Step up and step away to help protect baby hoodies

They say it takes a village to raise a child but for these new parents it will take cross-species support.

Local beachgoers have been asked to help protect six endangered hooded plover chicks, affectionately known as hoodies, as they endeavour to make it through their first five weeks of life.

The chicks – four at two sites between Collendina and Point Lonsdale within the Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve and two at Breamlea – are nested directly on the sand and vulnerable to outside disturbances.

With only 750 hoodies left in Victoria, their safety from people and dogs is paramount.

The chicks are expected to fledge through the first weeks of March, after which they will have the strength to no longer rely on the parents for protection.

Friends of the Hooded Plover volunteers are encouraging locals to stay clear from the nesting sites until the birds are five weeks old.

Regional coordinator Tash Verspeek said volunteers are still holding their breath knowing they chicks are not “out of the woods” yet.

“Our main aim is to give precious hoodies on the nest, or with chicks, the space they need so they can go about incubating eggs and protecting and guiding their offspring to hide from threats and forage and feed when it’s safe,” Verspeek said.

“Trained BirdLife volunteers in the beach nesting birds project provide essential education and communication to all beach goers and dog walkers near vulnerable hoodie breeding sites.

“We love it when we can show the community using the binoculars or the scope how special and resilient hoodies are and how cute and fluffy their chicks are. But it’s also how we can create better understanding of just how vulnerable the chicks are.

“Hoodie conservation requires a collaborative approach and it’s so wonderful when it all comes together and the result is another successful fledgling being added to the hoodie population.”

Nesting attempts this breeding season have failed, but there is hope the current chicks will continue to thrive.

The chicks are expected to fledge on the following dates:

Two chicks hatched 2 February at Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­– estimated fledging 9 March

Two chicks hatched 11 February at Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve – estimated fledging 18 March

Two chicks hatched 8 February at Breamlea – estimated fledging 15 March

Community members who find themselves near nesting sites are asked to walk at the waters edge, respect temporary fencing and closures, keep dogs on leads and not interact with the nesting birds.