Hooded plovers breeding season begins

IT’S that time of year when the beaches along the Bellarine coastline become a crèche for the rare and threatened hooded plover as the breeding seasons commences.

These tiny, black, white and red birds nest along the surf beaches of Point Lonsdale, Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads and Breamlea from late August and, as the months get warmer, face some of their greatest dangers from beachgoers and dogs.

The hooded plover (or “hoodie”) spends its whole life on the beach and nearby wetlands and is one of Australia’s most threatened birds.

The species’ survival has become nearly impossible on beaches with Australia’s existing human population, given the popularity of beaches on the Bellarine in the warmer months.

City of Greater Geelong acting director of city services Peter Godfrey said hooded plovers were a rarity along the Great Ocean Road and the Bellarine, which makes protecting them a very high priority.

“Dogs and cats are seen as predators of the species, just as foxes, ravens and other birds of prey are, and for this reason the City works closely with Birdlife Australia to put measures in place to protect the birds.”

An adult pair of hooded plovers will lay up to three eggs in a scrape in the sand and incubate them for four weeks until the eggs hatch.

The chicks can’t fly until they are five weeks old and must forage for their own food up and down the beach and along the water’s edge, avoiding the beach-goers, dogs and other predators. Chicks move along the beach to feed.

Research has shown that the simple formula of alerting beach users with signs and temporary fencing, putting out wooden teepees for chicks to hide in and requesting dogs be on a lead is enough to tip the balance and give these endangered birds a better chance of having their chicks survive.

Plover Appreciation Day was on Saturday.