Document every transfer or release so the animal's outcome can be followed.

  • Record the finder, location, time, condition and identification.
  • Record the authorised person who handled the bird and the receiving carer or veterinarian.
  • Record the release location, date, time and conditions if release is approved.
  • Check that the release site is free of active disturbance, dogs, vehicles and predators.
  • Include the outcome in the final fauna report.

After habitat disturbance: 5. Incident review

Review any stop work event, injury, mortality, spill or loss of habitat with the construction supervisor, fauna spotter catcher and ecologist.

Use the review to change work methods before the next stage begins.

  • Identify the immediate and underlying cause.
  • Check whether the survey timing, buffer, induction or supervision was adequate.
  • Revise exclusion zones, lighting, access, plant or work hours where needed.
  • Record the decision and person responsible for implementing it.
  • Share the lessons with all crews before work resumes.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore feeding and roosting habitat

Rehabilitation should restore a functioning wetland edge, not just cover disturbed ground. Red-necked Stints need open wet mud, shallow water, suitable invertebrate habitat and nearby safe roosts.

Reinstate natural wetland contours, tidal connections and shallow wet edges where the project has altered them. Retain open areas with little or no cover where these form part of a roost.

Use local reference sites to guide substrate, water depth, vegetation structure and shoreline form.

  • Restore intertidal mudflats, sandflats and shallow feeding margins where feasible.
  • Remove compacted fill and excess rock from areas intended to function as feeding habitat.
  • Keep drainage patterns and water quality suitable for wetland invertebrates.
  • Provide safe, open roost surfaces on beaches, spits, banks, islets, claypans or other suitable areas.
  • Prevent people, dogs and vehicles from using restored roosts until habitat is stable.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Manage water, sediment and weeds

Maintain water regimes that support shallow wet areas without causing prolonged erosion, drying or inundation. Avoid sudden changes that remove feeding habitat or make roosts inaccessible.

Manage weeds before they close open mudflats or obscure birds' view of approaching predators.

  • Use clean water and clean fill where required by the environmental plan.
  • Prevent sediment, nutrients, hydrocarbons and concrete residues entering wetlands.
  • Remove invasive weeds using methods that protect mudflats, saltmarsh and shallow water.
  • Do not plant dense vegetation on an open roost unless the target habitat requires it.
  • Inspect restored areas after rain, high tides and major water-level changes.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Lighting, access and disturbance controls

Keep restored habitat dark, quiet and free of routine access. Red-necked Stints need to rest at high tide and may abandon otherwise suitable habitat when disturbance is repeated.

Design access so people and vehicles do not cross feeding flats or roosts.

  • Direct lights away from water, mudflats, roosts and flight paths.
  • Use the lowest practical light intensity and duration for safety and security.
  • Install signs and fencing at access points.
  • Provide dog exclusion controls where domestic animals could disturb birds.
  • Keep maintenance activities outside peak shorebird use where practicable.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Replacement structures and artificial habitat

Nest boxes and bat boxes do not suit Red-necked Stints. The species is a ground nesting Arctic breeder and is a non-breeding visitor to Australia.

Artificial nest sites are therefore not a standard mitigation measure for this species. Artificial roosts may be useful only where they reproduce the open, shallow and sheltered conditions used by local shorebirds and are supported by specialist design.

  • Do not install nest boxes or bat boxes as a substitute for wetland habitat.
  • Use artificial roost structures only where a qualified shorebird ecologist has confirmed a need and suitable design.
  • Provide open ground, shallow water, wet substrates, low relief and clear predator visibility where an artificial roost is approved.
  • Keep artificial roosts near suitable feeding habitat and protect them from people, dogs, vehicles and light.
  • Monitor use before removing or changing the structure.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long-term monitoring and maintenance

Monitor rehabilitation until the wetland and roost function are established and approval conditions are met. Compare results with baseline counts and nearby reference sites where possible.

A successful outcome includes suitable habitat condition as well as bird use. Birds may change sites between tides or seasons, so interpret counts with weather, tide and regional conditions.

  • Survey during October to March and include high tide and low tide observations.
  • Record Red-necked Stint numbers, total shorebirds, other migratory species and habitat condition.
  • Check erosion, weeds, water levels, pollution, fencing, signs and lighting during each visit.
  • Maintain access controls and repair damage promptly.
  • Review the rehabilitation design if birds do not return, feeding habitat is lost or disturbance remains high.

Sources