Section 146 - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds) Instrument 2022 - Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds | Zoe
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds) Instrument 2022
146Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds
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TABLE Species information for the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is a medium sized, slender tern with a long slender bill, long narrow wings and long deeply forked tail. This species has a circumpolar distribution and can be found breeding in most of Europe, Asia and North America, except the in the extreme north. It winters further south, being found along the coast and inland of South America down to the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), along the coast of Africa (excluding northern Africa), along parts of the Arabian Peninsula, the coast of India and throughout much of south-east Asia and Australasia (del Hoyo et al. 1996). It breeds between April and June in solitary pairs or colonially in groups of up to several thousand pairs (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Palearctic breeders migrate south after breeding between August and October, returning to the breeding grounds in March or April (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species winters on sheltered coastal waters, estuaries and along large rivers, occupying harbours, jetties, piers, beaches and coastal wetlands including lagoons, rivers, lakes, swamps and saltworks, mangroves and saltmarshes (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Higgins and Davies 1996). During this season, it roosts on unvegetated sandy beaches, shores of estuaries or lagoons, sandbars and rocky shores (Higgins and Davies 1996). The species is opportunistic, its diet consisting predominantly of small fish and occasionally planktonic crustaceans and insects (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
The global population is estimated to number 1,600,000-3,600,000 individuals (Delany and Scott 2006). The overall population trend is unclear. Some populations may be stable, while others have unknown trends (Delany and Scott 2006).
The Australian population estimate and trends are unknown.
During the breeding season, the species is vulnerable to human disturbance at nesting colonies (Buckley and Buckley 1984, Blokpoel and Scharf 1991). The flooding of nest sites as a result of naturally fluctuating water levels can also result in complete breeding failure of the effected colony (Buckley and Buckley 1984, Hyde 1997, del Hoyo et al. 2019). Previously, this species has experienced significant declines due to egg collection and hunting (del Hoyo et al. 2019). Although in most places populations have recovered, hunting remains a significant problem in some areas, including parts of West Africa (del Hoyo et al. 2019).
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Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
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TABLE Species information for the Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a medium sized tern with a short slender bill, compact oval body when perched, a deeply forked tail and short legs. The species is similar in size and shape to Common Tern (S. hirundo), White-fronted Tern (S. striata) and Antarctic Tern (S. vittata). This species has a circumpolar range, breeding in the Arctic and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America as far south as Brittany (France) and Massachusetts (U.S.A.). It is a transequatorial migrant and can be found wintering throughout the Southern Ocean to the edge of the Antarctic ice and the southern tips of South America and Africa (del Hoyo et al. 1996). It breeds between May and July (although the exact timing varies with temperature and food availability) in solitary pairs or colonies of a few to several hundred pairs (usually 2-25) (del Hoyo et al. 1996), and remains gregarious throughout the year especially when roosting, foraging and on passage (Higgins and Davies 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). The species generally feeds within 3 km of breeding colonies but may occasionally forage up to 50 km away (del Hoyo et al. 1996). On its wintering grounds in Antarctica, it may also forage in association with Antarctic Minke Whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) in the open ocean north of the pack-ice zone (Higgins and Davies 1996). Its diet consists predominantly of fish as well as crustaceans (especially planktonic species).
The global population is estimated to number >2,000,000 individuals (Delany and Scott 2006). The overall population trend is decreasing (Delany and Scott 2006). In Europe, the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25 per cent in 40.2 years (three generations) (BirdLife International 2019). The Australian population estimate and trends are unknown.
Arctic Tern breeding colonies are threatened by invasive species, human disturbance and egg collection (Birdlife International 2019). It is possible that, in the future, the effects of climate change could have an adverse impact on food sources and breeding habitat.
Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)
TABLE Species information for the Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)
The Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) is a large tern very similar in shape and proportions to Crested Tern (T. bergii). Lesser Crested Terns have a diagnostic long bright-orange bill. The species breeds in subtropical coastal parts of the world mainly from the Red Sea across the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific, and Australia, with a significant population on the southern coast of the Mediterranean, on two islands off the coast of Libya. Outside the breeding season it ranges on the north African coast (both Mediterranean and Atlantic), on much of the Indian Ocean nearby continents, and in the western Pacific north of Australia up to New Guinea and Vietnam. Details of this species movements are poorly known. The species inhabits tropical and subtropical (del Hoyo et al. 1996) sandy and coral coasts and estuaries (Urban et al. 1986), breeding on low-lying offshore islands, foraging in the surf and over offshore waters (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Thenest is a shallow scrape (del Hoyo et al. 1996) on ridges or bare areas surrounded by vegetation (del Hoyo et al. 1996) on flat sandy beaches (Snow and Perrins 1998), low-lying sandy islands, coral flats, small coral islets and sandbanks (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Its diet consists predominantly of small pelagic fish (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996) and shrimps (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
The global population estimate is estimated to number 225,000 pairs, more than half occur in Australia (BirdLife International 2019). An estimated 10,000 pairs occur in the South Pacific and 8,000 in Indonesia. The overall population trend is stable, although some populations have unknown trends (Delany and Scott 2006).
Globally, the species does not seem to be facing any significant threats, however, some colonies are vulnerable to invasive species and human disturbance. At present there are no factors thought to pose a genuine threat to this species. It is possible that, in the future, the effects of climate change could have an adverse impact on food sources and breeding habitat.
Implement best practice quarantine measures at breeding colonies to reduce the risk of any invasive species (re)establishing on islands
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Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
TABLE Species information for the Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
The Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) is a large slender tern with long narrow strongly angled wings, long deeply forked tail and a long decurved bill and long legs. At all ages the combination of large size, shaggy crest and yellow bill make the species diagnostic. The species can be found on islands and coastlines of tropical and subtropical areas, ranging from the Atlantic Coast of South Africa, south around the Cape and continuing along the coast of Africa and Asia almost without break to south-east Asia and Australia. It can also be found on Madagascar, islands of the western Indian Ocean and islands of the western and central Pacific Ocean. Outside the breeding season it can be found at sea throughout this range, with the exception of the central Indian Ocean (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
Many populations remain sedentary in their breeding areas or disperse locally
(del Hoyo et al. 1996), although some are more migratory (Urban et al. 1986).
The species breeds in large dense colonies, or in small groups of fewer than 10 pairs
amidst colonies of other species (e.g. Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)
(del Hoyo et al. 1996). The nest is a shallow scrape in bare sand, rock or coral (del Hoyo et
al. 1996) in flat open sites (Urban et al. 1986) on offshore islands (Urban et al. 1986,
del Hoyo et al. 1996), low-lying coral reefs, sandy or rocky coastal islets, coastal
spits, lagoon mudflats (del Hoyo et al. 1996) or islets in saltpans and sewage works
(Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996).
The global population is estimated to number 150,000–1,100,000 individuals (Delany and Scott 2006). The overall population trend is stable, although some populations have unknown trends (Delany and Scott 2006). Significant breeding populations occur in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea Marine Park islands. The Australian population estimate and trends are unknown.
The species is vulnerable to human disturbance, which may cause the flushing of adult birds allowing increased egg predation by gulls (del Hoyo et al. 2019) and colony abandonment. It is possible that, in the future, the effects of climate change could have an adverse impact on food sources and breeding habitat. There is also potentially a risk from the spread of the invasive weed Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias); however, this does not seem to be significant at present.
Implement best practice quarantine measures at breeding colonies to reduce the risk of any invasive species (re)establishing on islands