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Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata)

The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is a small to medium migratory wader that breeds in northern Siberia and spends the non-breeding season mainly in Australia. It uses shallow freshwater and saline wetlands, mudflats, sewage ponds and flooded grassland, so clearing, drainage, altered flows, disturbance and poor water quality at wetland sites can affect it on development projects.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Vulnerable.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Vulnerable.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Vulnerable.

Australian Capital Territory, Nature Conservation Act 2014: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are present in Australia mainly from August or September to April. Timing varies between regions and years because birds move between wetlands in response to rainfall and water availability.

Timing is based on the supplied national and ACT material. Local presence can vary with rainfall, wetland condition and region.

  • Breeding and laying: Breeding occurs in northern Siberia from June to August. Australian project sites normally hold non-breeding birds.
  • Young: Chicks hatch after 19 to 23 days and fledge after about 18 to 21 days. Juveniles leave the breeding grounds after adults and migrate south later.
  • Arrival and southward movement in Australia: Small numbers reach northern Australia from mid-August, with larger numbers arriving in early September. Birds then move south through Australia, with temporary influxes linked to rainfall and flooded wetlands.
  • Departure and northward movement: Birds begin leaving southern mainland Australia in mid-February and usually depart the Australian non-breeding range by April. A few may remain in south-eastern Australia until early May.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing, earthworks and disturbance at Australian wetlands are most likely to affect the species while birds are present, especially from September to January when many birds use south-eastern wetlands. Risk also applies during movement between temporary or flooded wetlands through April.

Identification: Structure and plumage

Identify this species by its compact, pot-bellied shape, drawn-out rear end, short neck, short slightly decurved bill and medium-length legs. Plumage varies strongly between breeding, non-breeding and juvenile birds, so identification should account for seasonal variation.

Adults have a small, flat head on a short neck, a pot belly and a somewhat elongated rear end.

The bill is black, sometimes with a paler grey, yellow-brown or pink base. Legs and feet are olive-grey.

Breeding adults have a rufous, black-streaked forehead and crown, a prominent off-white supercilium, a broad white eye-ring, rufous-brown breast markings and bold black chevrons on the lower breast and rear flanks.

Non-breeding adults are duller grey-brown, but retain a distinct rufous cap and a prominent supercilium.

Juveniles have a strong head pattern, a clean white supercilium, a rufous cap, orange-buff breast and fore-flanks, and black upperparts with orange-chestnut fringes and white tips.

Typical structure: Small to medium sandpiper with a pot belly and drawn-out rear end

Sexes: Both sexes appear similar

Identification: Separating features

Use the combination of the pot-bellied profile, short neck, rufous cap, strong white eye-ring or supercilium, and black spotting or chevrons on the underparts.

Plumage is most strongly marked in breeding adults and juveniles. Duller non-breeding birds can be more difficult to separate from other small Calidris sandpipers.

The supplied conservation documents do not provide a formal comparison with particular similar species. Confirm difficult records with photographs, multiple structural features and the wetland context rather than relying on one plumage mark.

Identification: Field signs and breeding evidence

The documents do not describe a distinctive call, track, scat, pellet or roost mark for field use.

Breeding evidence consists of shallow ground hollows hidden among leaves and grass, but breeding occurs in northern Siberia rather than in Australia.

In Australia, repeated observations around shallow wetland edges, mudflats or sewage ponds are more useful for detection than searches for nests or other terrestrial signs.

  • Record the bird's profile, cap colour, supercilium, eye-ring, bill base and underpart markings.
  • Photograph wetland edges and roosting groups where identification is uncertain.
  • Do not infer breeding from flock presence in Australia, because Australian birds are normally non-breeding migrants.

Distribution: National range

The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper occurs in all Australian states and is widespread in inland and coastal areas. It is most frequent in south-eastern Australia, but its distribution changes between years as birds move between temporary wetlands after rainfall.

The species occurs in all states of Australia, in both inland and coastal locations and in freshwater and saline habitats.

In Queensland it is widespread along the coast and more sparsely distributed inland, particularly in central and south-western areas.

In New South Wales and Victoria it is widespread, especially near the coast, with inland records associated with suitable wetlands.

In Tasmania it is mainly coastal in the east, from George Town to Hobart, with scattered records elsewhere. In South Australia it is widespread in the eastern half and can occur as far north as Lake Eyre. In Western Australia it occurs from the south coast and Nullarbor region through coastal and sub-coastal areas to the Kimberley. In the Northern Territory it is mainly northern coastal, with scattered inland records.

Australian states: All states

Broad Australian distribution: Mostly south-eastern Australia, with both inland and coastal records

Australian extent of occurrence: 10,900,000 km², with an estimated range of 10,400,000 to 11,400,000 km²

Australian area of occupancy: 13,000 km², with an estimated range of 13,000 to 20,000 km²

Distribution: Important regional sites

In the Australian Capital Territory, most records are from Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve and Fyshwick Sewage Ponds. Other records include Lake Burley Griffin East Basin, Norgrove Park Wetland, Mulligans Flat Dam, Ginninderra Creek, Canturf turf farm and West Belconnen Pond.

The largest regional groups identified in the ACT material occurred at Lake Bathurst in New South Wales, with smaller numbers at Lake George. These sites demonstrate the importance of inland wetlands outside the immediate project area.

The supplied documents do not define Australian bioregional boundaries or provide a complete list of strongholds and subpopulations. For project assessment, check local wetland records and the Directory of Important Migratory Shorebird Habitat.

  • Treat shallow inland wetlands, sewage ponds, flooded fields and lake margins as potential habitat even where the project site is distant from the coast.
  • Check whether the site is connected to a larger wetland system used during temporary flooding.

Distribution: Population and trend

Population estimates differ between analyses. Earlier studies estimated declines of 24 to 60 percent over three generations, while a more recent analysis suggested that the decline may have stabilised or reversed in the past decade.

The species remains listed as Vulnerable because the earlier reduction was substantial and the threats affecting wetland habitat continue to operate. A precautionary approach is appropriate until population stabilisation is confirmed.

Estimated mature individuals: 71,000, with a range of 9,500 to 268,900

Estimated reduction over three generations: 24 to 60 percent in earlier analyses

Recent analysis: Mean annual change of plus 0.1 percent from 1993 to 2021 and plus 1.9 percent from 2012 to 2021, with wide confidence intervals

Flyway population: About 85,000 individuals, based on the cited 2016 estimate

Habitat: Wetland types

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers use a broad range of wetland types during the Australian non-breeding season. They are more tolerant of grassy vegetation than many shorebirds, with highest densities around grassy edges of shallow inland freshwater wetlands.

Suitable habitat includes shallow freshwater wetlands, hypersaline wetlands, coastal and inland mudflats, sewage ponds, flooded fields, shallow brackish lagoons, river mouths, rice fields, saltmarsh, mangroves, rocky shores and sandy beaches.

The species may also use agricultural pasture after rainfall, particularly where wet ground and muddy margins provide access to prey.

Habitat use changes with water availability. Birds move between temporary or flooded wetlands and leave sites as they dry.

Elevation recorded in source material: From sea level to about 800 m

Highest reported density: Grassy edges of shallow inland freshwater wetlands

Habitat: Structure and condition

Retain shallow water, exposed mud, soft sediment and low grassy margins. These features provide feeding and roosting opportunities in the same wetland system.

Important sites may be freshwater, saline or hypersaline. A site should not be discounted because it lacks tidal influence.

Wetland hydrology, water quality, salinity and sediment supply affect habitat condition. Drainage, filling, stormwater inflows and altered river or floodplain flows can reduce suitability.

  • Map shallow margins, exposed mud, grassy edges and nearby open-water roosts before clearing or earthworks.
  • Maintain natural or managed wetting and drying patterns where possible.
  • Prevent sediment, pollutants, rubbish and contaminated runoff from entering feeding or roosting areas.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The species feeds at the edge of shallow water and on soft muddy substrates. It is omnivorous and can use both natural and artificial wetlands when suitable prey and open feeding surfaces are available.

The diet includes seeds, worms, molluscs, crustaceans and insects.

The documents do not identify particular food plant species or prey species that should be surveyed separately.

Diet: Omnivorous

Recorded food groups: Seeds, worms, molluscs, crustaceans and insects

Foraging habitat: Foraging method and areas

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers peck and jab their bills into muddy substrate while feeding along water edges.

Foraging habitat includes mudflats, wet grassland, shallow wetland margins, flooded pasture and sewage ponds. The species can move between wetlands as water levels change.

No species-specific foraging distance or home-range measurement is provided in the documents.

  • Inspect shallow margins, exposed mud and wet grassy edges at suitable wetlands during the Australian non-breeding season.
  • Avoid compacting soft sediment with vehicles or machinery, particularly around intertidal or muddy feeding areas.
  • Keep feeding areas connected to nearby undisturbed roosting habitat.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Breeding occurs in northern Siberia, not in the Australian non-breeding range. Australian projects should therefore focus on protecting feeding and roosting habitat used during migration and the non-breeding season.

The species is polygynous. Males perform aerial courtship displays and may mate with multiple females.

Females incubate the eggs and raise the chicks. Chicks hatch after 19 to 23 days and fledge after about 18 to 21 days.

The documents do not provide an age at maturity or lifespan.

Breeding season: June to August

Clutch size: Typically four eggs

Gestation: Not applicable, this is an egg-laying species

Incubation: 19 to 23 days

Fledging period: About 18 to 21 days

Age at maturity: Not stated in the supplied documents

Lifespan: Not stated in the supplied documents

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat features

Breeding birds use low Arctic and subarctic tundra, including damp hillock tundra and moss-sedge bogs with drier shrub-covered hummocks up to 2 to 3 m high.

Nests are shallow hollows hidden on the ground and lined with leaves and grass.

These breeding features are not expected at Australian development sites, where the species is normally present as a migrant.

  • Do not treat an absence of Australian nests as evidence that a wetland is unimportant to the species.
  • Manage Australian sites for non-breeding feeding, roosting and movement habitat.

Sheltering habitat: Roosting places

During migration and the Australian non-breeding season, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers roost in open wetland and coastal habitats. The supplied documents do not describe a specialised den, hollow, burrow or communal roost structure.

Recorded roosting habitats include rocky and sandy beaches, freshwater habitats and inland saltwater habitats.

Open-water and bare-mud areas are important components of wetland roosting habitat. Conversion to concrete or dense unsuitable cover can reduce roost availability.

The species can tolerate grassy vegetation, but retaining open sightlines and undisturbed wetland margins is appropriate because birds roost in exposed wetland settings.

  • Protect roosts from people, dogs, vehicles, lighting and construction noise.
  • Keep machinery and stock away from shallow margins and exposed mud used by resting birds.
  • Retain nearby feeding and roosting areas together, because birds depend on multiple wetland habitats during the non-breeding period.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter and signs

No Australian den, burrow, tree hollow, nest shelter, eyeshine or species-specific shelter dimension is given in the documents.

The breeding nest is a shallow ground hollow lined with leaves and grass, but this applies to the Siberian breeding range.

  • During site inspections, search open wetland margins, mudflats, shallow water and adjacent grassy areas rather than terrestrial shelters.
  • Record flock size, roost location, water depth, exposed mud and disturbance sources.

Threats: Clearing and development

The main project risks are loss or degradation of wetlands, altered hydrology and disturbance during the Australian non-breeding season. Because the species uses a chain of sites along the East Asian to Australasian Flyway, impacts at one wetland can affect birds that depend on other sites later in the annual cycle.

Filling, draining or reclaiming wetlands for housing, industry, ports, roads, marinas, canals, resorts or other infrastructure removes feeding and roosting habitat.

Clearing saltmarsh, damaging wetland margins, dumping rubbish and directing urban stormwater into wetlands can reduce habitat quality or alter salinity.

Industrial aquaculture, intertidal farming, vehicle compaction, beach nourishment, nutrient enrichment and debris can modify soft-sediment feeding habitat.

  • Avoid clearing or filling shallow wetlands, mudflats, grassy wetland edges and associated roosts.
  • Set out exclusion zones around wetland margins before works begin.
  • Keep access tracks, laydown areas and vehicle movements out of soft-sediment feeding habitat.
  • Assess indirect impacts from noise, lighting, dust, runoff, sediment and changed drainage as well as direct habitat loss.

Threats: Hydrology and climate

Drought is identified as the major threat in Australia. Increasing drought frequency and severity can reduce temporary wetlands and lower adult survival.

Altered river, floodplain and wetland flow regimes can reduce seasonal flooding, change salinity, affect sediment supply and cause wetlands to shrink.

Sea level rise can submerge coastal wetlands, while seawalls may prevent suitable wetland habitat from moving inland.

  • Maintain wetland inflows, floodplain connectivity and suitable wetting and drying patterns where the project allows.
  • Do not disconnect temporary wetlands from their catchments without assessing effects on feeding and roosting habitat.
  • Manage stormwater so that contaminated or excessively nutrient-rich runoff does not enter wetlands.

Threats: Disturbance, fragmentation and pollution

People, dogs, vehicles, construction noise and light pollution can disturb birds at feeding and roosting sites.

Fragmentation reduces the number of connected wetland options available when individual wetlands dry.

Pollutants may include pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, excess nutrients, sediments, industrial discharges and oil or chemical spills.

  • Schedule noisy or high-traffic works away from occupied roosts where practicable.
  • Use low-spill lighting and direct lights away from wetland edges.
  • Control dogs and public access near occupied wetland margins.
  • Use spill prevention and sediment controls around all drainage lines and wetlands.

Threats: Other threats

Cordgrass and mangrove expansion can reduce open mudflat and saltmarsh feeding habitat and hinder movement.

Hunting and accidental drowning in fishing nets and traps are threats elsewhere in the East Asian to Australasian Flyway.

Migratory shorebirds may be exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza during migration. The supplied NSW assessment identifies Sharp-tailed Sandpipers as being at very high risk of population decline if H5N1 affects the species, although large-scale population losses have not been documented in the cited evidence.

The documents do not identify a species-specific Australian road mortality rate or a specific predator as a principal threat.

  • Prevent the spread of invasive wetland plants through machinery, fill and contaminated soil.
  • Avoid introducing weeds, diseases or other contaminants to wetland habitat.
  • Report unusual shorebird mortality through the relevant state or territory wildlife authority.

Survey methodology: 1. Targeted wetland searches

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are migratory wetland birds that may use shallow freshwater or saline wetlands, mudflats, sewage ponds, flooded fields and grassy wetland margins. Survey effort should focus on suitable wetland habitat during the Australian non-breeding period, when birds generally occur in Australia from August or September to April.

Search all shallow wetlands, wetland margins, mudflats, flooded paddocks, sewage ponds and saline areas that could be used for foraging or roosting.

Give particular attention to grassy edges of shallow inland freshwater wetlands, where the species can occur at high density.

Search during the local period of likely occupancy, generally August or September to April, and include visits after rainfall when temporary wetlands may fill and birds may move between sites.

Use quiet, distant observation points and scan the entire wetland margin, shallow water and adjacent open areas for feeding or roosting birds.

Body length: 17 to 22 cm

Wingspan: 36 to 43 cm

Typical Australian occurrence: Most birds arrive from August or September and depart by April; overwintering is rare

Survey methodology: 2. Visual identification and flock counts

Record all shorebirds using the site and identify individuals where possible from size, shape, plumage, behaviour and calls.

Look for the species' pot-bellied shape, drawn-out rear end, short neck, short slightly decurved bill and seasonal plumage differences.

Count birds at each wetland, roost and feeding area, and record whether they are feeding, roosting, moving through or disturbed.

Record flock size, exact location, date, time, weather, water level, wetland condition and any disturbance that causes birds to move.

  • Use photographs or other permitted evidence where identification is uncertain.
  • Submit records with coordinates and supporting photographs to the relevant state or territory wildlife records database.

Survey methodology: 3. Habitat and disturbance assessment

Map shallow water, exposed mud, grassy wetland edges, open roosting areas, flooded fields and nearby refuge habitat before construction or clearing begins.

Assess whether the site connects to other wetlands that birds could use when water levels change or disturbance occurs.

Check for nationally or internationally important habitat thresholds where reliable count data are available: more than 85 birds regularly indicates nationally important habitat, and more than 850 birds regularly indicates internationally important habitat.

Where a project is near a wetland, assess indirect effects such as altered drainage, changes to water quality, light, noise, people, dogs and machinery access.

Nationally important site threshold: More than 85 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers regularly supported

Internationally important site threshold: More than 850 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers regularly supported

  • Do not treat an absence during one visit as proof that the site is unused, because the species moves between temporary or flooded wetlands as conditions change.
  • Use additional targeted surveys if rainfall, flooding or site conditions change before works begin.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

Use a qualified ecologist to set the number and timing of visits because the supplied documents do not provide a species-specific survey guideline with prescribed nights, hours, trap nights, transect lengths or area coverage.

Survey every suitable wetland and associated roosting area within the disturbance footprint and any area that could be indirectly affected.

Repeat the assessment when habitat conditions change, particularly after rainfall, wetland filling, drying, major disturbance or a substantial delay before construction.

Record the survey method, observers, dates, start and finish times, weather, water conditions, effort, detection conditions, locations, counts, photographs and limitations.

Submit confirmed records and relevant negative survey results to the relevant state or territory wildlife database, and provide records required by approval conditions.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Plan the project around wetland function and the species' movements between temporary feeding and roosting sites. Avoid removing or disturbing suitable habitat wherever practicable, particularly during the period when birds are present in Australia.

Retain shallow wetlands, mudflats, grassy wetland edges, open roosting areas, sewage ponds, flooded fields and nearby refuge habitat.

Avoid filling, draining, compacting or fragmenting wetlands and avoid changes to natural inflows, outflows, salinity and seasonal flooding.

Retain connected wetland areas so birds can move between feeding and roosting sites when individual wetlands dry or are disturbed.

Keep construction traffic, stockpiles, lighting, noise and people away from wetland margins and open roosting areas where practicable.

Prevent sediment, rubbish, pollutants, weeds and contaminated runoff from entering wetlands.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and ecological controls

Check the EPBC Act before works because the species is nationally Vulnerable and is also a listed migratory species and marine species.

Refer the action under the EPBC Act if the project may have a significant impact on the species or habitat important to its survival.

Check state and territory threatened species, wildlife handling, clearing, wetland and pollution requirements before works begin.

Obtain any permit required for fauna handling, rescue, relocation, scientific work or access to protected wetlands.

Prepare a fauna management plan that identifies suitable habitat, no-go areas, wetland controls, fauna spotter catcher responsibilities, stop-work triggers and reporting requirements.

National status: Vulnerable under the EPBC Act

Listed status: Migratory and marine species under the EPBC Act

State and territory status supplied: Vulnerable in the ACT, NSW, Queensland and Victoria

Before habitat disturbance: Timing and site preparation

Schedule wetland disturbance outside the usual Australian non-breeding period where practicable, noting that birds may occur from August or September to April and timing varies with rainfall and wetland conditions.

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before works and repeat it if works are delayed or habitat conditions change.

Mark wetland buffers, retained habitat, access routes, exclusion areas and no-go zones on plans and on the ground.

Use exclusion fencing, signage and access controls where these can keep machinery, workers, dogs and vehicles away from retained wetland habitat.

Brief all workers on identification, reporting, stop-work procedures and the requirement not to chase, catch or move birds unless authorised.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and machinery coordination

Keep works inside approved areas and maintain wetland controls each day. A fauna spotter catcher should manage any encounter in accordance with the approved fauna management plan and relevant permits.

Inspect exclusion fencing, wetland buffers, sediment controls, access routes and retained habitat before work starts each day.

Keep machinery, vehicles, lighting and workers out of marked wetland and roosting areas unless the approved method specifically allows access.

Use a fauna spotter catcher to inspect the active work area before machinery enters and to maintain communication with operators during ground disturbance.

Stop machinery immediately if a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper or other protected fauna enters the work area, is injured, becomes trapped or is repeatedly displaced by the works.

Do not use dogs, vehicles or people to chase birds from the site.

During habitat disturbance: Wetlands and habitat features

Prevent excavation spoil, concrete washout, fuels, chemicals, sediment and rubbish from reaching shallow water, mudflats or drainage lines.

Do not alter wetland water levels, drainage, salinity or flow paths outside the approved design.

Retain open mud and low grassy wetland edges where they are part of the retained habitat.

Protect nearby roosting areas from light, noise, recreational access, dogs and repeated vehicle movement.

If works must affect a wetland, stage them so that suitable feeding and roosting habitat remains available nearby and birds are not cut off from retained areas.

During habitat disturbance: If a bird is found

Stop the immediate activity if the bird is within the work area or is being affected by machinery, people, noise or light.

Notify the fauna spotter catcher and environmental officer, and keep workers and machinery back while the bird is assessed.

Do not handle a healthy bird unless the authorised fauna professional determines that handling is necessary and permitted.

If relocation is authorised, move the bird only to nearby suitable retained habitat that is safe, open and connected to wetland resources.

Record the species, location, condition, action taken, release location, personnel and time.

Send an injured or sick bird to an appropriately authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian as soon as practicable, following permit and animal welfare requirements.

During habitat disturbance: Stop-work triggers and records

Stop work and obtain ecological advice if birds are repeatedly flushed, concentrated in an unprotected area, trapped, injured or unable to reach retained habitat.

Stop work if wetland water, sediment, chemicals, lighting or other controls fail and may affect feeding or roosting habitat.

Record daily inspections, fauna observations, bird counts, incidents, handling or relocation, injuries, mortalities, stop-work events, corrective actions and photographs.

Report incidents to the approval holder, relevant regulator and wildlife authority where required by approval conditions or permits.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Post-clearance work should confirm that no fauna remains trapped and that retained wetland habitat continues to function. Keep records that allow the project to demonstrate compliance and identify further management needs.

Inspect the completed work area, wetland margins, drains, pits, fencing and exclusion zones for trapped, injured or displaced fauna.

Check retained shallow water, mud, grassy edges, open roosting areas and access routes after construction and after major rainfall events.

Remove temporary hazards such as open trenches, unsecured pipes, waste, sediment controls that trap fauna and unnecessary lighting near wetlands.

Confirm that drainage, water levels, salinity and runoff controls match the approved design and have not reduced nearby habitat quality.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor use of retained and rehabilitated wetlands during the species' likely occurrence period, generally August or September to April.

Compare bird presence, flock size, feeding and roosting behaviour, wetland condition and disturbance with the pre-works record.

Continue monitoring if birds are absent from habitat that was previously used, if counts fall, or if birds are displaced to unsafe areas.

Provide the approving authority with survey results, incident records, photographs, corrective actions and any required fauna or wetland monitoring reports.

Submit confirmed records and significant incident records to the relevant state or territory wildlife database where appropriate.

After habitat disturbance: Controls, offsets and corrective action

Maintain fencing, wetland buffers, sediment controls, weed controls and access restrictions until the environmental officer confirms that they are no longer needed.

Repair failed drainage, erosion, water quality or habitat controls promptly.

Apply any approved offset, compensatory habitat or restoration requirement for unavoidable loss of suitable habitat.

Do not rely on an offset to justify avoidable destruction or modification of habitat critical to the species' survival.

Rehabilitation actions: Wetland and feeding habitat

Rehabilitation should restore the wetland functions that Sharp-tailed Sandpipers use: shallow water, exposed muddy edges, low grassy margins, open roosting areas and reliable movement between feeding sites. Design should reflect local wetland conditions and avoid creating dense vegetation or disturbance across open habitat.

Reinstate shallow wetland areas, gently sloping margins, exposed mud and low grassy edges rather than steep, deep or permanently inundated basins alone.

Restore natural or approved seasonal water movement and prevent excessive drainage, sedimentation, nutrient enrichment and contamination.

Retain a mix of fresh and saline wetland habitat where it occurs naturally and is consistent with the approved rehabilitation design.

Use locally appropriate native wetland and edge plants, while retaining open feeding areas and avoiding dense vegetation across mudflats and roosting sites.

Control weeds, including invasive plants that can replace open mud or saltmarsh habitat and reduce access for feeding and roosting.

Rehabilitation actions: Roosting areas and site protection

Provide open, low-disturbance roosting areas close to feeding habitat and retain connections between wetland units.

Exclude vehicles, dogs, lighting and regular pedestrian access from restored feeding and roosting areas where these activities disturb birds.

Do not add logs, rocks, hollows or nest boxes as a substitute for wetland habitat, because this migratory shorebird uses open wetland, mudflat, flooded field and grassy-edge habitat rather than tree hollows.

Manage predators, rubbish and human disturbance where they reduce safe use of the wetland.

Rehabilitation actions: Monitoring and success measures

Monitor water depth and extent, exposed mud, grassy edge condition, vegetation cover, water quality, weed cover, disturbance and use by shorebirds.

Undertake bird counts during the period when Sharp-tailed Sandpipers normally occur in Australia, generally August or September to April.

Use presence, flock size, feeding and roosting behaviour, and continued use of the restored wetland as indicators of habitat function.

Compare monitoring results with pre-works conditions and investigate failure where restored areas dry too quickly, become overgrown, become polluted or are repeatedly disturbed.

Continue management until the environmental officer and relevant approval authority accept that rehabilitation targets have been met.

Sources