‘Woppa’ of a season for Little Terns
By Kath Howard
Project Officer Threatened Species
NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS)
Endangered Little Terns had an excellent breeding season over the 2024-2025 summer, with at least 510 chicks fledgling along the NSW coastline – the highest number recorded since counting began 25 years ago.
It’s also a substantial jump from the 370 fledglings counted in NSW the previous season, 2023-2024.
Nests were seen at 24 sites in NSW, stretching from Wilsons Head in Yuraygir National Park north of Coffs Harbour, right down to Merimbula on the far south coast. A total of 485 breeding pairs were counted in the 2024-2025 summer.
Little Tern nest Corrie Island
© C. Tourenq and T. Blair
Little Tern chicks and egg © J Cornish
In more good news, one of the best results was in our own backyard on Corrie Island Nature Reserve, just off the Winda Woppa peninsula of Hawks Nest.
Eagle-eyed volunteers from the Myall Koala and Environment Group counted at least 43 fledglings, hatched from 24 breeding pairs.
NSW’s standout nesting site was again Karagi Point at The Entrance on the Central Coast, which fledged a staggering 228 chicks. Corrie Island was third on the fledgling leader board, after Karagi Point and Conjola down south, with 80 fledglings.
Little Terns don’t nest every year on Corrie Island, but when they do, a handful of nests are usually also found on the mound of dredged-spoil sand at nearby Winda Woppa.
Little Tern nest Corrie Island
© C. Tourenq and T. Blair
A pair of endangered Pied Oystercatchers also regularly nests on the Winda Woppa dredge mound, usually fledgling at least one chick a year.
Another five pairs of endangered pied oystercatchers live on Corrie Island and they also had a good season, fledgling 6 chicks.
Nesting Pied Oystercatchers, Corrie Island © NPWS
Pied Oystercatcher pair and juvenile, Winda Woppa
© Ann Woods
Nesting Pied Oystercatchers, Corrie Island © NPWS
However, it’s not all easy flying – Little Terns and other beach nesting birds remain vulnerable to a range of threats.
Beach-nesting birds lay their eggs directly on the sand. The eggs are so well camouflaged, they are difficult to spot and very vulnerable to disturbance, crushing and predators.
Pied Oystercatcher eggs
Winda Woppa 2021 © NPWS
Spring marks the start of the beach-nesting season, with Pied Oystercatchers laying eggs on the sand as early as August; and little tern chicks may still be present on beaches in February or beyond.
Keep eggs and chicks safe with these simple tips to ‘share the shore’:
- Walk dogs only on an approved dog-beach and always keep dogs on a leash. Domestic dogs are not allowed on Corrie Island Nature Reserve at any time.
- Keep an eye out for signs or fences indicating a nesting area and please stay out of these parts of the beach.
- Drive only on designated 4WD beaches and follow all local rules. No one can spot almost-invisible eggs from a car.
- Take your rubbish with you when you leave. Every year many birds die from entanglement in fishing line or from ingesting rubbish.
Little Tern chick in a footprint
Winda Woppa
© Sharon Taylor
Winda Woppa sign and fence
2022-23 © NPWS
Corrie Island temporary beach closure sign © NPWS
No beach landing
No beach access
No dogs at any time
For more information on beach-nesting birds in NSW, visit Share the Shore on the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) website.
Interested in volunteering?
Do you have a few hours to spare on ad hoc weekends, or even each week? Little Tern monitoring in NSW is mostly delivered by countless amazing volunteers, and we couldn’t have achieved these terrific results without them.
NPWS is seeking more volunteers in Port Stephens, particularly (but not limited to!) the islands off Soldiers Point and surrounds. If you are interested in taking part – or would like to find out more – please email conservation.hccb@environment.nsw.gov.au and put ‘Beach-nesting birds Port Stephens’ in the subject line. Training is provided. Thank you!
Volunteers from MidCoast Council and NPWS are installing a fence around a Pied oystercatcher nest at Winda Woppa Sept 2022 © NPWS
You may also see some of the more common Crested Terns around Port Stephens © Sue Olsson
Further reading
Little Tern – profile, Office of Environment and Heritage
Little Tern ~ Threatened Fauna of the Hunter & Mid Coast, Local Land Services (downloadable pamphlet)
May bird of the month: Little Tern, 5 facts about Little Terns, Birdlife Australia