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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.