A sporting field near Canberra has been closed for up to a month after a native bird decided to lay an egg on the halfway line.
The egg appeared in the middle of a field at Jerrabomberra Regional Sports Complex over the weekend.
It was laid by a plover, a protected native bird known for their aggressive temperament, especially when it comes to their young.
A plover laid an egg on the centre line of a soccer field near Canberra. (Facebook/Tim the Yowie Man)
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) initially advised that the egg should not be moved, forcing the field to be shut down.
Games that were supposed to be played there over the weekend had to be moved to alternative fields.
Now players will be unable to use the field until the egg hatches – or until council is able to carefully move it, with NPWS approval.
“NPWS have granted us a licence to move the nest in incremental small distances,” a Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council spokesperson told 9news.com.au.
The process could take days or even weeks, depending on one important factor: the plovers responsible for the egg.
“The advice and process we are following aims to ensure the parents remain with the nest,” the spokesperson said.
“We are monitoring the nest each day, and if it looks like the parents are not moving with the nest, it will be returned to the previous location.”
The task of moving the nest got a little trickier when, shortly after the first egg appeared, the plover lay two more.
But the spokesperson seemed confident, confirming to 9news that games scheduled to be played on the affected field this coming weekend have not been moved.
“Finals are not expected to be affected,” they added.
Two more eggs appeared soon after the first. (Facebook/Tim the Yowie Man)
Plovers can be found across Australia and typically flock to large grassy areas, especially those near lakes or other bodies of water.
Adult birds like to nest in open areas like fields or even on top of flat roofs so they can watch for predators.
They’re protective of their eggs and young and will swoop at people or animals who get too close.