Briefing note on beach nesting shorebirds - Northern and Yorke ...

<strong>Briefing</strong> <strong>note</strong> on beach nesting shorebirds
Yorke Peninsula
Natural Resource Management Group
Deborah Furbank, DENR Community Liaison Officer, Yorke District
August 2010

Introduction
The beaches on the Yorke Peninsula provide important nesting habitat for several species of
resident beach nesting shorebirds. The Hooded Plover, the Sooty Oystercatcher, the Pied
Oystercatcher and the Red-capped Plover lay their eggs in the sand, above the high tide mark.
Beach nesting shorebirds are in danger of becoming extinct as co-existing with humans threatens
their ability to breed successfully.
Beach nesting birds are very sensitive to changes in their environment. With over 80% of
Australians living within 50km of the coast, humans have upset the natural balance through the
destruction and modification of habitat. Construction of marinas, coastal stabilisation projects and
vehicle access to the beach can all have a detrimental effect on successful breeding. Beach
nesting birds prefer a sand dune which is sparsely vegetated with native grasses as a nesting site.
Erosion and erosion control methods such as Marram grass effect habitats suitable for nesting.
Beach nesting birds lay their eggs on the beach or in the dunes, close to their food source, from late
spring and into summer, at the time when beach visitation is at its highest. The eggs are speckled
and blend in with the shallow nest of grainy sand. This camouflage gives the eggs protection
against native predators. It also means they are hard to see for humans who can accidentally step
on, or drive over them.
Many species of beach nesting birds have experienced population declines. Monitoring programs
are being undertaken across Australia to determine the status of beach nesting birds and the
effectiveness of management regimes. On the Yorke Peninsula volunteers take part in the
Shorebirds 2020 program which includes the monitoring of beach nesting birds. Hooded Plover
surveys occur over the Yorke Peninsula, as part of nation wide surveys coordinated by Birds
Australia, every second year.
Hooded Plover
Description: The Hooded Plover is a
medium sized bird measuring 19-23 cm in
length and approximately 10cm in height.
Both sexes have a black hood, a white collar
across the back of the neck, with a black
band underneath the collar and around the
bird’s shoulders. It has brownish-grey
upperparts and white underparts. Its bill is
red with a black tip, it has red rings around
its eyes and orange–pink legs.
Yorke Peninsula beach nesting shorebirds
Hooded Plovers (Glenn Ehmke)

Habitat: Hooded Plovers prefer wide, flat sandy beaches with oceans that cast seaweed onto the shore.
They like sparsely vegetated sand dunes for shelter and nesting. They can also be found on estuaries,
tidal bays, rock platforms and rocky reefs near sandy beaches.
Diet: Crustaceans, insects, polychaetes (marine worms), molluscs, turions (aquatic buds) and seeds.
Hooded Plovers feed in a run stop peck manner.
Breeding: Breeding season occurs in South Australia from August to April. Hooded plovers breed in
single pairs. 2-3 eggs are laid in a shallow nest in the sand above the high tide mark. Both parents
incubate for approximately four weeks. The chicks fledge after 33-36 days.
Status: The Hooded Plover is listed as vulnerable in South Australia and on the Yorke Peninsula
(National Parks and Wildlife Act). In South Australia the population is estimated at 320-540 birds.
Pied Oystercatcher
Description: The Pied Oystercatcher is a large bird measuring 42-50cm long with a wing span of up to
95cm. It has black upperparts and white underparts with a long orange-red bill and pink legs and feet.
The sexes are similar but the female is slightly larger than the male with a slightly longer and more
slender bill.
Habitat: Pied Oystercatchers can be found on sandy stony or rocky estuaries, inlets and beaches,
preferring intertidal mudflats and sandbanks in large marine bays. They also occur on spits, sand bars
and on coastal islands.
Diet: Molluscs, worms and crabs.
Breeding: Breeding occurs from September to January in southern Australia. Pied Oystercatchers nest
in a scrape in sand, shingle or shell grit. The nest can be found on the beach, on sand dunes, on sandbars,
in an estuary or amongst vegetation. The nest is often lined with shells, seaweed, seagrass or other
vegetation. Pairs have a nesting territory which
they will return to every year. Both parents
incubate and feed the young. Incubation takes
26- 29 days with a clutch size of 1-3 eggs. The
chicks fledge at 7-8 weeks of age.
Status: The Pied Oystercatcher is listed as rare
in South Australia (National Parks and Wildlife
Act). On the Yorke Peninsula it is listed as near
threatened (Gillam and Urban, 2008).
Pied Oystercatcher (Glenn Ehmke)

Sooty Oystercatcher
Description: The Sooty Oystercatcher is a large black bird measuring 40-52 cm in length, with a wing
span of up to 100cm. It has a long red bill, a red ring around its eyes and pink legs. Both sexes are
similar although the female has a longer more slender bill.
Habitat: The Sooty Oystercatcher is a coastal bird and is usually found within 50m of the ocean. It
prefers rocky shores but it can sometimes be seen on coral reefs or sandy beaches near estuarine
mudflats.
Diet: Molluscs, crustaceans, polychaetes (marine worms), ascidians (sea squirts), echinoderms (sea
urchins, sea stars etc.) and small fish.
Breeding: Breeding season is from October to January in southern Australia. The Sooty Oystercatcher
breeds on offshore islands and isolated rocky headlands. The young are independent 100-200 days after
hatching. They nest above the high tide mark, in
a scrape on sand, gravel, shingle or rocks. The
nest may be lined with pebbles, shells,
seaweed, seagrass, samphire or other
vegetation. The clutch consists of 1-3 eggs. Both
parents incubate and feed the chicks.
Status: The Sooty Oystercatcher is listed as
rare in South Australia (National Parks and
Wildlife Act). On the Yorke Peninsula it is also
listed as rare (Gillam and Urban 2008).
Sooty Oystercatcher (Glenn Ehmke)
Red-capped Plover
Description: The Red-capped Plover is a small
grey-brown and white bird measuring 14-16cm
in length. The adult male has a chestnut-red
crown and nape with a grey mantle. It has a
black band running from the nape to the sides of
the breast and black lines from the bill past the
eye. The female has duller plumage and is
missing the black markings of the male. Both
sexes have a fine bill and white underparts.
Young birds are similar but paler than the adults.
Red Capped Plover (Laura Glenister)

Habitat: The majority of Red-capped Plovers occur inland around salt lakes with sparse vegetation.
They can also occur in bays, inlets, estuaries, river deltas and lagoons, saltpans saltmarsh and beaches
backed by dunes or banks of sand.
Diet: Annelids (worms), molluscs, small crustaceans and some vegetation.
Breeding: Breeding season for the Red-capped Plover occurs between July and January in southern
Australia and sometimes until as late as March. They nest on the ground in sand, shell grit, mud or stony
areas. This occurs on beaches, dunes, sand spits and salt lakes. The nest may be lined with shells,
stones, grass, salt bush, seaweed, twigs, feathers or sheep dung. The clutch consists of 1-3 eggs which
have an incubation period of 30-31 days. The female does most of the incubation but both parents
defend the nest and young.
Status: The Red-capped Plover is listed as rare on the southern Yorke Peninsula but is listed of least
concern in the St Vincent region, further up the peninsula (Gillam and Urban 2008).
Other Beach-nesters
There are other bird species that may nest on the beaches of the Yorke Peninsula. The Masked Lapwing
may occasionally nest on the beach but is more likely to nest inland. Terns are a group of birds that nest
on beaches, but mostly occur in colonies, even when breeding. This makes them less vulnerable to
human impact than the resident shorebirds previously mentioned and requires different management
techniques. All of the tern species that nest on Australian beaches are listed as of Least Concern
according to the IUCN Red List (2008).
Human impact on beach nesting shorebirds
Many threats impact the success rate of breeding for beach nesting shorebirds either directly or indirectly.
In the 2008 Hooded Plover biennial count, Point Turton, Daly Heads, Port Germein and Cape Elizabeth
recorded high threat scores.
Vehicles
Off road vehicles make survival hard for beach nesting birds which require undisturbed beaches for
successful breeding. Vehicles have the ability to access remote areas that were previously inaccessible
and undisturbed. 4WDs, trail bikes and quad bikes have the potential to impact heavily on the population
of beach nesting shore birds. Incubating adults can be disturbed from the nest, this has the potential to
cause nest failure especially if the temperature is above 30°C. Foraging chicks can be disturbed from
feeding. If the tiny chicks are using their energy to run and hide from vehicles and are unable to feed this
can lead to starvation. Eggs can be destroyed by vehicles travelling in sand dunes or above the high tide
mark.
Management options:
• Bollards and fencing to prevent vehicle access to beaches.
• Signage indicating nesting sites.
• Chick shelters offering a hiding place from approaching vehicles (but little protection).
• Site closures during breeding season.
• Regulations or policy changes relating to beach driving.
• Educational programs.

Introduced predators
Foxes, cats and rats are predators of beach nesting shore birds and their eggs.
Management options:
• Baiting, but this has a risk of off target impact on non target animals such as domestic dogs.
• Trapping, spotlight shooting and den destruction.
• Policy enforcing cats to be kept indoors at night.
Recreational activities
Humans using the beach or sand dunes for recreational activities during breeding season are likely to
disturb incubating birds or foraging chicks. This can cause breeding failure or starvation of the chicks.
The majority of humans travel along the hard wet sand where they are less likely to impact nesting birds.
Those who travel above the high tide mark or through the dunes risk crushing eggs or chicks.
When the tide is high horse riding often occurs above the high tide mark. Horses can crush eggs and
chicks and also injure or kill adult birds. Horse riding can also disturb incubating birds and feeding chicks.
Riding through the dunes can cause heavy erosion.
When accompanied by a dog, people have a greater impact on beach nesting shorebirds, especially if
the dog is unleashed. Birds are more easily frightened off the nest by dogs. Dogs can destroy nesting
sites, crush eggs and chase and kill chicks and adult birds.
Management options:
• Signage directing beach goers and their animals away from nesting sites.
• Fences, permanent or temporary designed to reduce erosion and the risk of eggs or chicks getting
crushed.
• Site closures during breeding season.
• Site wardens can be used in busy periods to reinforce messages on signage.
• Educational programs and materials raising public awareness.
• Keep dogs leashed in breeding areas.
• Provide chick shelters so chicks can hide from approaching dogs.
Introduced plants
Weeds such as Sea Spurge can alter dunes and beaches, limiting available nesting sites for beach
nesting shorebirds. The use of dune stabilising grasses, such as marram grass, changes the shape of
sand dunes and limits the amount of unvegetated area above the high tide line. This limits where nests
can be built and has the potential to harbour predators.
Management options:
• Weed control.
• Use alternative methods of dune stabilisation such as brush laying, but only on the upper dune. Make
sure bare sand is available on lower dune for nesting. Use native grasses instead of introduced ones.
• Create bare patches of sand amongst dune vegetation.

Monitoring beach nesting shorebirds
Monitoring provides information on beach nesting bird
numbers, whether they are increasing or decreasing,
why they are threatened and how we can implement
management regimes to help them. It gives coastal
communities an opportunity to engage in beach
nesting shorebird conservation which in turn indicates
to the community the health of their coastal
environment.
Since 1996 biennial Hooded Plover surveys have
been occurring on the Yorke Peninsula. In 1996 and
1998, 400km of coastline was surveyed with 141 then
182 plovers recorded. In recent years far less
coastline has been surveyed due to the unavailability
of volunteers on the Yorke Peninsula. With limited
resources the focus has been on high energy sandy
beaches which are the favoured habitat of the
Hooded Plover. Pied Oystercatcher and Sooty
Oystercatcher sightings are also recorded during the
Hooded Plover count.
The next biennial Hooded Plover count in South
Australia will occur on the 13 th and 14 th of November
2010. Glen Ewers from Birds Australia will be
coordinating the count on the Yorke Peninsula.
Community members interested in volunteering can
contact him on: g.ewers@birdsaustralia.com.au
Shorebird 2020 is a nationwide program that monitors
all shore birds, including migratory birds. The key aim
of the program is to collect data on the numbers of
shorebirds in order to better manage and conserve
these birds. Whilst the main focus is on migratory
birds, beach nesting birds are also surveyed as part
of this program.
Source: Birds Australia
Shorebirds 2020 is a collaborative project between Birds Australia, The Australasian Wader Studies
Group, the World Wildlife Fund and the Natural Heritage Trust. If members of the community are
interested in taking part in the survey which occurs in between January and February they can find the
contact person for their area on the Shorebirds 2020 website at : http://shorebirds.org.au/pdfs/Nationalsite-contacts-list.pdf

Bibliography
Baker-Gabb, D. and Weston, M. (2006). South Australian Recovery Plan for the Hooded Plover Thinornis
rubicollis.
Campbell, C, Cullen, M, Thomas, J. and Maguire, G. (Nov 2008) Biennial Hooded Plover Count Report,
Birds Australia.
Department for Environment and Heritage (Jan 2007). Hoods on the Beach, Hooded Plover Newsletter,
South Australia.
Gillam, S. and Urban, R. (2008) Species Risk Assessment Pilot Project Phase 1 Report: Regional Species
Conservation Assessments - Species status ratings and trends for the Northern and Yorke Natural
Resource Management Group Regions, Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia.
Maguire, G.S. (2008). A practical guide for managing beach-nesting birds in Australia. Birds Australia,
Melbourne.
Birds Australia: Beach Nesting Birds. Website accessed Aug 2010:
http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/our-projects/beach-nesting-birds.html
Birds Australia: Hooded Plover. Website accessed Aug 2010:
http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/our-projects/hooded-plover.html
Shorebirds 2020 (2009): Shorebird Conservation. Website accessed Aug 2010:
http://www.shorebirds.org.au/