Induction for horse riders
Hooded Plover breeding season and nest locations
Hooded Plovers are an Australian shorebird that live on ocean beaches and are threatened in South East
Australia. They nest from late August/early September to the end of March. Along with other beachnesting birds such as Oystercatchers, Red-capped Plovers and Hooded Plovers nest on the ground in
unvegetated sand dunes and on beaches above the high water mark. In southwest Victoria between
Warrnambool and Portland, coastal dunes are heavily infested with Marram Grass (a South African grass),
so that dunes are generally not available for birds to nest in.
Nesting habitat for Hooded Plovers in southwest Victoria is confined almost exclusively to a narrow band
of beach between the vegetated dunes and the high tide line. This contrasts with many other areas of the
Victorian coast where dunes are readily available for Hooded Plovers to nest in and beaches are generally
wider (see below).
Relatively natural beach systems with wide beaches, intact
remnant coastal dune vegetation and open sand dunes. There
is often in excess of 100m of potential nesting habitat in these
areas (photos Mornington Peninsula National Park). Note the
nest in the image above, well back from the beach.
Highly degraded dune systems between Warrnambool and
Rutledge’s Cutting with almost no native vegetation. Marram
Grass extends to the water’s edge - no suitable nesting habitat
is present in the dunes.
The reason Hooded Plovers do not nest amongst heavy vegetation is because like most ground nesting
birds, they need to have a clear view around them when sitting on their eggs. Being able to see potential
predators approaching before the predator sees them is critical. Hooded Plovers are not aggressive like
Masked Lapwings (also known as Spur-winged Plovers); instead they use camouflage and distraction to
protect the nest. Their strategy is to see the predators approach, to move away from the nest so that
camouflage can protect the eggs, and to use distraction to get the predator to follow them. If a predator
were to see a bird sitting on eggs, the predator would know where the eggs were, making them easy prey.
Although it is safer from trampling, nesting in this dune would mean that birds sitting on eggs would not be able to see predators
approaching.
Given that they are unable to nest in vegetated dunes, Hooded Plover breeding habitat in southwest
Victoria is confined to a narrow band of beach habitat between the high tide mark and the base of vegetated
sand dunes (see below).
Very narrow band of potential nesting habitat (<10m).
A somewhat wider band of potential nesting habitat between the high water mark and base of vegetated dunes
(approx. 10-15m).
This means that birds are often forced to nest close to the high tide mark on the open beach.
Hooded Plover beach nests close to the high water mark in areas with degraded dune systems.
A horse ridden above the high water mark has too high a chance of crushing a nest with eggs.
Horse riders on beaches in southwest Victoria must RIDE BELOW THE MOST RECENT HIGH
WATER MARK during the Hooded Plover breeding season (August to March) and should AVOID
RIDING AT DURING HIGH TIDES.
Signs and temporary rope fences will be erected around nests where possible, however, most nesting sites
will not be delineated as in southwest Victoria, there is approximately one nesting pair per kilometre of
beach.
On horseback, Hooded Plovers will be difficult to spot as they are small and well-camouflaged. If you do
see Hooded Plovers (or other beach-nesting birds) on the beach between August and March, there is a high
likelihood that there is a nest or chicks nearby. You will not be able to see the eggs and chicks, they are
very well disguised. The adults will not be at their nest when you see them (remember their only defense is
to keep the nest and chick location hidden), so give them a wide berth and stay below the high water mark.
Hooded Plovers and Sooty Oystercatchers
Examples of signage and fencing of nesting sites
“Chicks on the beach”
Hooded plovers need to lay their eggs in a narrow band of habitat on the beach as mentioned. Staying clear
of this zone effectively prevents eggs from being trampled, but the situation is different once the eggs
hatch.
Although the parents stay with the chicks until they can fly (around 5 weeks old), chicks need to feed
themselves - the parents do not bring food back to the nest. Instead, Hooded Plover chicks as young as a
few hours old, need to be up and about trying to find food. They feed mainly on tiny invertebrates (such as
worms, sand hoppers, small crustaceans) found under seaweed or in the wet sand. This means it is
primarily along the high water mark and by the water’s edge that they feed. This makes them susceptible to
being trampled and disturbed regularly when feeding, along a greater vertical cross-section of the beach.
They are also mobile and can move as far as a kilometre of beach when searching for food - this means we
cannot fence an area off for them.
In general, the parent birds are quite good at directing their chicks out of harm’s way. They will call their
chicks away from the feeding zone on the lower beach when a threat is approaching, and the chicks will
run towards the dune vegetation or towards beach-cast seaweed and debris on the beach to hide. However,
when the chicks are very young, they are not as fast and when the threat is approaching more quickly than
they can run (e.g. a horse in a trot or gallop, or a dog running), they will simply crouch down on the spot.
A chick runs to cover in response to approaching people.
A chick takes cover next to a cuttlebone.
A chick hiding in a footprint
Young chicks are tiny (about the size of a golf ball!) and incredibly vulnerable to being trampled.
3 chicks crouching in the open
On busy beaches threats can come thick and fast, from multiple directions and sources. Dog walkers
coming from one direction, gulls on the beach, raptors in the air, walkers from another direction, people
sitting/sun-baking all around, swimmers emerging from the water, etc. When this is the case, the parents
can easily become overwhelmed. In some cases it is impossible for the parents to be able to effectively
protect their chicks. They may be able to keep them out of harm’s way, in the dunes or sheltering at the
base of cliffs, but this means that the chicks are away from their feeding area for a long time. Chicks need
to feed lots while they are growing (just like our own babies), and their food is hard to find at the best of
times; eventually they will have to run the gauntlet in search of food, or they will starve to death.
If you ever see an adult Hooded Plover running along in front of you, shaking its wings, dragging them
along the sand or flattening out its body and running like a mouse, you can be sure there are chicks very
close by. This is called a broken wing or rodent run distraction display. Please slow down but do not pause
in the area – continue moving along the water’s edge, as close to the water as possible and below the high
water mark.
You may see signage alerting you to chicks on the beach, however, in most cases there will be no signage.
If you do see signs, they will never be more than 100m or so apart, so move slowly past the signed area,
along the water’s edge, below the high water mark.
You may also see small wooden shelters on the beach - these are there to offer the chick a little extra
protection from trampling and also to provide some shade from extreme heat. Never approach shelters. If
you see them, you can be sure there are chicks in this area, so slow to a walking pace and stay below the
high water mark.
Five simple actions to help Beach-nesting Birds
•
Ride at low or mid tide, keeping below the high water mark.
•
Do not enter the upper beach or dunes at any time other than when entering or exiting
the beach via a designated, official access point.
•
Ride in single file when the beach is not wide enough to permit multiple riders below the
high water mark.
•
Slow to a walking pace when passing by signed and/or fenced areas and do not pause in
this area.
•
Slow to a walking pace if you see a Hooded Plover performing a distraction display and
do not pause in this area.
Resources
•
•
•
Birds Australia -1300 730 075 - http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/beach for info on beach-nesting
birds, maps of where birds nest in your local area, to report sightings and tips on management.
Parks Victoria 13 1963 - www.parkweb.vic.gov.au.
Tide times - http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/tides or pick up a tide guide from your local
shop.
Test questions
1. Where are Hooded Plovers likely to nest in this scene?
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
2. What is the best time of day to ride on the beach?
a. Early morning
b. Late afternoon
c. When tides are mid or low
3. Where should you ride in this situation?
A
B
C
D
E
4. What should you do if you see a Hooded Plover doing this?
a. Slow down, stay below the high water mark and as close to the water’s edge as possible, and
continue along.
b. Continue in a gallop, riding close to the high water mark.
c. Stop, turn around and move away from the bird.
5. What should you do if you see a Hooded Plover running in front of you?
a. Stop and let it get some distance from you
b. Continue along the water’s edge, below the high water mark until you are past the bird
c. Move up onto the beach around the bird, then back down to the water’s edge
6. Where do chicks need to feed in this scene?
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
7. Where should you ride in this situation?
A
B
C
D
E
8. Why does it matter if a few nests are lost?
a. Hooded Plovers are declining in numbers and across the whole of Victoria too few chicks
are surviving to replace adults that die, so numbers will only continue to decline
b. A few nests lost to horses, a few to dogs, a few to foxes, a few to tides, a few to gulls, a few
to walkers…it all adds up
c. Southwest Victoria has the highest density of breeding Hooded Plovers and so it is
important to protect them in their main habitat range
d. All of the above
9. What does it mean if you see a Hooded Plover at the water’s edge during August to March?
a. They don’t have a nest so I can ride my horse anywhere
b. There is a high likelihood they have a nest or chicks nearby – so I need to ride below the
high water mark
c. Only if I see a Hooded Plover do I need to ride below the high water mark
10. Where should you ride in this situation?
a. Just below the dunes
b. In the dunes
c. You should not be on the beach at this time
for taking the time to complete this induction!
For further information, or if you have any questions please call Birds
Australia - 1300 730 075.
A horse rider on the water’s edge adjacent to a fenced breeding area. This rider is enjoying a beach ride without posing any
danger to beach-nesting birds.