Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00775:reg:18:p26
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00775
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 18 (pt 26/152)
Character Range: 111783–114981

Below is a table of threatened seabirds in Australia, and links to their approved conservation advice and/or recovery plans.

While the Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds focuses on identifying and developing effective management strategies for important habitats, there are also major conservation benefits for those species that share habitats with seabirds. There are a number of major benefits to species other than seabirds that may result from implementation of this Plan. For example, Hooded Plover (Thinornis cucullatus cucullatus) listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act, shares similar habitat requirements with listed seabirds, as do nesting marine turtles in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and Commonwealth marine areas, and may all benefit from habitat management actions. While coastal and freshwater or coastal wetlands serve as nurseries for many prey species of fish and aquatic invertebrates.

There are at least 18 species of resident shorebirds including the Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus), Hooded Plover (Thinornis cucullatus) and Australian Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) that share many habitat requirements and would also gain major benefits from the Plan's implementation.

52 Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds
Major benefits to other migratory species, marine species, species of cetacean or conservation dependent species

Wildlife Conservation Plan for Seabirds 53

 Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

  Life History and Distribution
  The Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) is a medium sized, oceanic, Indo-Pacific Ocean seabird. Adults are mainly white with bright red bill and very long central rectrices. Sexes are similar with no seasonal plumage changes. At sea, the species is solitary, flying mostly well above the waves with regular, mechanical wing-beats alternating with horizontal glides. The species breeds in tropical and subtropical zones on volcanic and other islands, stacks, atolls, cays away from mainland areas. Nests are located in rugged terrain, on coastal cliffs and slopes but also on cays, at the base of trees with dense leaf canopy that reaches the ground, and coral atolls. Most food is captured by deep plunging vertically into the water. Their diet mainly consists of fish and cephalopods. Movements away from the breeding site are not well known but adults and juveniles appear to disperse widely.

  Population Estimates and Trends
  The global population is estimated at >32,000 individuals (del Hoyo et al. 1992). The Australian population is poorly known owing to the numerous breeding sites and protracted and asynchronous breeding season making an accurate census difficult. The largest population breeds on Christmas Island (>2,000 pairs) with additional key breeding locations on Cocos (Keeling) Group, islands of Ashmore Reef Marine Park, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Coral Sea Marine Park and two known islands and cays in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Herald Cays (Coral Sea Marine Park) support a population in excess of