Scout’s Story: Why Only 1 in 10 Hooded Plover Chicks Survive

Published on 08 September 2025

Scout is a newly hatched Hooded Plover chick on the beaches near Apollo Bay. Her story is fictional — but the struggle she faces is real for every chick along our coast.

She’s about the size of a golf ball, fluffy, fast, and almost impossible to spot against the sand unless you know what to look for. Scout is a newly hatched Hooded Plover - a small, endangered shorebird found along the Great Ocean Road region, including the wild coastline near Kennett River.

Her parents, pale grey with striking black hoods and pink legs, nested just above the tide line, scratching out a shallow scrape in the sand. It’s a dangerous place to raise a chick. But for Hoodies, it’s the only home they know. They don’t migrate. They stay close to the beach year-round, adapting to every season, every storm.

And now they’re doing everything they can to keep Scout alive.

Because here’s the truth:

Only 1 in 10 Hooded Plover chicks survive.

Off-leash dogs
Foot traffic near nests
Sudden high tides
Unaware beachgoers

These are the threats Scout faces every single day.

She can’t fly yet. He blends perfectly with the sand. And if she’s separated from her parents for too long - even by a few metres - she won’t survive.

But here’s the other truth: You can help change the odds.

By volunteering just a few hours this summer, you could be the reason a chick like Scout survives.

Because sometimes, protecting a species starts with one small bird. Become a volunteer today: https://haveyoursay.greatoceanroadauthority.vic.gov.au/hoodies