Download Hooded Plover (eastern) - Australia`s Threatened Birds

Subspecies Conservation Summary
Hooded Plover (eastern)
Thinornis rubricollis rubricollis (Gmelin, 1789)
Charadriidae
Conservation status
Vulnerable C1+2a(ii)
Reasons for listing
Population <10 000 individuals in a single subpopulation with an estimated ongoing decline of 10–20% in 3
generations (39 years)
Status 2000
Vulnerable C1+2a(ii)
Status 1990
Vulnerable C1+2a(ii)
Taxonomy
T. r. tregellasi (Western Australia) is also Vulnerable, as is
the species
Taxonomic uniqueness: high (11 genera/family, 2
species/genus, 2 subspecies/species)
Range
Occurs along coasts of south-east Australia from Jervis
Bay in New South Wales, perhaps historically north to
Queensland, to Fowlers Bay in South Australia and including Tasmania, Kangaroo I., King I., Flinders I. and other
nearby islands (Cameron and Weston 1999; Barrett et al.
2003). Some individuals move to traditional aggregation
sites during non-breeding season (Weston et al. 2009).
Abundance
The population is estimated as 3000 mature individuals,
based on counts of 40 in NSW, c.405 in Victoria and
636–800 in SA in 2008 (Birds Australia 2008; Mooney et
al. 2009), and 600 pairs in Tas, Flinders and King Is. in
2010–2011 (E. J. Woehler in litt.). Calculated population
declines include 12% across Vic from 2000–2008, and
33% from 600 to 400 from 1980–2008 (Birds Australia
2008); 13% between comprehensive surveys across Vic in
1988 and 1992, but statistically non-significant overall
decline 1980–1992 (Weston 1993); 58% on Phillip I. from
1981–1997 (Baird and Dann 2003); c.20% across Tas.
from 1982–2006 (Woehler and Park 1997; Bryant 2002)
E. J. Woehler in litt.); 25% on Kangaroo I. from 1985–
2004 (Dennis and Masters 2006); and 55% across NSW
from 1988–2008 (Birds Australia 2008; NSW Scientific
Committee 2008). The declines in NSW and Kangaroo I.
may be biased towards heavily-disturbed beaches.
Though largely secure on small islands, it is likely to continue declining wherever appropriate beach management
is lacking (Weston 1993). The overall rate of decline is
estimated here to be 10–20% in 3 generations (39 years).
Ecology
Hooded Plovers live on ocean beaches, particularly wide
beaches backed by dunes with large amounts of beach-
washed seaweed, and creek mouths or inlet entrances
(Weston 2003), and feed on polychaetes, molluscs,
turions, crustaceans and seeds (Marchant and Higgins
1993). Hooded Plovers are highly dispersed nesters with
relatively large territory sizes (37 ha) to which they are
highly site faithful (Weston et al. 2009). A generation
time of 12.9 years is derived from an age at first breeding
of 1.7 years (Baird and Dann 2003) and an annual survival of adults of 90.7% (Weston 2003).
Threats
The principal threats are disturbance to incubating birds,
crushing or disturbance of eggs and chicks by people and
vehicles, or predation by dogs, cats Felis catus, rats Rattus
spp. and, on the Australian mainland, foxes Vulpes vulpes
(Hanisch 1998; Baird and Dann 2003; Weston 2003).
Increased human activity also increases numbers of
native scavengers and predators such as Silver Gulls
Larus novaehollandiae, ravens Corvus spp. and currawongs Strepera spp. (Weston 2003; Burke et al. 2004).
Up to 81% of nests and 30% of chicks in the Coorong
would have been crushed by off-road vehicles (Buick
and Paton 1989), and over 30% of nests were trampled
by dogs or people at Mornington before controls were
introduced (Dowling and Weston 1999). Of 1510 disturbances which could reduce chick foraging and brooding, 81% were from people, 21% dogs and 16% birds,
mostly raptors and gulls (Weston and Elgar 2005).
Breeding success is also reduced by wandering livestock
and beach erosion management which reduces the availability of bare nest sites (Weston 2003). Breeding success
is improved by minimising disturbance by people and
dogs such as temporary beach closures (Dowling and
Weston 1999; Weston et al. 2011), and erecting chick
shelters as refugia (Baird and Dann 1999; Maguire 2008;
Maguire et al. 2010). In Vic, protected nests (signs and
fencing) have a significantly greater chance of hatching
than unprotected nests (51% vs. 42%; G. Maguire in
litt.). Furthermore, protected nests on heavily used
beaches are significantly more likely to fledge young
© Birds Australia 2011
Published by CSIRO Publishing, http://www.publish.csiro.au/
Citation: Garnett ST, Szabo JK, Dutson G (2011) The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
Current eligibility against IUCN Red List Criteria
IUCN
category
A
Criteria eligibility
Near Threatened: past, current and anticipated
population declines of 20–29% in 3 generations (39
years) observed directly and estimated and projected
from decline in AOO, habitat quality and effects of
introduced taxa
B
Not applicable: >10 locations, not severely fragmented,
population fluctuations not extreme
C
Vulnerable: population 2500–10 000 mature
individuals, estimated continuing decline between 10%
in 3 generations and 20% in 2 generations, 100% in 1
subpopulation
D
Not applicable: population >1000 mature individuals,
>5 locations
E
Not applicable: no population viability analysis
undertaken
IUCN Red List assessment data
Estimate
Reliability
Extent of occurrence
trend
7900 km2
stable
high
high
Area of occupancy
trend
3600 km2
decreasing
high
high
No. of mature individuals
trend
3000
decreasing
medium
high
No. subpopulations
No. locations
Generation time
Global population share
1
high
>10
high
12.9 years
medium
100%
high
than unprotected nests (38% versus 5% probability of
fledging young, n=342 nests), and this is an equivalent
fledging rate to remote and isolated beaches (G. Maguire
in litt.).
Bibliography
Conservation objectives
1. Stable numbers of birds recorded in standardised
surveys, especially a stable number of occupied
breeding territories
2. Improved breeding success at monitored nests
Barrett G, Silcocks A, Barry S, Cunningham R, Poulter R (2003)
The New Atlas of Australian Birds. Royal Australian Ornithologists Union, Hawthorn East.
Information required
1. Demographic trends including population size,
breeding success and growth rate
2. Levels of nest and chick predation and overall
breeding success, in areas with and without predator
control programs
3. Habitat availability and risk of habitat loss due to
weed invasion, rising sea levels and dune morphology
changes
4. Relative impacts of different threats so that a threat
index can be formulated and beaches ranked and
prioritised for management
Management actions required
1. Manage, and in some cases discourage and actively
police, the use of key beaches for recreation, and
consider bans on vehicle access, horse riding and dog
walking in the breeding season
2. Where necessary reduce predation by cats and foxes
3. Investigate predator control options for native
predators such as ravens, Silver Gulls and kestrels
4. Advocate for suitable coastal planning and erosion
control activities
5. Adequately fence livestock from key breeding
beaches
6. Seek consistency in coastal policy and legislation for
species protection
7. Trial recovery of habitat degraded by Marram Grass
8. Carry out a Population Viability Analysis to set
breeding success targets for recovery programs
9. Engage the public in research, monitoring,
management and advocacy
Baird B, Dann P (2003) The breeding biology of Hooded Plovers, Thinornis rubricollis, on Phillip Island, Victoria. Emu
103, 323–328.
Birds Australia (2008) ‘November 2008 biennial Hooded Plover
count’. Unpublished report. Birds Australia, Melbourne.
Retrieved 6 March, 2011 from <http://www.birdsaustralia.
com.au/images/stories/current-projects/bnb/Biennial_
Report2008.pdf>.
Bryant S (2002) ‘Conservation assessment of beach nesting and
migratory shorebirds in Tasmania. Report to Birds Australia
and Natural Heritage Trust’. Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Hobart.
Buick AM, Paton DC (1989) Impact of off-road vehicles on the
nesting success of Hooded Plovers Charadrius rubricollis in
the Coorong region of South Australia. Emu 89, 159–172.
Burke P, Burke AJ, Weston MA (2004) Silver Gull preys upon
Hooded Plover chick. Wader Study Group Bulletin 103,
76–77.
Cameron D, Weston MA (1999) The Hooded Plover: first confirmed record in Queensland, the longest movement yet
recorded, and a discussion of the range contraction in eastern Australia. Australian Bird Watcher 18, 8–18.
Dennis TE, Masters P (2006) Long-term trends in the Hooded
Plover Thinornis rubricollis population on Kangaroo Island,
South Australia. South Australian Ornithologist 34,
258–266.
Dowling B, Weston MA (1999) Managing a breeding population of the Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis in a high-use
recreational environment. Bird Conservation International
9, 255–270.
Hanisch DR (1998) The effect of human disturbance on the
reproductive performance of the Hooded Plover, Thinornis
rubricollis, in the south-east of Tasmania. Honours thesis,
University of Tasmania.
Maguire GS, Duivenvoorden AK, Weston MA, Adams R (2010)
‘Provision of artificial shelter on beaches is associated with
improved shorebird fledging success’. Bird Conservation
International online early publication.
© Birds Australia 2011
Published by CSIRO Publishing, http://www.publish.csiro.au/
Citation: Garnett ST, Szabo JK, Dutson G (2011) The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
Maguire GS (2008) ‘A practical guide to managing beach-nesting birds in Australia’. Birds Australia report. Retrieved 16
March, 2011 from <http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/ourprojects/management-resources.html>.
Maguire GS, Cullen M, Ehmke GC and Purnell C (2010) ‘Supplement to a practical guide to managing beach-nesting
birds in Australia’. Birds Australia report. Retrieved 16
March, 2011 from <http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/ourprojects/management-resources.html>.
Weston MA (1993) Twelve years of counting the Hooded Plover
in Victoria, Australia. Stilt 23, 15–19.
Weston MA (2003) ‘Managing the Hooded Plover in Victoria: a
review of existing information’. Parks Victoria Technical
Series 4. Parks Victoria, Melbourne.
Weston MA, Ehmke GC, Maguire GS (2009) Manage one beach
or two? Movements and space-use of the threatened hooded
plover (Thinornis rubricollis) in south-eastern Australia.
Wildlife Research 36, 289–298.
Marchant S, Higgins PJ (Eds) (1993) Handbook of Australian,
New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 2: Raptors to Lapwings. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Weston MA, Ehmke GC, Maguire GS (2011) Nest return times
in response to static versus mobile human disturbance.
Journal of Wildlife Management 75, 252–255.
Mooney T, Baxter C, Achurch H, Berris M, Male D (2009)
‘Hooded Plover breeding study: Kangaroo Island 2007–
2009’. Unpublished report. Department for Environment
and Heritage, South Australia.
Weston MA, Elgar MA (2005) Disturbance to brood-rearing
Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis: responses and consequences. Bird Conservation International 15, 193–209.
NSW Scientific Committee (2008) ‘Hooded Plover Thinornis
rubricollis. Review of current information in NSW’. Unpublished report arising from the Review of the Schedules of the
Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. NSW Scientific
Committee, Hurstville. Retrieved 16 March, 2011 from
<http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/
schedules/HoodedPlover.pdf>.
Woehler EJ, Park P (1997) ‘Interim report on the status of
Hooded Plovers Thinornis rubricollis in Tasmania’. Report
to Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, Hobart.
Comments received from
Terry Dennis, Glenn Ehmke, Grainne Maguire, Mike
Weston, Eric Woehler
© Birds Australia 2011
Published by CSIRO Publishing, http://www.publish.csiro.au/
Citation: Garnett ST, Szabo JK, Dutson G (2011) The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.