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Swinhoe's Snipe (Gallinago megala)

Swinhoe’s Snipe is a migratory shorebird that breeds in Siberia and spends the non-breeding season in northern Australia. It can occur around wet, grassy margins of freshwater and brackish wetlands, so clearing, drainage, lighting, noise and machinery near suitable habitat need careful planning. It is listed as a migratory species under the EPBC Act and is not listed as threatened 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

Swinhoe’s Snipe is a poorly known non-breeding migrant in Australia. It arrives mainly in northern Australia from about August to October, is present through the warmer months, and departs north from about March to April, with timing varying between years and regions.

Breeding location: Siberia, outside Australia.

Breeding mode: Not recorded.

Nest or breeding site: Not recorded.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Fledging period: Not recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Seasonal timing may shift between years and regions, and local presence can depend on rainfall, wetland condition, tide and the availability of dense cover.

  • Breeding overseas, Siberia: Breeding occurs in Siberia during the northern summer, but species-specific breeding months are poorly documented.
  • Southward arrival in Australia: Arrival begins from about August to September, with October arrival documented in northern Australia.
  • Non-breeding presence in Australia: During the non-breeding season, birds use wet grassy areas, reedy swamp margins, freshwater streams, paddy fields and other suitable wetlands, mainly in northern Australia.
  • Northward departure from Australia: The broader migratory shorebird pattern indicates departure in March to April for northern breeding grounds.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing and construction risk is highest from October to January when birds are present in Australia and may use wetland edges, grass cover and roosting areas.

Identification: Appearance and size

Swinhoe’s Snipe is a poorly known migratory shorebird. Site records should be checked carefully because it can be inconspicuous in wet grass, rushes and swamp margins.

The species is a snipe in the family Scolopacidae. It has the general shape of a long-billed wader, with a slender body, long bill and cryptic brown colouring suited to wet grass and marsh vegetation.

A reliable field size measurement is not included here. Avoid identifying the species from size alone. Use a combination of shape, habitat, behaviour, photographs and expert review.

Identification: Calls and similar species

No species-specific call or identification description is available for this profile. Snipe can be difficult to separate in the field, particularly when birds flush briefly from dense cover.

Record clear photographs, flight views, call descriptions and the exact habitat. Seek confirmation from an experienced shorebird observer where identification is uncertain.

  • Do not rely on a single brief flight view.
  • Record whether the bird was flushed from freshwater or brackish wetland vegetation.
  • Compare the observation with current field guides and local expert advice.

Identification: Field signs

Direct sightings are more useful than indirect signs. Look for a bird moving quietly through wet grass, rushes or swamp margins, or flushing from cover when approached.

Species-specific information on droppings, nests, whitewash, stains and odour is not available. Do not assign an indirect sign to Swinhoe’s Snipe without supporting observations.

  • Photograph the bird and its habitat where possible.
  • Record the time, weather, tide or water level, observer position and disturbance at the time of the sighting.
  • Map the wetland edge, dense cover and any likely roosting area.

Distribution: Australian range

In Australia, Swinhoe’s Snipe is mainly associated with northern regions during the non-breeding season. Its distribution is not well known, and records can be sparse, so the absence of records should not be treated as proof that the species is absent.

The species has been recorded between the Kimberley Divide in Western Australia and Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. It is more commonly observed in the Top End of the Northern Territory.

Records and mapping indicate occurrence in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia. It has also been described as a vagrant in parts of southern Australia, with no Victorian records identified in one assessment.

  • Northern Territory, especially the Top End
  • Western Australia, including the Kimberley and Pilbara regions
  • Queensland, including areas towards Cape York Peninsula

Distribution: Overseas range

Swinhoe’s Snipe breeds in Siberia. After breeding, it moves south to spend the non-breeding season in Australia.

  • Breeding range: Siberia
  • Non-breeding range: northern Australia, with occasional records outside the main range

Distribution: What this means on a project site

Check wetlands and wet grassland within and near the disturbance footprint, even where the species has not been recorded previously. Protected Matters Search Tool results and local records can indicate nearby roosting, but field habitat assessment remains necessary.

  • Review records for the project area and its surrounding buffer.
  • Check connected wetlands, drainage lines, swamps and wet grassland, not only the immediate clearing area.
  • Treat nearby records as relevant when planning access, lighting, noise and construction timing.

Habitat: Wetland features

Look for Swinhoe’s Snipe around wetland edges with dense grass or rush cover. The species is associated with freshwater and brackish settings, rather than exposed beach or open sand.

Suitable areas include the edges of wetlands, swamps and freshwater streams. Dense rushes and grasses around fresh or brackish water provide cover and may support feeding or roosting birds.

Wet, grassy ground and the edges of reedy swamps are useful habitat indicators during a site inspection.

  • Freshwater wetlands and swamp margins
  • Brackish wetland edges with dense vegetation
  • Freshwater streams with wet grassy banks
  • Reedy swamps and areas of persistent wet grass

Habitat: Modified habitat

The species has also been recorded from wet paddy fields, grasslands and drier cultivated areas, including rapeseed and wheat crops. In Australia, inspect modified wet areas as well as natural wetlands.

Open sand may appear suitable for feeding, but exposed areas with little cover are less likely to be used than sheltered wet vegetation.

  • Wet agricultural fields and market gardens
  • Grassland adjoining wet areas
  • Cultivated ground retaining damp, dense cover

Habitat: Site inspection points

Walk or inspect the full wetland margin, including areas just outside the proposed clearing footprint. Note water permanence, ground moisture, vegetation density, access tracks and any nearby high ground that could function as a roost.

  • Map the wetland boundary and connected drainage features.
  • Mark dense rush and grass patches that could conceal birds.
  • Record drying, drainage, sediment, weeds, stock access and other habitat changes.
  • Check whether machinery routes or laydown areas would cut through wetland edges.

Foraging habitat: Likely feeding areas

The species’ diet is not well documented in the available project information. As a practical field approach, focus on soft, damp ground around vegetated wetland margins where a long-billed wader could feed without losing cover.

Inspect damp ground among rushes and grasses, the edges of swamps, wet paddy fields, freshwater streams and other sheltered wetland margins. These areas may be used more readily than exposed sand.

Snipe generally feed by probing soft ground with the bill. Avoid disturbing or compacting wet margins before their use has been assessed.

  • Mud and damp soil at the edge of dense vegetation
  • Shallow wet areas beside freshwater or brackish wetlands
  • Wet grassland and reedy swamp margins
  • Sheltered sections of stream and drainage edges

Foraging habitat: Foraging indicators

Look for birds moving slowly through cover, probing damp soil, or flushing from wet grass. Feeding activity can be difficult to observe because vegetation may conceal the bird.

Record the substrate, water depth, vegetation cover and disturbance when a bird is seen feeding.

  • Soft or damp ground
  • Dense grass or rush cover close to water
  • Low disturbance and limited exposure
  • A clear connection between feeding ground and nearby shelter

Foraging habitat: Controls during works

Keep machinery, spoil, washdown water and sediment out of wetland margins. Prevent changes to drainage and water quality that could dry, flood or contaminate feeding areas.

  • Use existing access routes where possible.
  • Delineate no-go wetland edges before clearing.
  • Control sediment, pollutants and toxic inflows.
  • Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement through damp grass and rushes.

Breeding habitat: Breeding range

Swinhoe’s Snipe breeds in Siberia and is a non-breeding migrant in Australia. Australian works sites should therefore be managed for non-breeding habitat, feeding areas and roosts rather than Australian nests or breeding colonies.

Breeding occurs in Siberia. The species is not treated here as an Australian breeding bird, and specific breeding habitat, nest placement, clutch size and incubation details are not available for site use.

  • Do not assume that a wetland in Australia is a breeding site for this species.
  • Manage suitable Australian habitat as seasonal non-breeding habitat.
  • Refer any unusual nesting behaviour or suspected breeding record to a qualified ecologist.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places and legal checks

No Australian nest or breeding-place type is identified for Swinhoe’s Snipe. The species remains protected as a listed migratory species, and a significant impact on migratory habitat can require referral under the EPBC Act.

In Queensland, it is a special least concern animal because it is covered by relevant international migratory bird agreements. Tampering with its breeding place requires a high risk species management program, although Australian breeding by this species is not expected.

  • Check EPBC Act referral requirements before works.
  • Confirm state approval requirements before disturbing wetland vegetation or potential bird habitat.
  • Escalate any suspected nest or breeding behaviour before clearing proceeds.

Breeding habitat: Construction planning

Plan works to avoid unnecessary disturbance to connected wetlands and wet grassland. Even without breeding activity, loss of cover or wetland function can affect migrants using the site during the non-breeding season.

  • Retain wetland edge vegetation where practicable.
  • Keep clearing boundaries narrow and clearly marked.
  • Prevent access, storage and spoil placement in wetland margins.
  • Use seasonal survey results to refine the construction method.

Sheltering habitat: Roost and shelter features

Swinhoe’s Snipe uses cover associated with wetland edges and may roost in or near suitable wet habitat. Roost locations can be difficult to detect because the species is secretive and may remain concealed during the day.

Look for dense rushes and grasses around fresh or brackish wetlands, wet grassy ground, reedy swamp edges and sheltered freshwater margins. A project area can contain potential roosting habitat even when no bird is seen during a short inspection.

Protected Matters Search Tool assessments have identified roosting as likely or known within project areas or nearby buffers in some locations.

  • Dense, low or tussocky grass near water
  • Rush beds and reedy swamp margins
  • Sheltered wet ground with limited human access
  • Vegetated wetland edges connected to feeding areas

Sheltering habitat: High tide and daytime checks

For migratory shorebird assessments, inspect likely roosts as close to high tide as possible. Also inspect low tide feeding areas, because birds may move between feeding and roosting locations across the same connected wetland system.

  • Survey high tide roosts within two hours either side of high tide.
  • Survey foraging areas within two hours either side of low tide.
  • Record bird numbers, locations, weather, water level and human disturbance.
  • Check potential nocturnal roosting areas where safe and suitable.

Sheltering habitat: Roost protection on works sites

Protect roosts from direct clearing and from repeated disturbance. People, dogs, vehicles, machinery, lights and noise can cause birds to leave shelter or stop using an otherwise suitable area.

  • Establish practical buffers around identified roosts.
  • Keep dogs and domestic animals away from wetland habitat.
  • Direct lights inward towards the work area and shield lights facing habitat.
  • Schedule disruptive works outside peak non-breeding use where practicable.
  • Use barriers and clear signage to prevent accidental access.

Migration and seasonal presence: Seasonal presence in Australia

Swinhoe’s Snipe breeds in Siberia and moves south to Australia for the non-breeding season. It arrives in northern Australia in October, while the broader migratory shorebird season is generally October to March, with northward departure commonly occurring from March or April.

The species is recorded in Australia during the non-breeding season. Arrival in northern Australia is recorded in October. Species-specific departure and passage dates are not firmly defined, so project planning should use the broader migratory shorebird period unless local data support a narrower window.

General migratory shorebird information indicates that birds leave Australia in March or April and return in August or September. Most migratory shorebirds are commonly present from October to March.

  • Arrival in northern Australia: October
  • Main non-breeding period for planning: approximately October to March
  • Likely northward departure period for migratory shorebirds: March or April
  • Breeding destination: Siberia

Migration and seasonal presence: Passage periods

Migratory shorebirds move through Australia during northward and southward migration. For project surveys, include the main non-breeding period and consider additional coverage during the northern hemisphere breeding season, from mid-April to mid-August, to identify non-breeding or immature birds that remain in Australia.

  • Survey during the main October to March period.
  • Include northward and southward migration monitoring where a project may affect important habitat.
  • Consider one survey from mid-April to mid-August where local guidance requires it.

Migration and seasonal presence: Important habitat in Australia

For EPBC Act assessment, consider whether the site forms part of important habitat for migratory shorebirds. Useful thresholds include a site supporting 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.

Assess the whole connected area used by the population, not only the clearing footprint. This includes high tide roosts, low tide feeding areas and movement routes between them.

  • Map contiguous wetland, roost and feeding habitat.
  • Count all migratory shorebird species using the site.
  • Assess cumulative disturbance and habitat loss around the project.
  • Refer to EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 and the 2017 industry guidelines for avoiding, assessing and mitigating impacts on listed migratory shorebirds.

Migration and seasonal presence: Survey approach for project sites

Surveys should cover high tide roosts and low tide foraging areas. Use suitable vantage points, avoid periods of heavy rain or strong wind, and record disturbance as well as bird numbers.

A practical program should include at least two surveys in summer and around high tide, with broader migratory shorebird guidance commonly requiring four roost surveys and four foraging surveys during the main presence period. Local approval conditions or the relevant assessment guideline may require a different design.

  • Survey the full area of contiguous suitable habitat.
  • Use high tide counts for roosts and low tide counts for feeding areas.
  • Record species, abundance, locations, tide height, weather, observers and survey method.
  • Record people, dogs, vehicles, machinery, aircraft, boats, lighting and other disturbance.
  • Use December, January and February coverage where the project assessment follows the established regional survey approach.

Threats: Clearing and habitat loss

The main risks on development sites are loss of wetland edge habitat, disturbance of roosts and feeding areas, and changes to water or light conditions. Controls should protect both the vegetated wetland margin and the wider connected area used by shorebirds.

Removing rushes, grasses or wetland edge vegetation can reduce cover, feeding ground and roosting habitat. Clearing can also fragment the connection between feeding areas and sheltered roosts.

  • Keep clearing to the minimum area required.
  • Delineate approved clearing limits before work starts.
  • Retain connected wetland edges and dense cover where practicable.
  • Do not place spoil, equipment or compounds in wetland habitat.

Threats: Hydrology and water quality

Drainage changes, sediment, pollutants, toxic inflows, acid sulphate soils and altered water levels can degrade wetland habitat. Drying or flooding a wet margin can remove the conditions used by birds.

Manage erosion and sediment from roads, pads and stockpiles. Prevent contaminated water from entering wetlands, streams and swamps.

  • Maintain natural drainage where practicable.
  • Use sediment and erosion controls before earthworks begin.
  • Keep fuels, chemicals and concrete washout away from wetland margins.
  • Inspect wetland edges after heavy rain and major construction stages.

Threats: Disturbance and access

Repeated disturbance from people, dogs, vehicles, machinery, boats and aircraft can cause birds to abandon roosts or reduce feeding. Disturbance can be significant even where no vegetation is cleared.

Use buffers, barriers, signage and worker inductions to keep activity away from identified roosts and feeding areas.

  • Restrict access to mapped habitat.
  • Keep dogs and domestic animals out of wetland areas.
  • Avoid unnecessary vehicle and machinery movement near roosts.
  • Record disturbance during every fauna and shorebird survey.

Threats: Lighting, noise and cumulative effects

Artificial light, noise and night works can affect sheltered roosts and movement between feeding and resting areas. Nearby projects, recreation and ongoing port or industrial activity can add to the effect.

Direct lights inward, shield lights facing wetland habitat and use the lowest practicable output. Time high-noise or high-traffic works outside peak seasonal use where practicable.

  • Use sympathetic lighting near wetlands and roosts.
  • Avoid lighting directly across open water or wetland margins.
  • Plan disruptive works outside the main October to March period where feasible.
  • Consider cumulative habitat loss, disturbance and climate-related changes to wetland condition.
  • Seek ecological and regulatory advice if important habitat thresholds may be met.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Swinhoe’s Snipe is a poorly known, non-breeding migrant in Australia. Survey effort should focus on wet, grassy or reedy margins of freshwater and brackish wetlands, swamps, streams and paddy-field type habitat, rather than exposed beaches or open sand.

Confirm whether the site contains wetland edges, dense rushes, wet grass, reedy swamps, freshwater streams or other sheltered ground. Check nearby habitat within the same connected wetland or movement area, not only the clearing footprint.

Treat the main Australian non-breeding period as roughly October to March. The species breeds in Siberia, moves south for the non-breeding season and is reported in northern Australia from October. General migratory shorebird movements include departure from Australia in March or April and return from August or September, although Swinhoe’s Snipe specific passage dates are poorly known.

Australian range: Northern Australia, including the Top End, the Kimberley to Cape York Peninsula, and mapped records in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.

Potentially important habitat: A site supporting 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 may be important habitat under migratory shorebird guidance.

  • Map potential roosting, sheltering and foraging areas separately.
  • Check recent records, protected matters results, local wetland mapping and aerial imagery.
  • Assess whether works could affect a wider wetland complex, including areas outside the project boundary.

Survey methodology: 2. Field survey timing and effort

Survey during the main non-breeding period, approximately October to March, when most migratory shorebirds are present. Complete at least four roost surveys and four foraging surveys where a project may affect suitable habitat. A practical program commonly includes one survey in December, two in January and one in February, subject to local conditions.

Add at least one survey during the northern hemisphere breeding season, approximately mid-April to mid-August, to check for non-breeding or immature birds that remain in Australia.

Conduct roost surveys as close as practicable to high tide and within two hours either side of high tide. Conduct foraging surveys as close as practicable to low tide and within two hours either side of low tide.

General presence period: Most migratory shorebirds are commonly present in Australia from October to March.

Breeding range: Siberia and other northern hemisphere breeding areas are reported for this species.

  • Use at least two suitable summer survey events where a smaller preliminary assessment is being undertaken, then increase effort to the full four roost and four foraging surveys where suitable habitat or potential impact remains.
  • Survey the full area of contiguous habitat that could be used by the same population.
  • Do not survey during high rainfall, high winds or active works that are disturbing birds.
  • Use fixed vantage points, binoculars and a spotting scope where distance prevents reliable identification.

Survey methodology: 3. Detection and observation method

Search wet grassy ground and dense rushes or grasses around freshwater and brackish wetland edges. Check sheltered margins, swamp edges and reedy areas before searching exposed ground.

Approach quietly and use distant vantage points. Avoid walking through likely roost or shelter areas before birds have been counted. Record birds that flush, as well as birds that remain concealed.

Repeat observations from the same vantage points where possible. Record whether birds are using the site for roosting, foraging, shelter or movement.

  • Scan with the naked eye, binoculars and a spotting scope where required.
  • Count birds without double counting individuals moving between adjoining wetland areas.
  • Record nocturnal roosting potential where access and safety allow, without entering the roost.
  • Record disturbance from people, dogs, vehicles, machinery, boats, lights and noise.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey records and interpretation

Record the date, start and finish time, tide height and phase where relevant, weather, wind, rainfall, observers and survey method. Record total abundance, species richness, species abundance and the location of all roosting and foraging areas.

Map the project footprint, habitat boundaries, bird locations, flight paths, disturbance sources and any areas that could not be surveyed. Explain survey limitations and confidence in the result.

  • Photograph habitat and observation points where this can be done without disturbing birds.
  • Record whether habitat is freshwater, brackish, wet grassland, rushland, reedland, swamp or another type.
  • Use the results to identify important habitat and to set site-specific buffers and work controls.
  • Report any concentration of migratory shorebirds to the project ecologist and relevant regulator.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and regulatory checks

Plan the work around the wetland and the birds that use it. Avoid habitat loss first, then control disturbance, lighting, noise, machinery and access where avoidance is not possible.

Screen the action under the EPBC Act before clearing, construction or wetland modification. Refer the action if it is likely to have a significant impact on Swinhoe’s Snipe or other listed migratory species.

In Queensland, treat Swinhoe’s Snipe as a special least concern animal because it is a least concern bird covered by JAMBA, CAMBA, ROKAMBA or the Bonn Convention. Obtain a high risk species management plan before tampering with a breeding place, if an active breeding place is identified.

Check state or territory wildlife legislation and obtain any required fauna survey, handling, relocation, scientific, clearing or rehabilitation permits. Confirm the authority of each fauna spotter catcher before work starts.

  • Keep EPBC assessment records, approvals, conditions and referral decisions on site.
  • Confirm whether local wetland, waterway, clearing, planning or environmental approvals apply.
  • Do not rely on the absence of a threatened category to remove migratory species obligations.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and work timing

Retain wetland edges, dense rushes, wet grass, reed beds and sheltered swamp margins wherever practicable. Redesign access, laydown, drainage and stockpile areas to avoid these habitats.

Schedule habitat removal and high-noise works outside the main non-breeding period where practicable. If work must occur from October to March, use the survey results to avoid occupied habitat and periods of highest local use.

Swinhoe’s Snipe is not known from the Australian breeding population described for this profile, but treat any suspected active breeding place as protected until assessed by the project ecologist.

  • Avoid changing wetland hydrology, water quality or drainage.
  • Avoid works during periods when birds are concentrated at roosts or feeding areas.
  • Use the lowest practicable lighting output and direct lights away from wetlands and roosts.
  • Set buffers around occupied habitat and roosts using a qualified ecologist. Increase the buffer if birds flush, change behaviour or repeatedly leave the area.

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

Complete a pre-clearance inspection shortly before works begin. Inspect wetland margins, rushes, wet grass, reedy swamps, access tracks, laydown areas and any proposed drainage or fill areas.

Have the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist mark no-go areas, habitat buffers, access routes and fauna handling points. Do not clear an area until the inspection findings and controls are documented.

  • Use temporary fencing, bunting or other visible barriers to protect retained habitat.
  • Place exclusion zones far enough from roosts and shelter areas to prevent flushing and repeated disturbance.
  • Check exclusion fencing after rain, flooding, vehicle movements and maintenance works.
  • Stop and reassess if birds are found in the work area or if the work changes the approved footprint.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Crew induction and readiness

Brief all workers, contractors, drivers and visitors before they enter the site. Explain the species’ appearance may be difficult to confirm and that any flushed or concealed snipe must be reported.

Give the crew a clear stop-work contact. Keep the fauna authority, approvals, maps, permits, first aid supplies and wildlife transport arrangements available.

  • Prohibit dogs and other domestic animals from the work area.
  • Keep vehicles and machinery on approved routes.
  • Prevent litter, fuel spills, toxic inflows, weed spread and uncontrolled access to wetland habitat.
  • Tell workers not to chase, catch, feed or handle a bird.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing and active supervision

Use a slow, staged approach and keep the fauna spotter catcher in control of fauna decisions. The spotter catcher can stop work whenever an animal, roost, breeding place or unexpected habitat value is encountered.

Clear only the approved area and work progressively from the already disturbed edge toward retained habitat. Give birds an opportunity to move away without driving them into roads, machinery or unsuitable habitat.

Use low-speed machinery and pause regularly for visual checks. Keep the spotter catcher positioned where they can see the active work face, nearby wetland edges and escape routes.

  • Clear vegetation in small stages rather than opening the whole area at once.
  • Maintain marked buffers and no-go areas throughout the shift.
  • Stop work before entering dense rushes, wet grass or reedy habitat that has not been checked.
  • Keep machinery, lights and noise away from occupied roosts and shelter areas.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Fauna handling and unexpected finds

Only authorised and appropriately permitted people may catch, handle, contain or relocate fauna. Do not attempt to catch a Swinhoe’s Snipe unless the fauna authority has assessed that handling is necessary and lawful.

If a bird is found, stop nearby work, keep people and machinery back, and allow the fauna authority to assess whether it can leave unaided. Do not pursue a bird into water, dense vegetation or adjoining habitat.

  • Record the location and condition of the animal before any handling.
  • Use a suitable ventilated container only when directed by the fauna authority.
  • Keep the container quiet, shaded and secure, and minimise holding time.
  • Release a fit animal only at an approved nearby location with suitable wetland cover and no immediate work pressure.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active breeding places, roosts and concentrations

Stop work if an active breeding place, concentrated roost, repeated shelter site or group of migratory shorebirds is found. Protect the area while the project ecologist confirms the species, activity, boundary and required approvals.

Do not remove vegetation, eggs, young, nests or other breeding material. Do not enter or relocate a roost unless specifically authorised and supported by the relevant approval.

  • Extend the exclusion area if birds show alarm, repeated flushing or abandonment of the site.
  • Notify the superintendent, environmental manager and regulator where required by approval conditions.
  • Reassess the work method, timing, lighting, noise and access before restarting.
  • Document the decision and the person who authorised recommencement.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals and incident records

Treat an injured bird as wildlife requiring professional assessment. Keep people, dogs and machinery away, and contact the fauna authority or licensed wildlife carer. Do not provide food or water unless directed.

Record all fauna interactions, including sightings, flushes, captures, relocations, injuries, deaths, breeding places, roosts, work stoppages and complaints.

  • Record the date, time, location, species, condition, likely cause, action taken and outcome.
  • Photograph the site and hazards where this can be done safely and without further disturbance.
  • Report deaths, serious injury, unauthorised clearing and approval breaches through the project incident system.
  • Preserve relevant equipment, photographs and location data for any investigation.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Do not close out the fauna component when machinery leaves. Confirm that retained habitat, buffers and drainage controls remain intact, then review whether birds continue to use nearby habitat.

Inspect the completed clearing area, retained wetland margins, exclusion fencing, access routes and drainage controls. Check for trapped fauna, open pits, unstable edges, damaged buffers, sediment movement, spills and new disturbance.

Complete the inspection after each clearing stage and again before demobilisation. Arrange additional checks after heavy rain, flooding or major changes to the work area.

  • Check that no vegetation has been cleared outside the approved footprint.
  • Remove or modify fauna hazards such as open trenches, unsecured pipes and uncovered pits.
  • Repair damaged fencing and reinstate no-go markers.
  • Confirm that lighting is directed away from retained wetland habitat.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and compliance close-out

Prepare a fauna report that links survey results, daily records, incidents, approvals, maps, photographs and rehabilitation actions. State whether Swinhoe’s Snipe or other migratory shorebirds were detected and how habitat was used.

Report in accordance with EPBC approval conditions, state permits, the species management plan and the project environmental management system.

  • Provide mapped locations of retained habitat, roosts, foraging areas, buffers and any relocated animals.
  • List all stop-work events and explain the control used before work resumed.
  • Record the number of surveys, tide conditions, weather, observers and survey limitations.
  • Escalate any unexpected concentration of birds or suspected important habitat for ecological and regulatory review.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and relocated animals

Monitor retained wetland edges and nearby roosting or foraging habitat where the project could cause ongoing disturbance. Use repeat observations from the same vantage points and compare abundance, behaviour and habitat condition over time.

Check relocated animals in accordance with the permit and fauna management plan. Confirm the release location, condition at release and any follow-up outcome.

  • Monitor during the main non-breeding period, approximately October to March, where ongoing impacts are possible.
  • Repeat high tide roost and low tide foraging observations when the impact assessment identifies a risk to those areas.
  • Record changes in bird numbers, habitat use, disturbance, water conditions, weeds, lighting and noise.
  • Stop or modify works if monitoring shows repeated flushing, abandonment of habitat or declining site use linked to the project.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review and adaptive management

Review every fauna incident with the spotter catcher, ecologist, supervisor and contractor involved. Identify whether the cause was habitat loss, poor visibility, inadequate exclusion, lighting, noise, access or a change in site conditions.

Update the work method and induction before the next clearing stage. Keep the revised controls with the approval and environmental management records.

  • Increase buffers or reduce work hours where disturbance continues.
  • Move lights, shield them or reduce output where birds are attracted or displaced.
  • Repair erosion, sediment releases, drainage changes and other wetland impacts promptly.
  • Close the action only when the ecologist confirms that the corrective measure is effective.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore wetland habitat

Rehabilitation should restore the wetland functions used by Swinhoe’s Snipe, not just replace vegetation cover. Focus on wet, sheltered ground, healthy rush and grass margins, suitable water conditions and low disturbance.

Reinstate wetland edges, wet grassland, rushes and reeds where they were removed or damaged. Match the local wetland form, substrate, water regime and native vegetation structure.

Restore natural drainage and shallow wet areas without creating erosion, stagnant pollution or sudden changes in water levels.

  • Use local native seed or plant material that suits the wetland.
  • Retain natural depressions and sheltered margins where safe to do so.
  • Stabilise exposed soil and control sediment before it reaches water.
  • Do not convert wetland margins to bare tracks, mown grass or ornamental plantings.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Control weeds and protect water quality

Control weeds before they dominate rush, grass and reed habitat. Use methods that do not contaminate water or disturb occupied roosting and shelter areas.

Manage fuel, chemicals, wastewater, litter and sediment so that runoff does not enter freshwater or brackish wetlands.

  • Inspect rehabilitation areas regularly for weeds and erosion.
  • Remove invasive plants before seed set where practicable.
  • Keep machinery, refuelling and chemical storage away from wetland margins.
  • Repair spills and report water quality incidents immediately.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Lighting, access and disturbance management

Design the finished site to keep people, dogs, vehicles, machinery and night lighting away from retained wetland habitat. Maintain quiet areas where birds can shelter and roost.

Use screening, directional fittings and the lowest practicable light output. Direct lights inward toward the facility and away from wetlands, roosts and movement routes.

  • Retain or install barriers that prevent unauthorised vehicle access.
  • Use signs and induction material to explain wetland and migratory bird values.
  • Keep maintenance routes narrow and clearly defined.
  • Review lighting after dark and adjust fittings if light reaches retained habitat.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Breeding and roost structures

Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes or artificial nest structures for Swinhoe’s Snipe. This species uses open wetland margins and ground-level cover, and replacement boxes are not suitable for its known Australian habitat.

Where a project affects a confirmed roost, obtain site-specific ecological advice before considering any replacement roost structure. Prioritise protection and restoration of natural wetland margins.

  • Restore dense rushes, grasses and reeds around suitable wetland edges.
  • Retain undisturbed ground cover and avoid creating isolated habitat patches.
  • Do not place artificial structures in a wetland unless they have been designed and approved for a demonstrated local need.
  • Monitor whether restored habitat is wet, sheltered and usable during the non-breeding season.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long-term monitoring

Set monitoring objectives around habitat condition, water regime, bird use and disturbance. Use repeat surveys from suitable vantage points and maintain consistent methods across years.

Continue monitoring through the main non-breeding period where the project has removed, altered or restored potential habitat.

  • Record vegetation cover, weed abundance, water condition, erosion, lighting and human access.
  • Undertake high tide roost and low tide foraging checks where those habitats are present.
  • Compare results with pre-work survey records and reference areas where available.
  • Modify rehabilitation if wetland habitat does not establish or if bird use declines because of project-related disturbance.

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