Australasian Seabird Group hosts inaugural meeting of National Australian Fairy Tern Recovery Team

The Australian Fairy Tern Sternula nereis nereis was listed as a Threatened Species under EPBC Act in 2011. In 2022, the Commonwealth published the Australian Fairy Tern Recovery Plan. One action of the Recovery Plan was the establishment of a national Recovery Team, but as this had not progressed, the ASG took on the task to establish the team following discussions with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). 

In late May 2025, the ASG hosted the inaugural meeting of National Fairy Tern Recovery Team, with researchers from five states and government representatives from three states in attendance. Discussions focussed on the current status and trends of Fairy Terns throughout their current distribution, identifying the data to be collected and shared to advance the Recovery Team’s efforts, and the options for a national banding program to provide information on the movements and survival of birds throughout Australia. With both the spectrum and intensities of threats to Fairy Terns increasing around Australia, the Recovery Team’s efforts will be critical to ensure the success of all management efforts. 

Image: Claire Greenwell

Australian Ornithological Conference - Abstract Submissions Open

Abstract submissions have opened for the Australasian Ornithological Conference, held in Perth from 18–20th of November this year. Closing date will be the 13th of June 2025.

You can find out more about the conference and further key dates coming up under this link.

Registration will open on 5th of May 2025.

The ASG is happy to announce the acceptance of our Seabird Symposium, towards which you can submit your abstract following the general submission link.

ASG members are encouraged to register for the AOC and attend the ASG Biennial General Meeting, which will be held immediately following the Seabird Symposium. Please not, however, that attendance at the ASG General Meeting is conditional upon registering for the AOC – all ASG members will be welcome to attend our meeting.

Image: Claire Greenwell

Australian Government lists Little Tern as Nationally Vulnerable under EPBC Act

Following an assessment of the threatened species status of the Little Tern (Sternula albifrons), on 5 March 2025 the Australian Minister for the Environment, Tania Plibersek, agreed with advice from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) and listed the species as Nationally Vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. The main factor that makes the species eligible for listing in the Vulnerable category is the limited estimated population size of 2,700 mature individuals (range 2,050 – 3,340) and the continuing population decrease, estimated at a substantial rate (>10%) within a three-generation period.

The Minister also agreed to develop a National Recovery Plan for the species, and a Conservation Advice for the Little Tern has been prepared: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/82849-conservation-advice-05032025.pdf

ASG provided a submission supporting the listing proposal some time ago, and is delighted that the Minister has now taken this listing action. Little Terns are threatened by anthropogenic disturbance at their breeding sites that severely impacts their breeding success. Urban development and inappropriate water management are substantial threats, as they cause the direct loss of important breeding, roosting and foraging habitat, which potentially affect food availability. Introduced and native predators that prey upon nests and nesting birds are another substantial threat. Other threatening processes impacting Little Terns include hybridisation with the Australian Fairy Tern, and pollution and over-fishing, which may ultimately impact food quantity, quality and availability.

Image by Eric Woehler.