Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199:reg:6:p7
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 6 (pt 7/17)
Character Range: 22581–25586

1950s (Marchant and Higgins 1993). Though unconfirmed, there was evidence of breeding (a pair with the male consistently giving the distraction display that often indicates juveniles nearby) at an un-named wetland in the Sturt Plateau bioregion, Northern Territory, in June 2001 (Jaensch 2003b). This record was several months after exceptional rainfall across the bioregion in summer-autumn 2001.

   In some situations this species is loosely colonial, although nests are widely separated (Lowe 1963). The Australian Painted Snipe has been recorded breeding near nesting Red-necked Avocets (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae), Pied Stilts (Himantopus leucocephalus), Red-kneed Dotterels (Erythrogonys cinctus) and Black-tailed Native-hens (Tribonyx ventralis) (Lowe 1963).

   The Australian Painted Snipe defends a territory around its nest in the breeding season (Pringle 1987). Territory size has not been quantified, but as the species sometimes nests in loose colonies in which nests may be as little as 20 m apart (Lowe 1963; McGilp 1934), territories in that situation would appear unlikely to extend much beyond the area immediately surrounding the nest.

   Australian Painted Snipe are known to lay two to six (usually three or four) eggs, and females may lay up to four clutches in a year. Incubation takes 15–21 days. Chicks are precocial (well-developed, eyes are open and are capable of moving around shortly after birth) and nidifugous (able to leave the nest shortly after hatching), but they are brooded and dependent for the first few days. The incubation of the eggs, and all care of the young, is undertaken by the male (Marchant and Higgins 1993).

             The female Australian Painted Snipe mostly breed every two years (del Hoyo et al. 1996; Marchant and Higgins 1993). Based on available breeding records where success could be determined, a combined 23 eggs laid produced a total of six nestlings (Hassell and Rogers 2002; Lowe 1963; Marchant and Higgins 1993; Thomas 1975).

              Feeding
             The Australian Painted Snipe eats plant material, seeds, insects, worms and molluscs, crustaceans and other invertebrates (Marchant and Higgins 1993).

             This species is mainly crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk), preferring to sit or stand quietly under cover of grass, reeds or other dense cover during day, becoming more active at dawn, dusk and during night. They generally remain in dense cover when feeding, although may forage over nearby mudflats and other open areas such as ploughed land or grassland (Marchant and Higgins 1993). The species may have quite specific foraging habitat requirements, but these are not well understood and further study is required.

             Feeding behaviour is likely to be different in wetlands where Australian Painted Snipe are present for breeding compared to sites that may act as refuges or stop-over sites, e.g. sewage ponds, water storages. Behaviour is likely to change depending on the height