Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00677:reg:12:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00677
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 12 (pt 4/33)
Character Range: 14479–17354

Tern is approximately 22–27 cm in length, 70 g in mass and has a wingspan of 44–53 cm (Higgins and Davies 1996). The Australian Fairy Tern is bulky and round bodied (Simpson and Day 2004).
   The species is very similar to Little Tern (S. albifrons) which in breeding plumage can be distinguished from the Australian Fairy Tern by the yellow, black tipped bill and black line through the eye reaching the bill. Little Terns are overall slimmer than
   Australian Fairy Terns with darker upperparts and outer primaries (Slater et al. 2009; Menkhorst et al. 2017).

   The breeding plumage of both sexes is pale grey-white, with a black crown, nape, ear coverts and patch in front of the eyes (square to round in shape). The forehead is white and the bill is orange-yellow (Higgins and Davies 1996). Legs are dull yellow and the iris is dark brown (Lindsey 1986).

             There is also little sexual dimorphism in non-breeding plumage, with a black bill and a more mottled appearance to the crown (Higgins and Davies 1996). The outer primary feathers are also less contrasting with no dark shoulder bar (Simpson and Day 2004).

             Immature birds have blackish legs and bills (Lindsey 1986). The crown is streaked dusky and buff with a dark ear patch. The outer wing is dark greyish and the inner wing is pale grey and white (Simpson and Day 2004).

                   1.4            Species distribution in Australia

             The Australian Fairy Tern occurs in coastal southern Australia from the Montebello Islands of the Pilbara, Western Australia east to Botany Bay, New South Wales including Tasmania (Figure 1). The Great Australian Bight forms a gap in distribution between western and eastern populations (Higgins and Davies 1996). There are now a reduced number of nesting colonies in eastern Australia, especially around the Victorian coastline. The species has been recorded in Queensland but is considered to be a vagrant, an occasional visitor or more likely, New Caledonian Fairy Tern individuals.

             In Tasmania, Australian Fairy Terns have suffered dramatic population declines.
             Both Little and Australian Fairy Tern often nest together and some colonies are well documented. Eight colonies are known to be present in the Glamorgan-Spring Bay and Sorell Municipalities in south-east Tasmania (Blakney 2018). There are four known Key Biodiversity Areas in Tasmania based in part on their value to Australian Fairy Terns, primarily through supporting their breeding locations: Orford, Marion Bay, St Helens and Eastern Flinders Island (Bass Strait). In 2020, the Orford Bird Sanctuary had one of the best breeding seasons in many years with at least 40 adults and 27 chicks recorded between January and February (E. McDonald and P. Geard pers. comm). Maintaining, and if possible, increasing the number and size of