Hoodies need our help

Bass Coast Shire Council, Parks Victoria and Birdlife Australia have all issued pleas to help the Hooded Plovers during their breeding season.

Bass Coast Shire Council said the tiny birds, affectionately referred to as Hoodies, have begun nesting and laying eggs around the Bass Coast and they need our help to support a successful breeding season.

“These plovers are beach-nesting birds and are a threatened species in Victoria. Their breeding season is over spring and summer,” a council release said.

“They lay their eggs in shallow nests or ‘scrapes’ in the sand which can be hard to see, as they line them with seaweed and shells. They lay three eggs and the incubation period for them is around 30 days. They forage at all levels of the beach on a variety of foods.”

Council said we can all help hooded plovers by:

• Keeping dogs on a leash. Getting too close to Hooded Plovers will cause them to leave their nest, leaving the eggs exposed
• Avoiding beaches that are known to be used for breeding
• Obeying signage and barriers put up for the protection of the birds and making sure to give them a wide berth
• Walking close to the water’s edge
• Consider joining a local volunteer group dedicated to helping these birds

Report any incidents to 1300 BCOAST (226 278).

Operation SoHo

Meanwhile the Conservation Regulator, Parks Victoria and Birdlife Australia have joined forces for the second year running for Operation Save our Hoodies (SoHo), asking Victorians to take note of rules around local hooded plover nests and to give the birds plenty of space.

Conservation Regulator and Parks Victoria Authorised Officers are patrolling beaches in Phillip Island, as well as Cape Paterson, Inverloch, and Waratah Bay to protect the threatened species.

Birdlife Australia volunteers also have a presence at beaches to raise awareness of how beach users can help the plight of beach-nesting birds.

The timing and locations of these patrols will be based on data provided by BirdLife Australia, which coordinates the monitoring of Hooded Plovers along Victoria’s coastline.

In 2021-22, as part of the inaugural Operation Save Our Hoodies (SoHo) Authorised Officers conducted more than 150 patrols along the coast, engaging with 900 people and issuing 44 infringement notices for various offences, including dogs off lead in National Parks.

The Conservation Regulator investigates reports of any people or animals harassing Hooded Plovers. Reports can be made to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.