Can you help protect the endangered Hooded Plover?

Less than one in ten Hooded Plover chicks survive to adulthood. 

It’s a sobering statistic, but one that conservation teams are working hard to change. 

But in Apollo Bay and surrounding areas, low volunteer numbers are leaving these vulnerable beach-nesting birds at even greater risk. 

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Would you sign up to be a Hoodie Hero? 🐦‍⬛🪺🌊 #nature #wildlife #birds #birdlife #birdsoftiktok

This breeding season, the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority and BirdLife Australia are calling on locals and visitors to help turn things around. 

Volunteers are urgently needed to join the frontline of Hoodie protection along the coast. 

About the size of a golf ball, Hooded Plovers, or hoodies, nest directly on the sand between the high tide line and the dunes. 

Their eggs and chicks are really well-camouflaged, which is a clever defence, but one that also makes them easy to disturb if you don’t see them.

Off-leash dogs, foot traffic, storm surges, and predation by foxes, cats and other bird species all pose serious threats to their survival. 

But conservation coordinator Scott Hives said these little birds are “tough, determined, and clinging to survival on some of [West Vic’s] busiest beaches”.

Volunteers play a crucial role by monitoring nesting sites, collecting data, keeping an eye on newly hatched chicks, and educating beachgoers on how to share the shore responsibly.

The Hoodies Heroes program is focused on beaches and foreshore areas between Separation Creek and Moonlight Head, where nesting activity is high, but local volunteer numbers are in decline.  

Whether you're a local or visiting the region, you can make a difference. Just a couple of hours a week can help give hoodies a better chance at life.

Training is provided by GORCAPA’s conservation team throughout Spring, with ongoing support from BirdLife Australia’s Beach-nesting Birds Hub and local rangers.

If you want to know more, you can head to greatoceanauthority.vic.gov.au