Birds and HABITAT MANAGEMENT

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A GUIDE TO COMMON SPECIES Birds AND HABITAT MANAGEMENT

Greg Ford has been observing and learning Nicci Thompson has been a resident of on Cotton Farms about birds in rural landscapes for more the Darling Downs all her life. Her than 25 years. His passion for birds and formative childhood years were spent their bush habitats developed early during on a grazing property on the south-west his childhood on a mixed farming/grazing Downs where her passion for birds and property in northern New South Wales. bush landscapes developed. Following Tertiary studies in zoology and ecology led retirement from the teaching profession into career roles in rangeland management, she enrolled in the inaugural Post wetlands and wildlife research and Graduate Certificate in Ornithology extension in various locations in the offered by Charles Sturt University from Northern Territory and Queensland. Greg which she graduated in 1998. She has been working on biodiversity research became the Regional Organiser for and extension for the Landcare and Southern Inland Queensland of the Catchment Management network and Birds Birds Australia Atlas Project in 1998 Australia in southern inland Queensland which position she still fills. Nicci is since 2001. He is currently Regional currently the Convenor of Birds Australia Ecologist with the Queensland Murray Southern Queensland and is a member Darling Committee in Toowoomba. of the Birds Australia Council.

Namoi CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

Greg Ford & Nicci Thompson Management Authority or Namoi Catchment Management Authority. Research Association, Queensland Murray Darling Committee, Gwydir Catchment Government, Birds Australia, Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, Australian Cotton Growers those of the authors and do not necessarily represent position Australian best available information and research at the time of publication. The views expressed are DISCLAIMER: Management recommendations described in this publication are based on the www.cotton.crc.org.au Phone:†02 6799 1500 Narrabri NSW 2390 Locked Bag 1001 Cotton Catchment Communities CRC Additional copies of this book may be obtained by contacting: Printed in Queensland by Cranbrook Press Graphic Design by Kristy Fielder. ISBN 0-9775317-0-8. Phone:†02 6799 1500 Narrabri NSW 2390 Locked Bag 1001 Cotton Catchment Communities CRC Published by: reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher. 2006 Cotton Catchment Communities CRC. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

SPECIES AND HABITATSPECIES AND

A GUIDE TO COMMON Birds Greg Ford & Nicci Thompson on Cotton Farms MANAGEMENT Acknowledgments Foreword We thank Guy Roth for his encouragement and the “Cotton farms are good for the environment” is a headline I passion he has shown for this book, as well as his would love to see splashed across the front pages of our daily many contributions to its content and style. Greg newspapers. The fact that I won’t see this headline soon says a Kauter also supported the book with much fervour, great deal about perceptions. Some in the conservation providing many photos and insights into the birds movement like to cite cotton growing as the archetype of and their habitats on cotton farms. Our sincere unsustainable agriculture, unfairly in my opinion. appreciation also goes to Evan Cleland and Gill Unfortunately, the general perception gained by our poorly- Hogendyk, cotton industry stalwarts and erudite informed and largely urban public is of a resource-hungry bird-watchers for their expert advice and encouragement. industry living beyond its natural resource means.

We wish to thank the many photographers who And the reality? In the broadest sense, western agriculture, contributed images for the book. In particular, we including cotton growing, practiced in Australia has been thank all the bird photographers, who donated highly detrimental to our flora and fauna especially in its their stunning bird photos or provided them at impacts on woodlands and wetlands. However, in recent well-below commercial cost: Chris Cameron, Ian years the cotton industry has made significant steps to address, Montgomery, Greg Holland, Tom Tarrant, Geoff and rectify its impacts on the environment as evidenced by Dennis, Glen Threlfo, Helen Fallow, Mick Todd, the most recent environmental audit, and the wider adoption Bill Jolly and Peter Fuller. of the BMP Program. The conservation movement must Our gratitude also goes to those who reviewed acknowledge, encourage and support the cotton industry’s early drafts of the manuscript and provided clear intention to achieve ecologically sustainable production. invaluable editorial and thematic advice: Grahame Birds Australia’s motto is “conservation through knowledge.” Rogers, Guy Roth, Greg Kauter, Evan Cleland and Gill Hogendyk. This book is all about helping cotton growers to increase their knowledge and understanding of our native birds, the habitats Kristy Fielder’s patience was greatly appreciated. on which they depend and the threats they face. Birds are Her professionalism and expertise in design and important and give great joy in their own right, but they are layout have given the book much flare and appeal. also indicators of environmental health. Armed with this

Primary financial support for the development of knowledge we are confident that cotton growers will see birds this book was provided through an Australian in a new light and will realise that there is much they, Government Envirofund grant to the Australian individually and collectively, can do to conserve our birds and Cotton Growers Research Association. Additional more broadly our unique flora and fauna. financial input was gratefully received from the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Congratulations to Greg and Nicci for this most useful book Namoi Authority. Operational and logistical support was and thank you to everyone who has contributed and funded CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY received from the Cotton Catchment Communities its production. Cooperative Research Centre, the Queensland

Border Rivers-Gwydir Murray Darling Committee Inc and Birds Australia Dr Graeme Hamilton CMA CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY Southern Queensland. CEO Birds Australia Preface

Much is said about the plight of biodiversity in The intention of this book is to provide an easy- agricultural lands, and much is being done by to-use guide to who’s who among the birds, land managers to ensure that biodiversity is what some of them can tell us about landscape maintained amidst profitable production health and some practical information on what systems. The Australian cotton industry is at can be done to ensure the birds have places to the fore-front of developing sustainable best live, eat and breed for generations to come. management practices for cotton lands, ensuring a positive future for both their industry We expect the guide to become an important and the natural systems that support it. tool for farmers who are developing best management practices and monitoring the In developing and engaging in best outcomes of their improving land management. management practices, landholders are becoming acutely aware of the need to better We hope it finds a place on many a kitchen understand the ecosystems and native species table, as well as becoming a permanent fixture that play such a vital role in sustainable in the glove-box of farm utes across the cotton production. Many farmers are now looking for production region of central-eastern Australia. guidelines on appropriate management of Please, enjoy using this book as you find natural systems and the species and delight in the colourful diversity of birds on communities that live within them. your place and become comfortable in the Recent research and long-term observations on knowledge that you can provide a secure birds in agricultural landscapes have shown that future for them. And do pass on this deep our feathered friends are very good indicators understanding and appreciation to your of the health of ecosystems from landscape to peers and future farming generations. farm scale. This knowledge, and the fact that Amanda Platt most farmers are keen observers of the birds in Greg Ford their landscape, means that bird monitoring can provide an excellent insight into the progress of Nicci Thompson farm enterprises along the road to best APRIL 2006 management practice. Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

5 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

10 COMMON BIRDS ON COTTON FARMS

Greg Kauter 77 INDICATOR SPECIES

91 ACHIEVING A BIRD-FRIENDLY Dedication FARMING LANDSCAPE For Rohan, Callum, Stuart, 109 FURTHER READING Erin and all the children of the floodplains.

May they inherit a living 111 USEFUL CONTACTS IN THE REGION landscape, alive with wonderful biodiversity and 115 CHECKLIST OF BIRDS brimming with profitable agricultural ecosystems. 125 INDEX G.F. INTRODUCTION

Introduction The birds that inhabit rural landscapes often do so in harmony with productive farming and grazing enterprises. However, some species are sensitive to certain land management practices St George and their abundance can wax and wane as The aim of this book is to provide the cotton land use changes over years and decades. As McIntyre producers of northern New South Wales and such, the variety and abundance of birds in Dirranbandi Goondiwindi southern Queensland with an easy-to-use field- guide to birds and their habitat requirements in rural landscapes can tell us a lot about the Walgett Moree health of remnant bush and the sustainability Gwydir farming landscapes. We envisage the book being part of a toolkit that growers will use in of agricultural practices. Narrabri Namoi monitoring the health of their natural resources In other words, birds are useful ecological as they implement BMP across their landscape. indicators for land managers who want to Warren monitor the effects of their land use practices on Macquarie THE REGION nature at the farm, catchment or landscape scale. Dubbo This guide covers the birds likely to be found

By developing knowledge of the birds that Cairns in the cotton-growing regions of south-eastern inhabit your landscape, and observing what Australia, from the Balonne River valley in birds live where, and when they come and go, Townsville Queensland, through the Border Rivers, and you will build an understanding of the habitat across the Gwydir, Namoi and Macquarie requirements of those birds. Such QUEENSLAND valleys in New South Wales. understanding will be invaluable in helping you Emerald Rockhampton Biloela The landscapes of this region are dominated Theodore to plan and manage land use change over by fertile floodplains, big rivers lined with coming years. Perhaps of even greater Darling Downs St George Dalby magnificent red-gum communities, and Brisba significance is the mere pleasure you will Dirranbandi Goondiwindi McIntyre diverse open woodlands on lighter soils. Moree Bourke Walgett derive from being able to recognise and name NEW Gwydir Rugged ranges, such as the Nandewar and SOUTH more of the birds you see every day. WALES Narrabri Namoi J. Palmer Warren Warrumbungle Mountains form a spectacular Menindee Macquarie Hillston Dubbo backdrop to parts of the region, and are a Lachlan ABOUT THIS BOOK Hay Sydney source of many of the birds that farmers in Adelaide Murrumbidgee Following the success of a similar book, “Birds Canberra those areas enjoy. of the Darling Downs: a land-manager’s guide” VICTORIA (Ford and Thompson 2005), the Cotton Melbourne Extensive areas are devoted to the production Catchment Communities CRC and ACGRA of cotton and grains on the floodplains, while approached the authors to produce a field grazing of native pastures in riparian and The cotton-producing regions of woodland communities plays an important role guide to complement the management eastern Australia. Circle indicates guidelines in the Australian Cotton Best the regions covered by this book. in maintaining an ecological and economic Management Practices (BMP) Manual. Map courtesy of Cotton balance in the production system. Catchment Communities CRC.

1 2 INTRODUCTION

sustainable agricultural production. The principles are based on knowledge acquired from research in agricultural landscapes throughout eastern Australia. Management actions described under each principle are closely aligned to the management guidelines presented in the Land and Water Management module of the Cotton BMP Manual.

There is also a detailed guide to bird species that we consider are useful indicators of ecological condition in farming landscapes. These are the birds to watch out for in your farm remnants - their presence would suggest your MAKING IT MANAGEABLE The Nandewar Range forms a management practices are providing suitable spectacular backdrop to cotton Australia has over 800 species of birds, more habitat for some of the more sensitive wildlife in fields in the Namoi Valley of New than one-third of which may be found in the the area. Each species description in this section South Wales. Photo: Greg Kauter. cotton regions of central-eastern Australia. includes a guide to the management practices While there are many good guides to this that can be adjusted to bring back or retain that enormous variety of avian wildlife, finding the species in the landscape. right bird in a traditional field guide can be a daunting task to the uninitiated. What’s more, When you undertake property planning and the thought of trying to understand the monitoring activities for BMP, you may wish to taxonomic ordering of the species is a chore refer to these sections to get some ideas for the even for some birders! future enhancement of the natural areas on your property. By keeping an eye out for the This book eliminates the need to search indicator species, you will be able to monitor through scores of species that don’t even occur the positive results of your improving land in your region in order to find the one you’re management for years to come. looking at on the fence-post. It includes a photographic guide to 118 common and BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE... significant bird species of the region, plus a To find out more about birds, their habitats checklist of more than 300 birds known to or land management for birds and biodiversity, occur in the region. you may wish to track down some of the reference material listed in the “Further MORE THAN JUST A FIELD GUIDE Reading” section. If you prefer to speak to In addition to the common species guide, someone knowledgeable about such things, this book provides a series of guiding principles then try getting in touch with one or more of for landscape management to maintain and the people and organisations listed in the enhance bird habitats whilst ensuring “Contacts” section.

Greg Kauter

3 4 INTRODUCTION

How to use the field guide The layout of the “Common species” field guide section is described in the diagram below. “Indicator species” are laid out in a similar manner, but with more detailed descriptions for each species.

Size icon - indicating relative size of the bird compared Guy Roth with several well-known species COMMON SPECIES (see explanation below). Order of species Pheasant Coucal Recommended common name Most field guides arrange birds in taxonomic

standardised name for the bird as APPEARANCE: Long-tailed bird with intricately HABITAT ICONS order (i.e. by their scientific classification used by Birds Australia and the patterned brown plumage. In the breeding - season head, neck and belly are glossy black name used in most field guides. and the back is a rich chestnut. groups). While this is easy to navigate for

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Prefers long rank grasslands, especially along watercourses or practiced bird-watchers, it can be a nightmare Habitat icon thick undergrowth. It flies heavily but runs you are most- likelythe habitat to see where the bird nimbly, lizard like, up the branches of a tree. It for the uninitiated. is frequently seen with head outstretched FARMLAND (and by which the birds are running across roads and as a result is a common road-kill. ordered in this book). For an © Chris Cameron We have chosen to arrange the birds indication of other habitats likely according to the primary habitat in which to be used by a species, turn to the they are likely to be found (farmlands, checklist at the back of the book. Brown Quail GRASSLAND preferred dietshows of the the species; grasslands, wetlands and woodlands) or by Food icon refer to the icon guide on the APPEARANCE: Large, brown quail with pattern specialist behaviour (aerial and night-birds). - of dark V-bars on underparts. It has a small following page for detail. dark patch just behind the eye on an The primary habitat and behaviour sections otherwise plain face. WETLANDS BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Most commonly in small are colour-coded with an icon on the page Habitat usage icon flocks in long grass along watercourses or in crops. Early morning or late afternoon feeds margin to make it easy for you to quickly turn where in the habitat you are along edges of cover. When disturbed it flushes - indicates with a chattering call; flies fast and lands some most likely to see the bird, distance away. to the section of your choosing. such as in the outer foliage, © Chris Cameron AERIAL on the trunk of a tree, or on The specialist behaviour categories are included the ground under the tree. for birds which are mostly seen in flight Description of the bird’s 23 (e.g. eagles and swallows) or at night time appearance, behaviour and NIGHT BIRDS (e.g. owls). Since these two groups include habitat preferences birds readily seen in farmlands and other detail provided for indicator- more species than common species. open habitats, they are placed between the WOODLANDS “wetlands” and “woodlands” sections.

5 6 INTRODUCTION

WETLANDS Include natural water-bodies, Habitats and vegetation communities seasonally-flooded swamps, farm dams, ponds, large storages, The primary habitat categories, into which the drains and ditches. Flooded birds are ordered, each include a range of paddocks also provide a wetland different habitats and these vary from region to resource when crops are being region. These are described below in more detail. “specialists”irrigated. (e.g. cormorants Some wetland and grebes) prefer more natural or Some birds occur in more than one habitat permanent wetlands, while type. The checklist at the rear of the book others (e.g. ibis and herons) shows all additional (or “secondary”) habitats readily utilise temporarily that a particular bird is likely to be found in. flooded paddocks and drains.

FARMLANDS WOODLANDS Even the most intensively-used These communities range from parts of the landscape provide widely-spaced trees with a habitat value to a range of birds. grassy understorey, to denser woodlands with a distinct shrub Farmland habitats include layer. They are usually dominated Greg Kauter cultivation paddocks (bare or cropped, dry or irrigated), grassy by one or two tree species, verges, roadways, infrastructure and depending on the location in the buildings. Most of the birds found landscape. Typical communities in these habitats are “generalists”; include river red-gum woodlands on watercourses, poplar box and they are highly tolerant of agricultural activity and have no carbeen grassy open woodlands, particular habitat preferences. and brigalow-belah shrubby Rebecca Partridge woodlands. Typically, woodlands support a greater diversity of GRASSLANDS birds than farmland and Blue-grass and Mitchell grass grassland habitats, with diversity native grasslands and sown higher the shrubbier the pastures, provide a distinctive habitat type. These are less- woodland is. frequently disturbed, with a more Rebecca Partridge constant cover of vegetation. This country supports many of the birds that use farmland habitats, plus a suite of “specialist” grassland species that

are less tolerant of regular

disturbance. Gill Hogendyk

7 8

Greg Ford INTRODUCTION

FOOD ICONS

Leaves and shoots, Soft fruit, berries Small birds, also roots and Small aquatic or eggs and young rhizomes Crayfish, shrimps, Larger mammals Snakes, lizards, Smaller mammals terrestrial insects snails and molluscs Cereals, grains, other reptiles e.g. Rodents and their larvae Larger insects and Fish seeds of herbaceous Flowers, nectar their larvae, other plants and grasses Frogs, amphibians Spiders and other soft invertebrates bodied invertebrates 9 size range of the silhouettes is as follows: species description. The meaning and indicative is indicated by a silhouette adjacent to the size of each bird relative to well-known species ordered by size, from largest to smallest. The Within each habitat category, the birds are Size Guides of the food they represent. you will find are shown at left, with a description items and are by no means definitive. The icons are intended as a general guide to preferred food icons, representing the diet of each species. These With each bird description is a set of “Food” Food Preferences

SIZE ICONS

larger than 60 cm 40 to 60 cm 25 to 40 cm 15 to 25 cm IBIS CROW PEE-WEE WILLIE WAGTAIL less than 15 cm FAIRY-WREN

Birds”, published in 2003 by Birds Australia. data collected for “The New Atlas of Australian back of this book. The checklist is derived from the region appears in “Checklist” near the A complete list of species known to occur in your farm and as you travel around the region. are the birds that you are most likely to see on commonly observed birds in the region. These descriptions of more than 100 the most This section contains photos and brief one-third of all Australian land birds. Queensland. This represents more than northern New South Wales and southern recorded in the cotton-growing regions of Over 300 native bird species have been Common Birds on cotton farms © Chris Cameron 10 COMMON SPECIES FARMLANDS

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Little Corella

APPEARANCE: Large, white cockatoo with bright, APPEARANCE: An all white cockatoo with yellow crest and strong deep grey bill. circular, blue skin patch around its eye and soft pinkish markings between bill and eye. It has a BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in small to large small white crest which is not always raised. flocks, sometimes with Little Corellas and Galahs; feeds on the ground in cultivations and BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in open short, grassy areas and on roadsides. Gathers in grasslands, croplands and along watercourses large noisy flocks near water. where it congregates in immense flocks at times. It feeds on the ground, sometimes in mixed flocks with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos or Galahs.

Torresian Crow Rock Dove © Geoff Dennis Australian Raven

APPEARANCE: Crows and ravens are difficult to APPEARANCE: Large heavy pigeon that is most tell apart in the field unless one is very familiar commonly blue-grey with shimmering with their calls so here they are treated together. green/purple neck feathers, but colours range Both are large, black birds with a heavy bill and from pure white through sandy colours to © Chris Cameronwhite eye (dark when young). They may or may almost black. not have throat hackles (longer loose feathers hanging-pouch like from throat). BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in pairs and flocks on city buildings, around houses, barns, BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Crows and Ravens occur silos, under bridges and in dead trees. Feeds in most habitats singly or in flocks. They take a on the ground; rises in large wheeling flocks wide variety of foods and are scavengers. that stay airborne for sometime.

11 12 COMMON SPECIES FARMLANDS

Laughing Kookaburra Australian Magpie

APPEARANCE: The largest Australian Kingfisher APPEARANCE: Largish black and white bird - with a long pale-coloured bill; brown head, white on back of neck, wings and rump. It has white collar, throat and belly; a dark brown a strong, pointed bill. streak through and beyond its eye; brown back, brown wings with blue scalloping. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: The magpie is essentially a bird of open grasslands, crops and parklands BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Sits on high perches but requires tall trees for nesting. It feeds on peering at ground for prey upon which it makes the ground. Magpies are territorial and there a sloping pounce flight. Family groups gather at are often raucous disputes between groups dusk at roosts or territory corners. Their famous defending territories. Some males are ‘laughing’ call is heard at these times. aggressive during the nesting season.

Galah Masked Lapwing

APPEARANCE: Pale grey above with grey tail; APPEARANCE: Brown back, white underparts head and small crest are white; neck, shoulders and chest; black shoulder bars extend on to and belly are rose- pink. chest; conspicuous yellow facial flaps and long yellow legs. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: In pairs or noisy flocks feeds on the ground in cultivation, crops, BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Forages in pairs or flocks grasslands parks etc. It is common, also, along on short grasslands and along the bare margins © Chris Cameronwatercourses and congregates around silos or of water bodies. It is common on ovals. grain spills and in noisy roosting spots in the When disturbed it flies regularly with noisy evening. Often indulges in acrobatic antics complaints. It can be aggressive when from overhead wires or branches. protecting eggs or young.

13 14 © Chris Cameron COMMON SPECIES FARMLANDS

Pied Butcherbird Magpie-lark

APPEARANCE: Glossy, black head and throat APPEARANCE: Black head, back, tail and chest. above a broad white collar; back is black with Sides of head, neck and belly are white. Male white markings as is the tail. Its belly is white. and females have different facial and chest Young birds are brownish. markings. The male has a white eyebrow. © Chris Cameron

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is a bird of the open BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Magpie-larks need trees woodlands, farmlands, parks and gardens. and mud for nests so they are usually close to Singly or in groups it sits on exposed branches water but are found in all habitats. They feed on and overhead wires waiting to pounce on prey. the ground where they walk about purposefully with a peculiar nodding head motion. Pairs © Chris Cameron keep in touch with frequent calling.

Crested Pigeon Apostlebird

APPEARANCE: Soft brown and grey pigeon with APPEARANCE: Dark grey bird with brownish prominent black crest and red eye-ring; small wings and long black tail. bronze green/purple wing patch and a long dark tail. Wing-whistle is obvious when it flies. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Lives in family groups of six or more. Noisy groups feed on ground. If © Chris Cameron BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is a bird of open areas disturbed, they fly to the nearest tree where where it feeds quietly on the ground singly or they hop from branch to branch, calling in flocks. When flying it alternates wing flaps aggressively. Prefers open woodlands but is with long sloping glides. On landing it tips often tame around farm houses. forward with tail high before settling.

15 16

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Common Myna

APPEARANCE: Medium-sized blue-grey bird with APPEARANCE: Upright, stocky, rich brown bird with black face and upper chest. Wing tips are yellow beak, eye-ring and legs; head and throat black. Underparts fade from grey to white. are black; lower edge of the wing is white; large © Chris Cameron white patch on wings is obvious during flight. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Common bird of farms, towns and open woodland. It occurs in pairs, BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT:Towns, farms and rural areas loose family groups or small flocks. It has an especially along highways and roads. It is a scavenger, easy undulating flight. As it lands or when but takes fruit, berries etc as well. It is often seen in sitting it shuffles its wings. pairs or flocks strutting and hopping along the ground.

NOTE: This bird is rapidly becoming a major pest in the region. It poses a serious threat to native birds because it tosses eggs and chicks out of nests and takes over all available hollows for © Chris Cameron its own breeding purposes.

Cockatiel © Chris Cameron Noisy Miner Yellow-throated Miner APPEARANCE: Small, slender parrot with yellow APPEARANCE: A generally grey bird with pale crest and cheeks and small red ear patch; rest belly; bright yellow bill, legs and eye patch; of the bird is grey except for white patches on black band on top of the head extends to just below the eye patches on each side of the both wings. head.Yellow-throated Miner: Very similar species, but noticeably paler all over; rump is BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Cockatiels are birds of NOTE: The Yellow-throated Miner does not appear white; there is a soft yellow wash on sides of the open woodlands, grasslands and croplands. to be quite as aggressive throat and no black band on top of the head. as the Noisy Miner © Chris CameronThey are often seen in small to very large towards other flocks on overhead wires or swooping over species. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Aggressive, territorial honeyeater which occurs in groups in most cultivation paddocks. habitats. Groups mob other birds, especially © Chris Cameronowls and hawks or indulge in noisy stand-offs with other groups of Noisy and/or Yellow- throated Miners.

17 © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au 18 COMMON SPECIES FARMLANDS

Red-rumped Parrot Willie Wagtail

APPEARANCE: Small green parrot with red rump, APPEARANCE: Black head, back, tail and throat; dark tail and dark blue wing tips; chest is light white belly and eyebrow. green and belly is yellow. The female is basically greenish brown with long dark tail BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds singly or in pairs and blue wing tips. along fence lines, bushes or from the backs of animals. From these vantage points it BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feed on the ground in launches out to chase insects. It returns to pairs or small flocks. It flies when disturbed to perch where it is seldom still as it wags and fence lines, overhead wires or nearby trees with fans its tail. It also chases insects by running swift undulating flight. These parrots are most swiftly across very low grass, lawns etc. common in paddocks with trees or along © Chris Cameron watercourses. © Chris Cameron

Common Starling F House Sparrow

APPEARANCE: Shiny, iridescent, black bird with APPEARANCE: Male has strong black bill and bib; yellow bill and yellow-orange legs. In autumn head is grey but face is white below the eye; feathers appear to be spotted white. Young back and wings are a reddish brown streaked birds are brown. black; lower wings and tail are brown; belly is pale. The female is soft brown with pale M BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Singly or in flocks in eyebrow and black wing and back markings. open woodland, farmlands, towns, garden and © Chris Cameronparks. It congregates in large flocks at food BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: House Sparrows have sources and in winter. It can be a pest in fruit adapted to living with people and are usually areas but is beneficial in pastures. Often sits in found in the vicinity of human dwellings, either around urban or rural dwellings where large flocks along overhead powerlines. © Chris Cameron they can become very tame and are destructive among new plantings.

19 20 © Chris Cameron COMMON SPECIES FARMLANDS

Yellow-rumped Thornbill Superb Fairy-wren

APPEARANCE: Black head fine-spotted with APPEARANCE: Pale blue cap; cheek patch and white; fine, sharp bill like a thorn, brown back; small saddle divided by black; long cocked tail deep yellow rump and black tail with white tip; is dark blue; throat navy blue; wings brown belly is pale. and belly white; Female brown with pale underparts and almost white throat. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Usually seen in small flocks hopping over short grass but does feed in BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: In family parties or small trees. It flies, calling, with bouncing flight that flocks, it hops around feeding on short grass displays the bright yellow rump. Flocks become close to thick undergrowth or small dense semi-tame around farm houses and in parks. bushes to which they flee if they sense danger.

Red-backed Fairy-wren © Chris Cameron

APPEARANCE: Tiny, black, long-tailed wren, with flame red saddle-shaped patch on back; wing feathers are a dark brown. The female is a warm brown above; pale underneath.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Red-backed Fairy-wrens prefer ranker grasses along water courses and embankments but are wide-spread in lantana areas and thicker under-storey. They flit swiftly along the tops of the grass before diving for cover.

21 22 COMMON SPECIES GRASSLANDS

Pheasant Coucal Singing Bushlark

APPEARANCE: Long-tailed bird with intricately APPEARANCE: Stocky, brown bird with black patterned brown plumage. In the breeding markings on back and head; thick short bill; season head, neck and belly are glossy black pale eyebrow; belly is pale, streaked with and the back is a rich chestnut. black. Outer white tail feathers are seen during flight. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Prefers long rank grasslands, especially along watercourses or BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds on the ground in thick undergrowth. It flies heavily but runs grasslands and stubble fields. Runs along the nimbly, lizard like, up the branches of a tree. ground; perches on fence posts or wires beside It is frequently seen with head outstretched croplands; hovers over fields singing. running across roads and as a result is a common road-kill. © Chris Cameron © Chris Cameron

Brown Quail Richard’s Pipit

APPEARANCE: Large, brown quail with pattern APPEARANCE: Brownish bird with dark markings of dark V-bars on underparts. It has a small on upper body; belly is white with strong black dark patch just behind the eye on an dotted stripes; eyebrow and cheek are pale. In otherwise plain face. flight the white outer tail feathers are clearly seen.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Most commonly in small BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds in short grass flocks in long grass along watercourses or in along roadsides, in parks and along tracks or in crops. Early morning or late afternoon feeds stubble. It runs a few paces, stops with head in along edges of cover. When disturbed it flushes the air and bobs up and down before running with a chattering call; flies fast and lands some another few paces. When disturbed it flies up distance away. from the ground but quickly drops into nearby vegetation or sits on fences, posts or rails.

23 24 © Chris Cameron COMMON SPECIES GRASSLANDS

Rufous Songlark Chestnut-breasted Mannikin

APPEARANCE: Upper parts are light brown with APPEARANCE: Chunky finch with heavy darker patterning; underparts paler shading to silvery-blue bill, black face and breast band almost white throat; pale eyebrow extending emphasise the chestnut breast; stomach is from base of bill; rump and base of tail are white; greyish head blends to brown back and rufous. Female is generally paler than male. chestnut rump. Female is similar but duller.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Summer breeding migrant BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Seasonally nomadic, to southern Australia. Its arrival is announced foraging in tall seeding grasses on wasteland, by almost continuous song from vantage points grasslands near water, or roadsides; also crops or in flight in the early part of the breeding such as sorghum or millet; occurs in pairs or season. Forages and nests in grasslands and open woody grasslands. Once breeding is large flocks; disturbed flocks fly swiftly to another part of the grassland; often roost in reed beds. © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au established birds are quiet and unobtrusive. © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au

Plum-headed Finch Golden-headed Cisticola

APPEARANCE: From a distance appears to be APPEARANCE: Small, warm brown bird with plain brown; closer view shows plum-coloured black markings on wings and shoulders; forehead; brown and white barring on chest breeding male has a small ‘golden’ crest. and belly, white spots on back and wings and Females and non-breeding males have dark white barring above a black tail. Male has a streaks on top of head. Both are whitish plum-coloured throat. underneath.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Locally and seasonally BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Frequents rank grasses nomadic; occurs in small groups/large flocks in along creeks, other wetlands, roadsides and the tall grasses of open pasture, reeds of railway lines. The tiny male calls almost wetland fringes and grain crops. Forages on incessantly with raised crest from overhead the ground; climbs long stalks to swing from wires or from high in the air during the seed heads; flight is undulating and strong. breeding season.

25 26 © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au COMMON SPECIES WETLANDS

Australian Pelican White-necked Heron

APPEARANCE: Unmistakable, large black and APPEARANCE: Large heron with slate grey back; white bird with huge pinkish bill and long white neck and head; underside of neck is associated bill pouch. marked with double line of dark spots when not breeding. In flight it tucks its head back; BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Prefers large shallow the two white spots on the bend of each wing wetlands where it hunts singly or in flocks for which are prominent in flight are distinctive. fish; perches on log piles, dead trees etc. In © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Single birds and loose flight pulls its bill back against chest; flocks groups inhabit a variety of wetlands - flooded can be seen circling to great heights. roadsides, small waterholes, dams, margins of large inland lakes; appears in large numbers after flooding of grasslands and swampy areas. When surprised it flies up and circles the area, often landing on an elevated perch where it can watch. © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au

Black Swan Great Egret

APPEARANCE: Large black bird with long neck, APPEARANCE: Largest egret; all white with small head and bright red bill; it has large yellow bill; long curved neck and head are webbed feet on short legs but walks well on longer than body when stretched out but this egret often stands with its neck curved back dry land. In flight the white flight feathers are towards the body; bill changes to black in conspicuous. breeding season; facial skin turns green and graceful plumes develop on back only. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Widespread and common

on larger lakes; also occurs on smaller wetlands BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Often seen alone and lagoons and in flooded pastures and green standing in shallow water waiting motionlessly crops. Single birds, pairs or small groups are for its prey or stalking slowly through water common but it can occur in flocks of thousands and aquatic vegetation; inhabits a variety of on larger lakes especially during its moulting wetlands - creeks, dams, flooded marshlands season when the birds become flightless. and crops and larger lakes and lagoons. © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au

27 28 © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au COMMON SPECIES WETLANDS

Yellow-billed Spoonbill Straw-necked Ibis

APPEARANCE: White bird with long, yellow, APPEARANCE: Large, long-legged bird with black spoon-shaped, bill and long yellow legs. back and white underparts; the long white neck has loose straw-coloured feathers hanging BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is often observed singly from below; bill is long and down-curved. or in small groups feeding along the margins of dams or shallow waterholes. It feeds by BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Usually observed in large sweeping its bill from side to side. Often loafs flocks in open paddocks, cultivation along on shore in groups with head tucked back irrigation channels or town ovals where it feeds under wing. by probing the ground for ground-dwelling grasshoppers and other small creatures.

Royal Spoonbill Australian White Ibis

APPEARANCE: Similar to Yellow-billed Spoonbill APPEARANCE: Body almost completely white - but legs and bill are black; when breeding has often soiled - except for black wing tips; long red patch on forehead and long plumes hang curved bill and bare skin of head are black. from the back of the head. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs singly or in BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Less often seen on small flocks; frequents wetlands of all sizes, open dams than the Yellow-billed Spoonbill; occurs pasture, rubbish dumps and town parks; often singly or in loose flocks on larger wetlands associates with Straw-necked Ibis. where it feeds in shallow waters with the same sweeping motion as the Yellow-billed. Frequently loafs in groups with other water-fowl on shore-line. © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au

29 30 COMMON SPECIES WETLANDS

White-faced Heron Great Cormorant

APPEARANCE: Tall, slaty-blue, long-legged bird APPEARANCE: Large black cormorant with with white face. When flying, its large wings hooked horn-coloured bill; skin of throat are flapped slowly and it hunches its long neck pouch and facial patch is yellow; when into its shoulders. breeding it has white markings on cheek behind facial patch and on flanks. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is most often seen singly BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Appears to prefer larger or in small groups. It feeds in open paddocks or © Chris Cameron wetlands and irrigation dams. It usually fishes along streams and dams where it often stands alone in clear water diving smoothly from the motionless waiting for prey on which it pounces. surface to chase prey. Groups sit in trees, on When loafing it perches on exposed limbs or fallen logs and other prominent perches to dry other suitable waterside perches. wings after swimming. Flocks fly in v-formation; they alternate strong slow wing-beats with © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au periods of gliding.

Darter Purple Swamphen

APPEARANCE: Cormorant-like bird with a long APPEARANCE: Heavily built waterbird with sharp bill and a kinked neck; its tail is longer conspicuous strong red bill and fore-head than that of cormorants. The male is black with shield; dark, blue head, neck and breast; back, a white neck stripe; when breeding a chestnut wings and belly are dark grey; under tail is flush appears on the underside of the neck; white; strong legs and large feet are red. female has light grey throat above whitish underparts; back is black. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in groups along the margins of vegetated wetlands - ornamental BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT:Prefers larger shallow ponds, lakes, shallow waterholes, irrigation wetlands where it hunts for fish; body is completely submerged showing only snake-like neck and head dams and channels. Forages in wetland above surface; sits on rocks, dead trees, edges of vegetation and nearby paddocks. Continuously wetlands with wings held out to dry; when flicks tail showing the white under-tail feathers. airborne has shallow wing-beat broken by glides; it Flies heavily but strongly. Swims.

31 32 COMMON SPECIES WETLANDS

Pacific Black Duck Hardhead

APPEARANCE: Large brown duck with distinctive APPEARANCE: A rich brown duck with whitish dark eye markings, which pass through and belly and a very short tail. The male has a above the eye. It has a shimmering green patch distinct white eye. in both wings. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is found on wetlands BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Pacific Black Ducks are and farm dams in pairs or small flocks. It dives common ducks of most farm dams and streams. for its food in the deeper parts of the water body © Chris Cameron They dabble in the shallower parts for food or but can be seen dabbling in the shallows. When loaf along the edges. loafing, its white belly is often very obvious.

Australian Wood Duck Pink-eared Duck

APPEARANCE: A medium-sized, neat duck. Male APPEARANCE: Its large square-tipped grey bill and female are different. The male has a dark and heavily barred belly and flanks are far brown head and neck with a small mane or crest; more obvious than the insignificant pink spot grey back and wings with black markings along above the irregular large brown eye-patch; the centre of its back blending into the black tail; upper parts are brown. © Chrisbelly Cameron is mottled. The female is similar but the brown head is much lighter, the mane is absent BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in pairs or large and the mottling extends further up the sides. flocks on a wide variety of wetlands; common on effluent dams. When feeding it swims with its bill BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Wood ducks occur in submerged filtering organisms from the water; often pairs or large flocks around wetlands, seen feeding head to tail in locked pairs or rotating especially farm dams that have a surrounding groups that disturb the organisms on which it feeds; area of short green grass. They swim and feed on the water but spend a lot of time grazing on dabbles in shallows and perches on logs and dead surrounding vegetation or loafing on dam walls. trees; loafs on banks with other ducks.

33 © Michael Todd www.wildlifing.com 34 COMMON SPECIES WETLANDS

Grey Teal Eurasian Coot

APPEARANCE: Small, neat brownish duck with APPEARANCE: Deep slate-grey waterfowl with a slightly, upturned bill. It has a white patch in striking white bill and facial shield; red eye. its wing and shows white strips in the

underwing when it flies. It floats high on the BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in pairs to large © Chris Cameron water rather like the traditional ‘rubber ducky’. flocks on a variety of wetlands; feeds along shorelines in shallows or on edges and far BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is found on out in deep water where it dives repeatedly watercourses and farm dams in pairs or small to feed on plants; when disturbed it half-runs flocks. It dabbles, head down, tail and legs up, half-flies across the water surface before in the shallower parts of the water and takes becoming airborne. flight readily when disturbed.

Dusky Moorhen Little Pied Cormorant

APPEARANCE: Moorhens appear black from a APPEARANCE: Upright bird with black back and distance but are actually brownish on top and top of head; white belly and face; obvious slaty-grey below. They have a red face shield yellow bill. and bill with a yellow tip; red legs; the under edges of their black tail are white. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Often singly along © Chris Cameron streams, dams and other watercourses. It often BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Moorhens occur on well sits motionless on exposed logs or other vegetated wetlands, such as natural waterholes, structures beside these waterbodies or swims farm dams and irrigation channels. They feed low in the water. After swimming or feeding it both in the water and along the edges. When sits on the bank with wings hung out to dry. disturbed they run quickly or fly to the nearest thick vegetation.

35 36 © Chris Cameron COMMON SPECIES WETLANDS

Little Black Cormorant Australasian Grebe

APPEARANCE: Similar in size to Little Pied APPEARANCE: A small, brownish waterbird with Cormorant but plumage is a glossy black; bill an upright carriage; dark head and back fading is black. to a reddish-brown on the sides; soft grey, fluffy, short tail. During the breeding season it BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Often singly along has an oval yellow mark below its yellow eye. streams, dams and other watercourses; in flocks on larger wetlands where it feeds in groups that BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Australasian Grebes move quickly with individuals diving and often occur in pairs or family parties on farm dams and other still water bodies, preferably those leap-frogging birds in front. After swimming or that have some emergent and/or surrounding feeding it sits on banks, logs, rocks with wings vegetation. They feed underwater by diving hung out to dry. 1 and remaining there for 1-1 /2 minutes. If

Black-winged Stilt Black-fronted Dotterel © Chris Cameron

APPEARANCE: It is a neat white bird with black APPEARANCE: Head and back brown; a black back, upper neck and wings; the large black band beneath a white line passes through the eye stands out in the unmarked white face; the eye which is encircled by a red ring; bill is red; black bill is long and straight, tapering to a underparts are white with a black y-shaped point. When flying it trails its long pinkish-red band across the breast; wings are surprisingly legs almost horizontally behind it. large for such a small bird; the white wing-bar is displayed in flight.

© Greg Holland birdphotos.com.auAPPEARANCE & BEHAVIOUR: It frequents shallow BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs singly, in pairs waters on the margins of wetlands; flooded or small flocks on shorelines of wetlands overflows and flood plains. In groups or singly where it runs quickly across the mud pausing forages along shorelines and in water; often © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.auto bob and feed. Also forages in short grass or appears after good rain. gravel areas close to wetlands.

37 38 COMMON SPECIES AERIAL

Clamorous Reed-Warbler Wedge-tailed Eagle

APPEARANCE: Upper parts are brown; it has a APPEARANCE: The largest Australian bird of prey. pale fawn eyebrow; underparts are a softer It varies in colour from golden brown with brown fading to white. In flight it has a tawny obvious cream markings on its wings to almost rump; when singing it displays its yellow mouth. black. In flight it raises its wings high and the diamond or wedge-shaped tail is obvious. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Frequents reed-beds, BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is often seen circling long riparian grasses, river red gum saplings; very high on thermals above the surrounding vegetation along irrigation channels and town country or following local ridge-lines. As it ponds; it clings sideways on reed stems calling hunts from a great height it occurs across a loudly and often in summer. wide range of country. It is frequently seen at road-kills where it is vulnerable as it needs time to lift from the ground especially if it has © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au been gorging.

White-bellied Sea-Eagle © Chris Cameron

APPEARANCE: Large two coloured eagle - back and upper wings are grey, head and belly are white; in flight the upswept wings are black and white beneath and the short tail has a broad white terminal band.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Despite the Sea-Eagle name this eagle frequents inland waterways, lakes and irrigation storages where it can be seen singly, in pairs or small family groups watching from high perches or soaring high over the water.

39 40 © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au COMMON SPECIES AERIAL

Spotted Harrier Black Kite

APPEARANCE: Large bird with long silvery-grey APPEARANCE: Dark brown bird with hooked wings tipped with black “fingers”; salmon beak; dark markings on face give eyes a deep- coloured face and belly; belly is spotted white; set appearance; in flight the forked-tail and long yellow legs; long grey tail, barred with deeply fingered wings are obvious; extremely darker stripes. manoeuvrable in the air, they use their tail like a ‘rudder’ to change or adjust flight. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Spotted Harriers often fly only a few metres above crops and grasslands BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Common over inland following the contour of the land on their long towns, where they congregate in high spirals over upswept wings. Their flight seems effortless as rubbish dumps and stockyards; they scavenge they lift to cross a fence and drop back to along roads; attracted by smoke to bushfires, they follow the contours of the next paddock. take prey escaping from the flames. © Bill Jolly www.abberton.org Harriers also hover and soar high.

Swamp Harrier © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au Whistling Kite

APPEARANCE: Large, long-legged bird; mid- APPEARANCE: Soft brown hawk with darker brown with a distinctive white rump and subtly wings and long pale brown tail; in the air the streaked breast; it has a distinct facial disc. The bowed wings and pale underwing markings long wings are upswept in flight. distinguish it from the Black Kite.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: While the Swamp Harrier BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Can be observed in most can be observed in a wide variety of habitats it habitats but is most often seen over larger © Peter Fuller www.peterfuller.com.auis chiefly associated with wetlands, riparian wetlands or following treed river courses grassland and crops where it hunts low where it hunts for live prey; sometimes joins following the contours of the land. Black Kite spirals; scavenges road-kill.

41 42 © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au COMMON SPECIES AERIAL

Brown Falcon Black-shouldered Kite

APPEARANCE: A variable brown falcon. The APPEARANCE: A small, mainly white and grey colour ranges from almost black through to kite with black shoulders on wing. The wing light beige above, cream below. All Brown tips are black in flight when viewed from Falcons have a facial mask - a darker area on below. When perched the black ‘shoulders’ the sides of the face and a double tear-drop are distinctive. Young birds are mottled with below the eye. Tail feathers are lightly barred. reddish-brown. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Brown Falcons are seen perched upright on exposed branches, fence BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Usually seen in open posts or overhead lines in open country. They country. It sits on exposed branches or often circle above open paddocks on slightly overhead wires. It is most commonly seen upswept pointed wings. They are one of the hunting in the early morning or late afternoon most vocal hawks and their wide range of but does so at any time of the day. When strident calls can be heard from a considerable hovering, the Black-shouldered Kite raises its © Chris Cameron distance when mating or disputing territory. wings very high and hangs in the sky. © Chris Cameron

Note: Susceptible to accidental poisoning because of the high intake of rodents in its diet.

Channel-billed Cuckoo Australian Hobby

APPEARANCE: Large bird with a huge, curved, APPEARANCE: Small, fast-flying falcon; black horn coloured bill and red ringed eye. Head, hood around face and head blends into the neck and upper front are pale grey; wings and deep grey back and upper wings; throat is pale tail are a darker grey. to white blending into deep red-brown underparts. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Channel-billed Cuckoos are summer migrants to Australia, arriving in BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Actively hunts on the © Chris Cameronlate September. Their return is usually wing for its prey along watercourses and over announced by their loud, raucous call. They fly wetlands and pastures (not usually open slowly with heavy wing beats. They parasitise grasslands and crops); flies swiftly and runs the nests of crows and currawongs. down prey. © Russell Jenkins

43 © Tom & Marie Tarrant www.aviceda.org 44 COMMON SPECIES AERIAL

Nankeen Kestrel Welcome Swallow

APPEARANCE: The smallest falcon with a reddish APPEARANCE: Glossy blue-black back; rusty back, black wingtips, black tail band and brown forehead and throat, long forked tail; creamy underneath. It has a dark tear drop belly is pale grey. through the eye. Males have grey heads and tails. During flight or when the bird is hovering, BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Sits, often in flocks on the black tail band is visible from below. overhead wires; flies over water, creek-lines

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Kestrels are often seen and open fields catching insects. In flight it is over open country hovering with tail-fanned swift and incredibly acrobatic. It builds its mud and hanging down or circling over open nest on verandahs, in barns, under eaves etc. paddocks. On windy days it hovers into the wind with bent wings. It also hunts from such bases as overhead lines, fence posts, raised © Chris Cameron earth mounds or stumps.

White-breasted Woodswallow © Geoff Dennis Fairy Martin

APPEARANCE: Neat bird with dark grey head, APPEARANCE: Small bird of the swallow family throat, back and upper wings; dark throat with slightly forked tail; dark back and wings finishes cleanly above white breast and belly; with white belly; head and neck are rusty red. rump is white as are underwings. In flight these Its white rump is conspicuous in flight. colourings are distinctive. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Nests in colonies in large BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Usually in small flocks culverts, under bridges and in caves where it © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au near water; uses trees beside rivers and builds bottle-shaped, mud nests. It flies out wetlands; flies out over the water or high over from colonies to feed, often quite high over riparian areas to forage; resting birds sit surrounding country and water bodies. shoulder to shoulder on horizontal branches (telephone lines in towns).

45 © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au 46 COMMON SPECIES NIGHT BIRDS

Barn Owl Southern Boobook

APPEARANCE: Medium-sized owl with soft, APPEARANCE: A small, dark, brown owl; belly is brownish back and pale belly. It has the round paler, marked with darker streaks that run dish-shaped face that is traditionally associated lengthways. with this bird. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Boobooks hunt from BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Barn Owls hunt at night exposed perches in open woodland, grasslands in open, grassy paddocks or cultivations. From and cultivations. During the mating season fence-posts, electricity poles, struts or tree their call is a familiar part of the Australian branches they wait for their prey - often rodents night. If exposed during daylight hours they or other small animals. are harassed by Currawongs, Noisy Miners, Butcherbirds and the like.

Tawny Frogmouth © Chris Cameron Barking Owl

APPEARANCE: Mottled in shades of brown and APPEARANCE: Medium-sized owl; overall shape grey but pale below. It has a very wide bill similar to Boobook but more robust; eyes are from which its name is derived. very yellow and lack the dark surrounding patches of the Boobook; upper parts are grey- BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Frogmouths hunt at night brown; whitish underparts are heavily streaked and rest during the day. They perch close to with a more reddish-brown. the main trunk of the roost tree and if danger is © Chris Cameronperceived do their well-known imitation of a BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Roosts during day, often broken branch. in pairs, in leafy trees along watercourses or gullies; hunts in near-by woodlands, river red gum forests and along watercourses from dusk. It is named for its distinctive woof-woof call.

47 © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au 48 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Emu Pied Currawong

APPEARANCE: Largest Australian bird; flightless; APPEARANCE: Large, black bird with a heavy bill small head on long neck; soft grey-brown, loose and yellow eye. In flight, white wing plumage hangs over body; long, powerful legs. markings, rump and tail tip are clearly visible.

© Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Singly or in loose groups, BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is a bird of the open forages through grassy woodlands, open woodlands but has learnt to take advantage of grasslands and cropping lands; runs swiftly with the food sources offered by man. It is often long strides; head and neck stretched forward. seen feeding in fruiting trees and on the fruit of tree-pear, but takes just about anything, including the young of other birds.

Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo White-winged Chough

APPEARANCE: Large, black cockatoo with long APPEARANCE: Slim, black bird with down tail and black crest. Males have a red panel in curved bill and red eye. In flight the white their tails which is conspicuous during flight. panes in the wings are conspicuous. Females have yellow speckling on head and shoulders; fine yellow barring on belly. Their BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds in family groups tail panels are orange with black bars. on the ground, turning over sticks, cow pats and litter as it searches for food. Moves BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Seen in small groups or forward with a rolling gait and up and down large flocks. They fly high with slow wing tail movements. If disturbed it flies on broad, beats, announcing their passing with far flat, wings to nearby trees which it ascends in carrying calls. They descend to feed in flapping bounds, before gliding down to a favoured trees or on the ground. They are © Chrismore Cameron distant spot. dependent on large tree hollows for breeding.

49 50 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Common Bronzewing Bar-shouldered Dove

APPEARANCE: Heavy pigeon with APPEARANCE: Plump pigeon with soft brown bronze/orange/green patches in wings; head, back and wings: back of neck is a rich generally a soft grey elsewhere with a copper colour as are wing feathers in flight; distinctive white line from below the bill to face, throat and upper chest are grey; belly is © Chris Cameron behind the eye. Male has a yellowish forehead. creamy; white tips on tail feathers are conspicuous in flight. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Essentially a bird of woodlands or scrubs but feeds singly or in pairs BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Prefers thicker scrubs, on the ground along edges of vegetation. It is a especially near water. It feeds, in pairs or small wary bird and flies quickly with wing-whistle flocks, along the edges of scrub, on paths and when approached. Perches nearby and is © Chris Cameron roadsides in the late afternoon or early morning. sometimes surprisingly difficult to locate.

Red-winged Parrot Grey Butcherbird

APPEARANCE: Bright, almost fluorescent green APPEARANCE: Crisply marked bird with grey with red bill and scarlet wing patch; back, wings back and wings; black head, back of neck, and tail are darker; its rump is blue. The female wing edges and tail; white throat and partial is paler overall with a smaller red wing patch. collar, wing markings and tail tip. It is smaller than the Pied Butcherbird. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds in pairs or small groups in woodlands, gardens and orchards. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It is an inhabitant of Flies with a distinctive high wing action; often woodlands, parks, gardens and farmlands. calls as it flies. It is very much a bird of Often sits quietly on the edge of foliage wooded country especially near water. watching the ground. It moves efficiently in straight flight through treed areas.

51 52 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Noisy Friarbird Spotted Bowerbird

APPEARANCE: The head is covered with bare APPEARANCE: Robust bird with brown back black skin and it has a knob on the top of its patterned by buff spotting; underparts are buff bill. Back and tail are brownish. On its throat with darker buff scalloped patterning; it has a it has soft white feathers that curve around to pink crest on the nape that can be raised but is form a loose ‘cravat’. often almost concealed in the greyish feathers surrounding it. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It follows blossoms and fruit where it feeds noisily, its varied loud calls BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs singly or in small flocks in inland woodlands often around announcing its presence. It is an aggressive homesteads or camps. Feeds in the foliage; honeyeater and regularly chases small birds away. swoops between trees with wing-tips upswept. Builds a stick bower in low foliage which it

Little Friarbird © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au Olive-backed Oriole

APPEARANCE: Honeyeater with brown head, APPEARANCE: The male has a green head, throat back and tail; underparts are white with some and upper back shading to dark grey wings and light brown streaking on the upper breast; the tail: strong red bill and eye: belly is white, grey-blue patch of facial skin extends from the streaked black. The female is grey above with © Chris Cameronblack bill to below the eye. white throat and belly, streaked black; bill is grey.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Singly or in small flocks it BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds in the treetops in feeds on nectar or darts out after flying insects farmlands, woodlands, gardens and parks. It is in open woodlands and in parks and gardens often heard before it is seen as it calls when suitable trees occur. It sometimes occurs frequently. It travels between clumps with a here in large numbers. At other times it is quite strong undulating flight. hard to find.

53 54 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Eastern Rosella Australian Ringneck

APPEARANCE: Small parrot with scarlet head, APPEARANCE: The eastern race of the Australian neck and chest; white cheek patch; back and Ringneck is a medium sized brilliant green-blue wings are patterned yellow and blue; rump, tail parrot; upper back is blue; its deep blue wing and underparts are varying shades of green; a feathers and shoulders are displayed in flight; it red patch under the tail. has a narrow yellow ring around the nape of its neck and variable yellow patches on belly. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It feeds in pairs or small flocks in bushes, grasses, or on the ground. Its HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR: It feeds in small flocks or pairs on the ground and in trees in open flight with long undulations is distinctive. Pairs eucalypt, cypress, bulloke and mulga breed in small hollows. woodlands; river red gums along watercourses and nearby farmlands; when disturbed flies to

Grey Shrike-thrush Blue Bonnet

APPEARANCE: Medium sized bird which appears APPEARANCE: Medium sized brown parrot with grey from a distance; small white patch blue forehead and face and shoulders; upper between eye and strong black bill; wings and wings are mottled with red and light yellow; back have a brownish hue; belly is light grey; wing feathers are blue; brown of upperparts darker streaking on the throat is variable. extends to chest; belly is yellow with variable red mottling. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in woodlands and open forests and in nearby parklands, HABITAT & BEHAVIOUR: Feeds mainly on the © Chris Cameron ground in small flocks or pairs; uses a variety gardens or farmlands. It feeds in pairs or of habitats and is often seen far from water; it small groups along branches, on trunks and is a hollow nester so woodlands are a core logs or on the ground. habitat; often a wary bird that flies rapidly to trees when disturbed.

55 56 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Dollarbird Grey-crowned Babbler

APPEARANCE: Generally brown bird with pale APPEARANCE: Thick-set greenish bird with dark crown and underparts; strong dark line through head and red bill. From a distance appears to eyes gives the bird the appearance of a bandit. be uniformly dark but close-up the varying The long bill is down curved. In flight the hues of green and blue on the lower body can white tips on the tail are conspicuous. be distinguished. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Mostly occurs in noisy family groups which forage together on the BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Summer migrant to ground and in trees. Often huddles in excited Australia, returning in early October. They are groups when a food source is located. When at often seen sitting on overhead wires or exposed rest the birds sit close to each other and often branches from which they chase insects. On long preen the one next to them. When disturbed, wings with white under-wing spots they make they float on broad wings away from the disturbance or scamper quickly up through long looping flights from these vantage points. © Chris Cameron tall trees before floating down at a distance. Note: An indicator species - further information in that section.

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater © Chris Cameron Blue-faced Honeyeater

APPEARANCE: Brown back; curved reddish bill APPEARANCE: Dark head with a striking blue with black tip; dark band through eye; apricot (greenish in young bird) patch of facial skin throat and bib; belly creamy streaked with brown. around the eye: back, wings and tail are olive- green: belly is white with a black bib. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds singly, in pairs or small groups in flowering trees and shrubs and BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Often seen in small in mistletoe. It has a swooping flight from tree parties foraging for nectar or insects around to tree; often sits on the top of a dead tree or farms, parks, gardens and in open woodland. It branch to call before flying on. is an aggressive honeyeater and becomes

Note: An indicator species - further information in that section. involved in disputes with other honeyeaters or in harassing owls and small hawks.

57 58 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Crested Bellbird Sacred Kingfisher

APPEARANCE: Forehead and throat white bordered APPEARANCE: Small kingfisher with greeny-blue by black band connecting black bib and crest head, back and tail; has a black band through which is usually flat; greyish head; brown back eye above whitish collar. Its belly can vary and wings; underparts are a softer brown. from white with light tints of soft warm tan to Female is a generally pale version of the male. almost completely soft, warm tan.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Forages on ground in BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Summer migrant, small parties, family groups or singly where it returning late September to open woodlands runs and hops through the ground layer of drier and margins of water bodies, gardens, parks open woodland; its distinctive, bell-like, one- etc. It hunts from exposed perches by one-one call is far carrying. The call is made pouncing on prey on ground. It commonly from the ground and from high perches. nests in hollows or termite nests in trees. © Tom & Marie Tarrant www.aviceda.org

F White-winged Triller Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

APPEARANCE: In breeding plumage it is a sharply APPEARANCE: Red bill; green head, wings back marked bird with black head, back and tail; and tail; chest and belly are scalloped with wings are criss-crossed black and white; throat, yellow; scalloping extends to the back of the chest and belly are a clean white. Female is soft neck. Red underwing is conspicuous in flight. © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.aubrown with pale eyebrow and dark line through M eye, two-toned criss-cross pattern on wings. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds in noisy groups, Non-breeding male resembles female but often with other lorikeet species, in fruiting and retains black and white wings. flowering trees. It flies fast, swooping between trees and across roads. It roosts communally BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Trillers are spring/summer in tall trees, to which the birds return at dusk. migrants to southern Australia where they breed in woodlands and riparian vegetation. They forage on the ground and in foliage. © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au

59 60

Rainbow Bee-eater Rufous Whistler

APPEARANCE: Slim, multi-coloured (hues of APPEARANCE: Grey back; white throat edged by green, blue, orange and yellow) bird with long clear back band; rich reddish brown chest and curved black bill; a black line runs through the belly. Female is paler grey above, with soft eye. Two black shafts extend beyond end of tail white throat and pale rufous belly; throat and feathers. During the breeding season these belly are streaked grey. shafts may become so worn that they are no longer discernible. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds singularly or in pairs in foliage and probes along branches of BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Summer migrant which trees and shrubs. It flies quickly and is often seen hawking on pointed wings for strongly in a straight flight from tree to tree insects from exposed positions, especially near © Chris Cameron water or in open woodland associated with to resume its search.

Peaceful Dove F White-throated Treecreeper

APPEARANCE: Small grey dove with a grey blue APPEARANCE: Dark brown back; conspicuous collar across breast and shoulders; collar is white throat; dark cream belly heavily marked marked with fine black scallops; pale grey with white and black streaks. underparts. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Singly or in pairs, forages BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds on the ground, M on trunks of trees. Usually starts low on trunk usually in pairs or small flocks. When and hops upwards, spiralling around the trunk © Chris Camerondisturbed flies swiftly on pointed wings to probing bark, cracks and hollows as it goes. nearest perch where it sits very quietly From the top it flies quickly down to next trunk. watching. It frequents woodlands, farmlands, © Michael Todd www.wildlifing.com gardens and parks.

61 © Michael Todd www.wildlifing.com 62 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Brown Treecreeper Singing Honeyeater

APPEARANCE: Sturdy bird with short tail; greyish APPEARANCE: Upper parts are brownish grey; head, brown back; fawn eyebrow; lightly strong black line runs through eye, then curves streaked breast is pale above darkly striped down side of neck; narrow yellow line below eye belly; under-tail feathers are patterned black is edged by a broader silvery-white mark; under and white. In flight shows lighter wing-bar. parts are a soft grey finely streaked with brown.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: In pairs or small family BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Most often solitary, feeding groups in drier woodlands where it forages on in low shrubs, woodland trees, orchards and tree trunks, fallen timber and the ground. Flight fairly open areas. Moves between feeding spots is undulating interspersed with fast gliding. with a rapid flickering flight; calls frequently. © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au Note: An indicator species - further information in that section.

Restless Flycatcher Striped Honeyeater

APPEARANCE: Head, tail and upper parts are APPEARANCE: Pale head and back of neck, heavily black; throat and belly are white but sometimes streaked black; brown back; belly is almost there is a pale, orange shading across the white with some streaking on sides of breast. breast. Is able to raise crown feathers to resemble a tiny crest. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Forages singly or in pairs in flowering trees, shrubs and mistletoe. It is BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Most common in often heard before it is seen as it tends to feed vegetation near water but does live in drier in taller trees and shrubs where it moves woodlands, parks, gardens etc. Swoops from one efficiently through the foliage without flying. perch to another catching insects; hovers with tail Note: An indicator species - further information in that section. down above grassy areas for short times.

63 64

Yellow-faced Honeyeater F Hooded Robin

APPEARANCE:The male is the only black and white robin. Head, neck, upper chest APPEARANCE: Grey-brown back and head; belly and back are black above white underparts and white is a softer grey-brown; strong yellow marking surrounds on the back giving this robin a hooded appearance; wings are black with a white bar; tail is from bill to behind eye is edged with black. black with white side panels. The female is grey brown, fading to almost white on lower belly; wings BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Forages, singly, in pairs are dark grey with white wing bars; tail is dark grey and flocks in flowering trees and shrubs, M with white side panels. mistletoe and amongst foliage; very high or quite low to the ground. It feeds busily when BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT:Prefers drier woodlands alone, but when it is in flocks there is much (eucalypt, cypress pine, mulga) with fallen logs, stumps and ground litter. Uses open paddocks that chasing through the foliage by pairs. © Helen Fallow have stumps, dead trees and re-growth. Perches on logs, stumps etc to watch for prey which it captures by ground-pouncing or hawking after flying insects. © Chris Cameron Note: An indicator species - further information in that section.

Eastern Yellow Robin Golden Whistler © Helen Fallow

APPEARANCE: Dark grey upper parts; brilliant APPEARANCE: Black head and breast band yellow underparts and rump. enclosing white throat; rich yellow belly and collar which sharply divides head and belly BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Clings sideways to trunk from brown back and wings. Female is brown of tree or sits on low branch of shrubs on edges with pale belly. of thick vegetation waiting to pounce on prey. It flees into thick cover if startled. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Forages singly or in pairs

Note: An indicator species - further information in that section. through the canopy and foliage of mid-storey shrubs. Often heard rather than seen. It prefers thicker woodlands and scrubs.

Note: An indicator species - further information in that section.

65 66 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

White-plumed Honeyeater Grey Fantail

APPEARANCE: Brownish back, face yellow APPEARANCE: Small grey bird with long white- edged with a white streak (plume) on the side tipped and white-edged tail which it fans of the throat; white streak is marked on the top frequently; dark facial patch; white throat and by a black line of varying distinctness. eyebrow above a dark breast band; belly can vary from almost white to fawn. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: This aggressive honeyeater is the common honeyeater in BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Inhabits woodlands, western areas of the region, especially along parks, gardens, and farmlands. It is a busy little creeks and other water bodies. It is very active, bird, flitting from branch to branch, continually feeding from ground level to the very top of fanning its tail or shooting away from the © Chris Cameron tall trees. It noisily mobs other species. foliage to chase an insect. It moves rapidly from undergrowth to high in the tallest trees. © Chris Cameron

Brown Honeyeater Jacky Winter

APPEARANCE: Plain, brown honeyeater with a APPEARANCE: Small, neat bird with grey-brown longish, slightly down-curved bill; small silvery head and back; has a soft white eyebrow yellow patch behind its eye; yellow shading on above a dark eye line; breast is white blending wing and tail feathers can be distinguished in a to softly brownish belly; white outer edges of good light. tail feathers are conspicuous in flight.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Common in open BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Perches on stumps, dead © Chris Cameronwoodlands, along watercourses and in parks logs, salt bushes and tree branches where it sits and gardens. It is a very busy bird which calls motionless watching for prey which it gleans frequently. Often seen in pairs or small flocks from bark, catches in mid-air or snatches from around flowering trees or shrubs. the ground; flicks tail from side to side when it returns to perch.

67 © Tom & Marie Tarrant www.aviceda.org 68 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Speckled Warbler Inland Thornbill

APPEARANCE: Back brown, streaked with lighter APPEARANCE: Small bird with brown back, shades; face is creamy white and stands out rufous rump blending into dark white-tipped against dark head and the heavily black tail; whitish underparts; chest is heavily striated. streaked cream belly. Unlike the closely related Brown Thornbill it does not have a rusty brown forehead. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds mostly in pairs or small family groups, rarely singly. Feeds in BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Singly, in pairs or small © Chris Cameron shrubs but most often in the leaf litter under groups forages through canopy and mid-storey shrubs where there is an understorey; in leaf of inland forests often in company with other litter and grass clumps, around logs and rocks small woodland birds. It often carries its tail © Chris Cameron in more open woodland. cocked. Dashing in and out of the foliage with feathers puffed and tail cocked, it will noisily Note: An indicator species - further information in that section. scold an intruder.

White-throated Gerygone © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au Yellow Thornbill

APPEARANCE: Small grey bird with white throat; APPEARANCE: Head and back yellow brown; small white dot between bill and red eye; belly wings darker; underparts yellow. Fine streaks is a vibrant lemon-yellow. radiate from below and behind the dark eye.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It feeds busily in the BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Most often in pairs, but outer canopy with quick rather erratic sometimes singly or in small flocks, feeds in movements, rarely sitting still. Its rather foliage and along bark; hops busily up through beautiful descending song usually draws the branches before flying to the next tree. Seems attention to its presence in an area. to prefer cypress and casuarinas where they exist.

Note: An indicator species - further information in that section.

69 70 © Glen Threlfo COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Silvereye Red-capped Robin

APPEARANCE: Yellow brown head with APPEARANCE: The tiny male is glossy black with conspicuous white/silver ring around dark eye; red cap and breast; has distinct white wing back is grey shading to olive. Belly is greyish; markings, tail edges and under parts are white. some birds have peachy coloured flanks. Female is brown above with soft red wash on forehead and occasionally on generally whitish BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Usually in small to breast; white wing marks and tail edges are less medium flocks which feed through the foliage of distinct than those of male. trees and bushes, taking small soft fruit and BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs singly or in pairs piercing larger fruit. It is a common garden bird. in open inland woodlands where it perches on low branches or dead stumps before pouncing on or snatching prey; wings are often drooped

F Diamond Firetail © Chris Cameron Zebra Finch

APPEARANCE: Red bill and rump; grey head; APPEARANCE: Brown back, chunky orange bill, brown back and wings; belly is white with solid and black and white striped tail; Male has black breast band and flanks; the black flanks orange cheek patch, black streaks on breast and are white-spotted. white-spotted orange markings below wings.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs singly; in pairs or M BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Usually in small flocks flocks, feeding on the ground amongst long which feed on the ground. When disturbed native grasses. When it is disturbed it flies to they fly calling to a nearby leafy shrub from safe perches with a bouncing flight that shows where they continue to call while hopping from red rump. Usually perches on high tree branch branch to branch, peering out to assess danger. © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au near water before coming in to drink.

71 © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au 72 COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

Double-barred Finch Variegated Fairy-wren

APPEARANCE: Small, brown finch with white APPEARANCE: Iridescent blue cap, eye-patch, face, rump and belly; two thick black bars back and tail; black throat, breast and neck; cross throat and chest; black tail; black wing brown wings with chestnut coloured patch near edges are dotted with white. shoulder. Female is brown with creamy coloured belly and a blue tail. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It favours understorey foliage in woodlands and farmlands. It feeds BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Lives and forages in on the ground in flocks and takes refuge in family groups in understorey bushes. Moves thick bushes when disturbed. It is usually through understorey foliage, occasionally fairly close to a water source. feeding in taller trees above; forages on ground under shrubs or in open close to shrubbery.

Varied Sittella F © Chris Cameron White-winged Fairy-wren

APPEARANCE: Breeding male is unmistakable with royal blue body APPEARANCE: Small, brown bird with very short and white wings; non-breeding male and black tail; white head and rump; belly is pale female are the palest and least marked of all streaked in brown. During flight a band of the fairy-wrens; back and head soft brown; orange on wings is displayed. underparts almost white; tail grey blue. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: In small parties or flocks, M BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT:Occur in small flocks of it forages in tree tops with short rocking mostly brown birds in long grasses, around scattered movements up and down the trunk and along low, dense, woody shrubs such as saltbush, acacia branches probing under bark and into cracks and lignum in otherwise open areas. When and crevices. disturbed they fly low across the habitat using

Note: An indicator species - further information in that section. © Chris Cameron

73 74 © Nevil Lazarus COMMON SPECIES WOODLANDS

F Mistletoebird Striated Pardalote

APPEARANCE: Tiny bird with glossy, black upper APPEARANCE: Tiny grey bird with black cap; the parts; brilliant red throat and chest; white belly wide eyebrow shades from rich yellow to with a black stripe down the centre. The white; wings edges are patterned in black and © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au female has grey back; whitish belly with a pink white; throat is a rich yellow; belly shades from patch below the tail. yellow at the sides to whitish below. M

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds in fruiting BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds singly, in pairs or mistletoe. Its high pitched call indicates its small parties in trees and bushes; moves presence but it is often difficult to see if it is constantly. Pairs nest in a burrow in banks, high in the tree. It flies quickly from one tree earth-mounds, road cuttings or similar spots.

to the next. When perched it moves restlessly. © Chris Cameron

Spotted Pardalote Weebill

APPEARANCE: Tiny, grey bird with white spotted APPEARANCE: Tiny bird, in fact, Australia’s black head and wing tips; white eyebrow and smallest bird, with brown back and lemon red rump; belly is orangey-yellow; its tail is coloured underparts. It has a short horn- quite short. coloured bill.

© Chris CameronBEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: It forages in the foliage BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds in foliage in small of trees and bushes, hopping around quickly. It groups which keep contact by calling. It nests in a long burrow in banks, earth mounds forages rapidly through the canopy where it or other similar locations. often hangs from the tips of branchlets or flutters along the very edges.

75 76

Indicator Species BIRD MONITORING FOR IMPROVED The birds described in this section have been LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT shown by research to be particularly sensitive The indicator species described in this section to one or more aspects of landscape are the birds to watch if you wish to monitor management. As such, they are useful the effects of your farm management practices indicators for biodiversity condition at farm and on bird diversity. landscape scales. If you have the right types of habitat for each The on-going presence of these birds on your of these birds, and they are present on your farm, or in your catchment, is a sign that you farm, then your management practices are and your neighbours are employing land probably sympathetic to retaining biodiversity management practices that help maintain a values of native vegetation. balance between production and biodiversity. If suitable habitat patches are available for one Most of these species belong to a group of or more of these species, and they aren’t declining woodland birds that were once present (or your monitoring indicates a common throughout the temperate and sub- decline in their abundance) then it may be tropical woodlands of eastern Australia. time to consider changing the way you However, their populations are now in serious manage those habitats in order to make them decline, due mainly to habitat loss through more favourable for birds. clearing, and deteriorating condition of the habitat that remains. To help you make some of those management decisions, we have provided a list of Several of the birds listed here are still relatively management options beneath each species common, yet long-term data and local studies account. These options are related to the have shown that they may be adversely management principles described in the impacted by certain aspects of landscape following section of this guide: “Achieving a management. For example, the striped © Chris Cameron bird-friendly farming landscape”. honeyeater is common and widespread through inland areas, but it is becoming less common Management options, graded from low () to in small patches of remnant vegetation, high () priority, for a particular species especially where those patches are isolated are prioritised according the primary habitat from more extensive areas of woodland. requirements of the species.

77 78 INDICATOR SPECIES

Diamond Firetail Eastern Yellow Robin

APPEARANCE: Red bill and rump; grey head; APPEARANCE: Dark grey upper parts; brilliant brown back and wings; belly is white with solid yellow underparts and rump. black breast band and flanks; the black flanks are white-spotted. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Clings sideways to trunk of tree or sits on low branch of shrubs on edges BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs singly; in pairs or of thick vegetation waiting to pounce on prey. It flocks, feeding on the ground amongst long flees into thick cover if startled. native grasses. When it is disturbed it flies to safe perches with a bouncing flight that shows SIGNIFICANCE: Bird surveys in many agricultural red rump. Usually perches on high tree branch areas have shown that this species is restricted near water before coming in to drink. to more intact landscapes with complex woodland remnants in good condition. It no FOOD: Ripe and part-ripe seeds and longer occurs in areas where remnant occasionally, insects and their larvae. woodlands are degraded, small or widely separated by land that has been cleared for SIGNIFICANCE: Populations have declined rural development. significantly in woodlands across south-eastern Australia, largely due to habitat destruction and © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au FOOD: Insects, spiders and other small arthropods. fragmentation for rural development. They have virtually disappeared from more intensively farmed areas where they were known to occur historically.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? © Chris Cameron PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation between remnants between remnants Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages coming through coming through Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial ones. Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial

79 80 INDICATOR SPECIES

F Hooded Robin Golden Whistler

APPEARANCE: The male is the only black and APPEARANCE: Black head and breast band white robin. Head, neck, upper chest and back enclosing white throat; rich yellow belly and are black above white underparts and white collar which sharply divides head and belly surrounds on the back giving this robin a hooded appearance; wings are black with a white bar; from brown back and wings. Female is brown tail is black with white side panels. The female is with pale belly. grey brown, fading to almost white on lower © Helen Fallow BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Forages singly or in pairs belly; wings are dark grey with white wing bars; through the canopy and foliage of mid-storey tail is dark grey with white side panels. M shrubs. Often heard rather than seen. It prefers BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Prefers drier woodlands thicker woodlands and scrubs. (eucalypt, cypress pine, mulga) with fallen logs, stumps and ground litter. Uses open paddocks FOOD: Invertebrates, mainly insects; that have stumps, dead trees and re-growth. occasionally fruit, and, rarely, seeds.

Perches on logs, stumps etc to watch for prey © Glen Threlfo SIGNIFICANCE: Bird surveys on Queensland's which it captures by ground-pouncing or Darling Downs indicated that this species is hawking after flying insects. restricted mainly to larger woodland remnants SIGNIFICANCE: The Hooded Robin is declining in in good condition. It no longer occurs in areas © Helen Fallow settled areas right across its range. It has where remnant woodlands are degraded, small disappeared from some larger reserves. This or widely separated by land that has been species is very sensitive to habitat alteration and cleared for rural development. Anecdotal appears to require large intact areas of good evidence suggests that this is the case in other woodland for survival. intensively farmed areas as well.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation between remnants between remnants Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages coming through coming through Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial

81 82 INDICATOR SPECIES

Grey-crowned Babbler Speckled Warbler

APPEARANCE: Generally brown bird with pale APPEARANCE: Back brown, streaked with lighter crown and underparts; strong dark line through shades; face is creamy white and stands out eyes gives the bird the appearance of a bandit. The long bill is down curved. In flight the against dark head and the heavily black white tips on the tail are conspicuous. streaked cream belly.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Mostly occurs in noisy BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds mostly in pairs or family groups which forage together on the small family groups, rarely singly. Feeds in ground and in trees. Often huddles in excited groups when a food source is located. When at shrubs but most often in the leaf litter under rest the birds sit close to each other and often shrubs where there is an understorey; in leaf preen the one next to them. When disturbed, litter and grass clumps, around logs and rocks they float on broad wings away from the in more open woodland. disturbance or scamper quickly up through tall trees before floating down at a distance. FOOD: Mainly insectivorous, but also take seeds © Chris Cameron FOOD: Invertebrates, mainly insects; and other plant material. © Chris Cameron occasionally seeds. SIGNIFICANCE: Significant population declines SIGNIFICANCE: Habitat destruction and have occurred in woodlands across southern fragmentation through clearing have caused significant population declines across southern Australia, primarily due to loss and Australia. In some regions they are now fragmentation of habitat related to clearing of locally extinct. They are still reasonably woodlands for agricultural development. They common in some cotton districts, but long- have virtually disappeared from the more term data shows continuing declines, with intensively farmed areas of the region where disappearance from some of the more they were known to occur historically. intensively-managed farming areas.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native between remnants vegetation between remnants Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages litter & logs coming through Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high ages coming through intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high Control feral predators (cats and foxes) intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial

83 84 INDICATOR SPECIES

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Striped Honeyeater

APPEARANCE: Brown back; curved reddish bill APPEARANCE: Pale head and back of neck, heavily with black tip; dark band through eye; apricot streaked black; brown back; belly is almost white throat and bib; belly creamy streaked with brown. with some streaking on sides of breast.

BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Feeds singly, in pairs or BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Forages singly or in pairs small groups in flowering trees and shrubs and in flowering trees, shrubs and mistletoe. It is in mistletoe. It has a swooping flight from tree often heard before it is seen as it tends to feed to tree; often sits on very top of tree or a dead in taller trees and shrubs where it moves branch to call before flying on. efficiently through the foliage without flying.

SIGNIFICANCE: Results of bird surveys on the FOOD: Nectar, seeds, fruits and invertebrates, Darling Downs indicate that this species occurs mainly insects and their larvae. mainly in larger woodland remnants that have SIGNIFICANCE: Results of bird surveys on the been maintained in good condition. It seldom Darling Downs indicate that this species occurs occurs in areas where bushland is degraded or mainly in larger woodland remnants that have the remnants are very small and widely been maintained in good condition. It seldom scattered. The species is likely to behave occurs in areas where bushland is degraded or similarly in response to agricultural © Ian Montgomery birdway.com.au the remnants are very small and widely development throughout the cotton-growing scattered. The species is likely to behave region of central-eastern Australia. similarly in response to agricultural FOOD: Nectar, fruit, seeds and invertebrates, development throughout the cotton-growing occasionally lizards and nesting birds. region of central-eastern Australia.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? © Chris Cameron PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation between remnants vegetation between remnants Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs litter & logs Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages coming through ages coming through Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial

85 86 INDICATOR SPECIES

F White-winged Fairy-wren Variegated Fairy-wren

APPEARANCE: Breeding male is unmistakable with APPEARANCE: Iridescent blue cap, eye-patch, royal blue body and white wings; non-breeding back and tail; black throat, breast and neck; male and female are the palest and least marked brown wings with chestnut coloured patch near of all the fairy-wrens; back and head soft brown; shoulder. Female is brown with creamy underparts almost white; tail grey blue. coloured belly and a blue tail.

© Nevil Lazarus BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occur in small flocks of BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Lives and forages in mostly brown birds in long grasses, around family groups in understorey bushes. Moves M scattered low, dense, woody shrubs such as through understorey foliage, occasionally saltbush, acacia and lignum in otherwise open feeding in taller trees above; forages on ground areas. When disturbed fly low across habitat under shrubs or in open close to shrubbery. using vegetation clumps as ‘stepping-stones’.

© FOOD: Mainly insects, occasionally seeds. FOOD: Insectivorous, taking mainly beetles; occasionally eat seeds and fruits. SIGNIFICANCE: This species is most commonly found in structurally complex woodlands (i.e. SIGNIFICANCE: Occur in riparian and floodplain with good understorey). Populations will

© Nevil Lazarus areas with saltbush, cottonbush, lignum and other decline, or even disappear, if the understorey is dense, low native vegetation; or along fences and © Chris Cameron continually disturbed or removed (e.g. by stick- banks that have clumps of tangled vegetation. raking or burning). They disappear from areas where dense, low shrubby vegetation has been removed.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation between remnants vegetation between remnants Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs litter & logs Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages coming through ages coming through Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial

87 88 INDICATOR SPECIES

Brown Treecreeper Purple Swamphen

APPEARANCE: Sturdy bird with short tail; greyish APPEARANCE: Heavily built waterbird with head, brown back; fawn eyebrow; lightly conspicuous strong red bill and fore-head shield; dark, blue head, neck and breast; back, streaked breast is pale above darkly striped wings and belly are dark grey; under tail is belly; under-tail feathers are patterned black white; strong legs and large feet are red. and white. In flight shows lighter wing-bar. BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: Occurs in groups along BEHAVIOUR & HABITAT: In pairs or small family the margins of vegetated wetlands - ornamental groups in drier woodlands where it forages on ponds, lakes, shallow waterholes, irrigation dams and channels. Forages in wetland tree trunks, fallen timber and the ground. Flight vegetation and nearby paddocks. Continuously is undulating interspersed with fast gliding. flicks tail showing the white under-tail feathers. Flies heavily but strongly. Swims. FOOD: Almost entirely insectivorous, mainly FOOD: Mainly aquatic vegetation: also seeds, © Tom & Marie Tarrant www.aviceda.org ants and beetles; occasionally take some plant fruits, insects, frogs, lizards, fish, young birds, material, such as nectar. © Greg Holland birdphotos.com.au eggs and small mammals.

SIGNIFICANCE: Makes extensive use of fallen SIGNIFICANCE: Inhabits wetlands that have well- timber, stumps, dead trees and ground-litter for vegetated margins and clumps of emergent foraging. Nests in hollows of dead trees and in aquatic vegetation. Roosts at night in stumps. This species is disappearing from the overhanging branches of trees. It builds feeding platforms and also breeds in dense reedy areas. more intensively managed production areas Disappears from degraded wetlands; does not where standing dead timber, fallen timber and occur on newer storages until suitable ground litter have been removed. vegetation has been established.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION PRIORITY MANAGEMENT OPTION Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and protect large and diverse areas of remnant vegetation Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native Maintain and/or establish corridors & stepping stones of native vegetation between remnants vegetation between remnants Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of Maintain and/or re-establish complex understorey & ground cover of litter & logs litter & logs Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree Maintain hollow-bearing trees (alive & dead) & ensure range of tree ages coming through ages coming through Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high Maintain healthy native pastures and woodlands & protect from high intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. intensity grazing and inappropriate fire regimes. Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Control feral predators (cats and foxes) Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy well vegetated riparian zones and protect from high usage. Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial Maintain healthy, diverse natural wetlands and enhance artificial

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MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES BACKED BY SCIENCE A number of detailed studies have been conducted across Australia on the relationship Achieving a bird-friendly farming landscape between birds and the distribution and condition of native vegetation in agricultural The management of flora and fauna habitats is landscapes. The results of these studies are a complex issue, and your approach to the task also supported by the long-term records of will vary with your property management numerous bird observers, which show objectives. There are, however, a few simple consistent declines in diversity and abundance principles which, when observed in developing of many bird species as landscapes have been a farm or catchment plan, can enhance the developed for grazing and cropping. suitability of farming landscapes for a whole In essence these studies have shown that bird range of birds and other wildlife. species diversity and abundance is reduced ThisCotton section Industry provides Best Managementtechnical information Practices to where native vegetation patches are small and supportManual the Land implementation and Water Management of the Australian module, widely separated, and where habitats have in relation to Objective 7 Good Native been modified through agricultural practices Vegetation Management and Objective 8 Good (e.g. by removing understorey shrubs or Riparian Land Management. replacing native pastures with introduced pastures). They also show that changes in the bird community often take many years to become“Key Concept apparent, - Extinction and when Debt”). they do occur the Additional information and guidelines on change may happen quite quickly (see Box riparian and wetland management are available in Managing Riparian Lands in the Cotton Industry(Lovett et al. 2003). These observations form the basis for scientists and land-managers to develop a set of management principles for agricultural landscapes which will help protect, maintain and enhance bird communities.

The principles are all inter-related, and work together to achieve maximum available habitat for birds and other wildlife within the context of a productive agricultural landscape. Applying any one principle by itself is unlikely to be adequate to maintain or enhance the bird diversity in your landscape. Greg Kauter

91 92 Greg Kauter HABITAT MANAGEMENT

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: KEY CONCEPT - EXTINCTION DEBT ✔ Maintain and/or re- establish large patches (10 hectares or more) of Patch Size indigenous vegetation ✔ Protect small patches The minimum viable patch size for most bird and strive to enlarge PRINCIPLE 1 populations is about ten to twenty hectares, but some of them some species can only survive in patches that The bigger the better - MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: are larger than fifty or even 100 hectares. but small remnants ✔ Enlarge small patches by Smaller patches are less able to provide the allowing regrowth to The blue line tracks the declining population of a are better than no hypothetical bird species in a small remnant resources necessary to support some species; establish and remain remnants at all! following clearing of the surrounding landscape. particularly those that normally live in large around them The population size drops gradually at first, but eventually reaches a point where breeding and family groups (e.g. grey-crowned babbler). ✔ Plant additional recruitment of new birds to the population is unsuccessful. As a result, the population rapidly This is magnified by the length of time the indigenous trees, shrubs declines and is lost from the remnant. patch has been isolated (see Principle 2) from and grasses adjacent to surrounding vegetation. Some species may small patches persist for many years in a small patch, but ✔ Enhance the size of their population size will gradually decline small roadside remnant to the point where they no longer breed patches by revegetating successfully and eventually die out. This or allowing natural phenomenon is known as extinction debt regeneration on your (see “Key Concept” box). side of the boundary Despite this, it is often surprising just how fence many bird species can be found in roadside ✔ When managing or on-farm patches as small as one or two regrowth, leave some hectares. The diversity of birds in these smaller patches for the birds patches is often related to the structural ✔ Protect smaller remnants complexity (see Principle 3) of the habitat from serious disturbance available and how well they are connected like wild-fire, clearing to adjoining areas of bush (Principle 2). and heavy grazing © Chris Cameron Grey-crowned babbler.

93 94 HABITAT MANAGEMENT Isolation and connectivity

Many of the smaller bush birds are unable or Significant connectivity is also provided for some birds by PRINCIPLE 2 unwilling to cross large open spaces in search scattered paddock trees and shrubs. Corridors and stepping of new or additional habitat to support their stone patches also provide productivity benefits to the farm in Well-connected habitat population. To do so may exhaust their energy the form of shade and shelter for livestock and crops. They patches assist bird supplies and expose them to high risk of also harbour significant populations of beneficial insects, movement and ensure predation (e.g. by feral cats or birds of prey). birds and bats that help to reduce pest populations in crops long-term survival This reduces the survival rate of individuals, and pastures. Riparian corridors along watercourses help lessens the chance of interbreeding, and improve water quality by reducing erosion and minimising hinders dispersal of young birds from their the entry of sediment and nutrients into the stream. MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: home territory in search of food and shelter. ✔ Provide corridors and Consequently, native vegetation patches that are KEY CONCEPT - CREATE CONNECTIVITY IN THE LANDSCAPE other areas of indigenous isolated from other native vegetation will vegetation to improve generally contain fewer species and smaller The diagram on the connectivity between populations of birds. Scientific evidence shows left represents a isolated large remnants relatively poorly that some birds are absent from otherwise of native vegetation. connected landscape, suitable habitat patches that are more than 500 with substantial gaps between vegetation metres from surrounding habitat areas. What’s MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: remnants (green). more, patches that are isolated by more than ✔ Leave strips and/or clumps one kilometre have significantly fewer species On the diagram below, of regrowth between larger the remnants are better than less isolated and large intact patches. remnants connected, with new and enhanced ✔ Protect riparian vegetation Connectivity, the degree to which native corridors plus stepping by fencing and re-establish vegetation is linked across the landscape, is stones between the large remnant and native species if necessary usually spoken of in terms of corridors. These smaller ones. ✔ Plant corridors and clumps are continuous and more-or-less linear strips of Create corridor linkages vegetation, most commonly seen along of native trees and shrubs between remnants in open country between watercourses, fence-lines and roads. They may Create “stepping stone” remnants be natural areas of remnant or regrowth vegetation, or strips that are revegetated using clumps of vegetation ✔ Broaden existing road-side native plants from the local area. Widen roadside corridors corridors by re-vegetating inside your boundary strips on your side of the Connectivity is also provided by stepping boundary stones - small patches of remnant, regrowth or Fence to help manage corridors and remnants ✔ Encourage road re-planted vegetation, strategically placed management authorities between larger remnants. These patches reduce Fill in gaps in existing to protect remnant and the amount of open-space that small birds have corridors regrowth in the road to fly across between areas of shelter, as they Enlarge small remnants reserve move between large patches.

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Habitat complexity We’ve all heard of the K.I.S.S. principle - Keep it MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: PRINCIPLE 3 Simple, Stupid. Well, here’s a new one to help you with your bird habitat management: the ✔ Maintain, enhance or Manage 10% of the K.I.M.M. principle - Keep It Messy, Mate. re-establish areas of property to provide core wildlife habitat complex habitat - the The term “habitat complexity” refers to the variety K.I.M.M. principle of food and shelter resources available for birds ✔ Try to maintain habitat and other wildlife in a given patch of vegetation. values in all vegetation In simple terms, it refers to the “messiness” of the types on the property vegetation. MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: Less complex habitats have a simple structure with few layers of vegetation (e.g. a scattered tree layer ✔ Apply the KIMM principle plus grassy ground layer, but few or no shrubs). - retain “messy” areas of Simple habitats generally have a lower diversity of bush with complex plant species and little or no accumulation of logs vegetation structure Belah woodlands (left) and some riparian Grassy woodlands, with their single and litter (fallen leaves, twigs, etc.) on the ground. woodlands (right) often provide highly complex tree layer, grassy ground layer and ✔ Protect habitat areas habitat, with several layers of shrubs beneath the lack of shrubs, provide habitat of Complex habitats contain a greater variety of by fencing to control main tree canopy plus logs and grassy ground layer. relatively low complexity. Photos: Greg Ford (L); Guy Roth (R). Photo: Guy Roth. places for many different animals to live, breed grazing pressure and feed. They include a number of vegetation ✔ Resist the temptation It also removes potential homes for those layers (complex structure), usually a large variety to “clean up” logs and species, such as parrots and owls that nest in of plant species and abundant logs and litter on shrubby understorey hollows in old and dead trees. the ground. ✔ If removing logs and Another form of habitat simplification occurs In many agricultural landscapes, there is a rocks from paddocks, when native pastures are replaced by introduced tendency to “clean up” complex vegetation place them in bush areas pastures or crops. Native grasslands and grassy patches by removing shrubs, dead trees and logs to to provide more habitat woodlands, whilst having a simple structure, make livestock, weed and pest management easier. usually contain a wide variety of plant species ✔ Logs, dead trees and shrubs are often viewed as Allow regrowth shrubs and growth forms (grasses, herbs, creepers, etc.) “messy” - hence the principle Keep it Messy, Mate. and ground layer to in the ground layer. The more diverse that establish in areas that ground layer, the more birds and other animals it This tendency to clean up is sometimes referred to have been “cleaned up” is likely to provide homes and food for. When as “habitat simplification”. Such activities reduce these native pastures are replaced by the suitability of these habitats for birds that are ✔ Re-establish understorey “improved” pasture or crops containing only adapted to life in the shrubby layer, or those that and ground layer by one or a few plant types, the diversity of native feed on the insects and small reptiles that live planting indigenous flora is diminished and fewer bird species can amongst logs and leaf litter. shrubs and grasses survive in the long term.

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MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: KEY CONCEPT - BIRDS NEED OLD TREES ✔ Protect and maintain a range of old hollow-bearing trees, including dead ones, in remnant patches

✔ Ensure that new trees are being recruited to create mixed-age stands

✔ Consider providing artificial hollows if few or no natural ones are available

MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: ✔ Avoid cutting down old hollow trees - leave at least five per hectare in remnants Stand structure One third of all woodland bird species require ✔ Ensure that firewood hollows for nesting and roosting, including barn owls, tree-creepers, glossy black This principle is closely related to habitat collectors leave some dead PRINCIPLE 4 cockatoos and parrots. complexity (above), but deserves special mention. hollow trees standing Photo: Guy Roth. Retain hollow trees Old trees and dead standing trees (stags) are ✔ Manage grazing pressure and stags and encourage often referred to as “habitat trees”, because they to allow tree seedlings to regeneration of trees provide an array of hollows of varying establish and mature dimensions in which birds and other native ✔ Plant locally occurring tree fauna can shelter and breed. It is vital that species (e.g. eucalypts) that these old trees are maintained in the landscape will provide future hollows as it takes most eucalypts over 100 years to start forming hollows. ✔ Manage fire to maintain a balance of young trees and Equally important is the promotion of stand productive pasture regeneration and a mixed age structure of trees ✔ within the stand. The germination, Where hollow-bearing trees establishment and ongoing health of younger are scarce, try to protect trees are vital to ensure the long-term viability them from destruction by fire of any patch of native vegetation. This will ✔ Consider installing nest provide a continual recruitment of new hollow- boxes in woodland areas Old trees produce more nectar per area of bearing trees to replace old trees as they die where hollow trees have foliage, so they are a vital food source for and eventually fall over. been lost many species, such as honeyeaters and lorikeets. Photo: Ross Miller

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Grazing and fire Frequent or continuous heavy grazing can have structural complexity of native vegetation across PRINCIPLE 5 long-term impacts on the diversity of native MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: modern landscapes. plants and on the complexity of native ✔ Fence off remnant Manage grazing and fire to Grasslands and grassy woodlands are fire vegetation patches. Heavily grazed native areas to allow strategic, minimise impacts on native resilient, and adapted to being burnt by natural pastures offer few refuges for birds that nest on low-intensity grazing fires every few years. Where fires are excluded pastures and woodlands the ground (e.g. quails), and rarely produce of bird habitats from these environments, shrub encroachment sufficient food for seed-eaters like pigeons and ✔ Spell some pasture area is often encountered and the habitats become finches. They are also likely to contain a lower through the growing more complex. While this may be a good thing diversity of insects and small vertebrates (e.g. season to allow sufficient for birds adapted to complex habitats (e.g. lizards and native rodents), which means less seed production wrens and robins), it can be detrimental to food for insect-eaters and birds of prey. ✔ Prepare a fire management those that require extensive open grassy areas plan for the property that to meet their food, shelter and breeding aims to maintain some requirements (eg finches and quails). Such open areas with regular shrub encroachment also reduces production burning as well as shrubby potential from commercial grazing. areas in less-frequently burnt patches On the other hand, brigalow/belah scrubs have ✔ Burn outwards from largely evolved in the absence of fire and are the perimeter of scrubs, fire-sensitive. Where scrub patches are rather than letting fire surrounded by dense grassy pastures or sweep into them woodlands, frequent hot fires can “crash” into Overgrazing can lead to ground cover decline the scrubs, gradually reducing their size and and loss of habitat structure, as has occurred in diversity. Pasture encroachment of shade this riparian area where stock access is tolerant species such as green panic into the unrestricted. Too-frequent burning can have scrub margins can further increase fire impacts. similar consequences. Eventually, such scrub patches may die out, Fire is often a contentiousPhoto: issue, Guy with Roth. many MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: returning the land to open forest or woodland. differing opinions about its use or exclusion ✔ Adjust grazing regime to from the farm environment. Most of our native Between these two extremes, there is a wide improve and maintain the vegetation has evolved with natural (lightning- range of vegetation with varying degrees of health and productivity induced) fires and aboriginal burning over structural complexity. The challenge is to try of native pastures many thousands of years. Changes in fire and create burning regimes that will protect ✔ Manage fire to maintain regimes - through exclusion of “natural” fires, grasslands from woody vegetation habitat values as well as or with increased burning frequency for encroachment, maintain woodlands with a range improve productivity and management purposes - have brought about Controlled burning can help to of understorey complexity, and also protect fire protect infrastructure many changes in the species diversity and maintain open grassy woodland sensitive communities like softwood scrubs. structure. Photo: Ross Miller.

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Feral animals Introduced predators, such as foxes and cats, PRINCIPLE 6 have detrimental impacts on a range of native MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: birds, and non-native bird species, such as Control introduced animal ✔ Manage introduced mynahs and starlings, have demonstrated a predators and competitors predators to reduce capacity to out-compete native species for food predation risks to and shelter resources. native birds ✔ Predation by feral cats and foxes is a nationally Control or prevent significant threatening process, and is invasion of exotic, especially detrimental to birds that feed and competitive bird species nest on the ground. Foxes have been MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: implicated in the decline of the bush-stone ✔ Control cat and fox Foxes are a major predator of many ground- nesting birds. curlew across the woodlands of south-eastern populations with regular Photo: Kate Steel. Australia, and cats are well-known for their baiting and shooting ability to capture ground-feeding birds like campaigns quail and red-rumped parrots. Cats are also ✔ Initiate a strategic feral known to climb into tree hollows and other animal control program elevated bird nests, completely devouring in association with your whole generations of nestlings. neighbours ✔ Introduced bird species compete against native Keep house cats well fed species for food resources and nesting space. to encourage them to Of particular concern is the rapidly-expanding remain in and around the population of the Common Myna. This species house or farm buildings is an aggressive competitor for nesting space in ✔ If not employing your cat hollow trees, and will readily dislodge eggs and in rodent control around chicks from the nests of native birds like farm buildings, keep it rosellas and other parrots. Once the eggs or enclosed in a “cat run” young are ejected from the nest, the mynas will attached to the house prevent the parent birds from accessing the nest ✔ Take action to remove or attempting to breed, even to the point of and prevent the spread The Common Myna is aggressively competes for blocking the nest hollow with plastic bags and of Common Mynas in food and displaces many native species from their nest hollows. See species details on page other material. your area 18. Photo: Chris Cameron.

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Many farmers are now also maintaining a wider riparian area, or at least a buffer of grassland between crop paddocks and the riparian zone. This dramatically improves the chemical and nutrient run-off filtration function Riparian management of the riparian zone. It also benefits the production system by providing a significant Riparian areas are the arteries of the landscape, grazing reserve and a harbour for beneficial PRINCIPLE 7 providing essential connectivity between other insects in the non-growing season. The wide habitats, as well as vital refuge in times of buffer further reduces the risk of damage to Maintain healthy riparian drought. The riparian zone also provides an in-stream and riparian habitat from weed zones for production and important buffer between agricultural activity invasion, traffic movement and chemical drift. and the waterway, helping to maintain water biodiversity quality and protect aquatic habitats.

Riparian areas in cotton country are subject to Protect riparian vegetation and a range of pressures, including grazing, traffic stabilise banks by fencing to control movement, chemical drift, weed invasion and stock access. Photo: Annie Spora. infrastructure installations (e.g. pumps). They MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: are often very narrow as a result of the need to maximise production returns on the adjacent ✔ Fence off riparian areas high-value floodplain farming land. Any to control stock access measure that can be taken to reduce these ✔ Allow understorey shrubs pressures will not only benefit the birds of the and young trees to regrow riparian area, but improve whole-farm ecology ✔ Reduce or prevent traffic and downstream impacts (e.g. water quality). access in the riparian zone ✔ Management of stock pressure by strategic Leave a grassy buffer zone fencing and provision of off-stream watering between the paddock and riparian area Riparian areas are the arteries of points is probably the most common and the landscape. ✔ effective riparian management action. This Widen riparian area by Photo: P. Barrett promotes healthier ground cover, thereby allowing natural; MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: reducing sedimentation of the stream and regeneration of trees and ✔ Maintain and improve providing good cover and food sources for shrubs in buffer zone riparian habitat quality ground-dwelling birds. It also allows natural ✔ Retain or replace natural ✔ Enlarge riparian buffer regeneration of canopy trees and understorey snags in the stream zones species, thus enhancing the sustainability of the ✔ Maintain and re-establish ✔ Maintain and improve tree population and enhancing habitat quality riparian trees to shade the in-stream habitat for understorey birds. stream

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Leave a wide buffer adjacent to riparian areas and allow natural vegetation to re-establish in the buffer and along banks. Photos: Julie O’Halloran (L); Guy Roth (R). HABITAT MANAGEMENT

Wetland management MANAGEMENT ACTIONS: ✔ Ensure sufficient flow Most cotton farms support a variety of natural goes into natural wetlands PRINCIPLE 8 and artificial wetlands, including streams, to maintain vegetation billabongs, floodplain swamps, storages and Maintain healthy natural and wildlife irrigation structures (ditches, drains, etc.). These ✔ Protect natural swamps wetlands and enhance wetlands offer a wide range of habitats for from grazing during critical many waterbirds and other wetland fauna, and artificial ones periods (e.g. inundation, some provide essential filtration services, flowering, bird breeding) reducing the entry of sediment and chemicals ✔ Include islands, shallow- to streams. water, mud-flats, and open water of varying depths in The key to managing wetland habitats is to storages ensure a variety of water depths, vegetation and ✔ edge types to optimise the diversity of birds and Leave standing and fallen dead trees in or around other fauna able to use them. storages to provide Deep water areas with little or no aquatic perches for waterbirds vegetation, no shallows and no surrounding (and hollows for some Perches for waterbirds are important trees for perching may support pelicans and a bush-birds to nest in) features of wetlands and may be achieved through retaining (or adding) fallen or few species of ducks, but many other birds will ✔ Leave or replace snags standing dead trees. avoid these wetlands. In contrast, a storage that in billabongs and streams Photos: Greg Kauter. includes deep and shallow areas, various to provide submerged floating and emergent aquatic plants, areas of habitat for fish and other exposed mud at low water level, and trees for aquatic animals Wetlands with both deep water and ✔ Plant or encourage the shallow vegetated areas provide a perching may be inhabited by egrets, herons, range of habitat for different spoonbills, rails, grebes, ducks, cormorants, growth of aquatic waterbirds. swans and many more. vegetation, such as Photo: Gill Hogendyk. waterlilies, reeds and MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: Similarly, well-vegetated storm-water drains and sedges, in and around ✔ Maintain and improve overflows will provide significantly better the edges of storages wetland habitat quality habitat for waterbirds than un-vegetated ones. and billabongs ✔ ✔ Design habitat features for Reeds, sedges and grasses in such areas also Design storm-water drains new artificial wetland areas help slow down the flow of water, reducing to reduce flow rates and ✔ Enhance existing artificial erosion potential and trapping sediment and encourage vegetation with wetlands chemical residue. sedges, grasses and reeds

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The drain below this storm-water blow-out is well- vegetated and runs parallel to the creek for some distance before draining into it, thus filtering sediment and chemical residue and offering significant wetland habitat.

Photo: K. Rourke. FURTHER READING

Further Reading Damian Michael, Mason Crane, FIELD GUIDES Christopher MacGregor and Ross Cunningham CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, 2003. Field Guide to Australian Birds Michael Morcombe BIRD-FRIENDLY GARDENING Steve Parish Publishing, Brisbane, 2000. Attracting Birds to Your Garden in Australia The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia,Seventh Edition. John Dengate Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight New Holland Publishers, Sydney, 2000. Harper Collins Publishers, Sydney, 2003. The Australian Bird Garden: Field Guide to the Birds of Australia, Sixth Edition. creating havens for native birds. Ken Simpson and Nicholas Day Graham Pizzey Penguin Books, Melbourne, 1999. Harper Collins Publishers, Sydney, 2000.

LAND MANAGEMENT FOR Birdscaping Your Garden BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY George Adams New Holland Publishers, Sydney. Australian Cotton Industry Best Management Practices Manual, Land and Water Module OTHER USEFUL REFERENCES Cotton Research and Development Corporation, ON AUSTRALIAN BIRDS Narrabri, NSW, 2004. Complete Book of Australian Birds Birds on farms: ecological management Richard Schodde and Sonia Tidemann for agricultural sustainability. Reader’s Digest (Australia), Sydney, 1993. Supplement toWingspan, vol. 10, no. 4, December 2000. The New Atlas of Australian Birds Geoff Barrett Geoff Barrett, Andrew Silcocks, Simon Barry, Birds Australia; Melbourne, 2000. Ross Cunningham and Rory Poulter Managing and Conserving Grassy Woodlands Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union Sue McIntyre, John McIvor and Katina Heard (editors) (Birds Australia), Melbourne, 2003. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, 2002. The State of Australia’s Birds 2003 Managing Riparian Lands in the Cotton Industry Supplement to Wingspan, vol. 13, no. 4, S. Lovett, P. Price & J. Lovett December 2003. Cotton Research and Development Corporation, 2003 Penny Olsen, Michael Weston, Ross Cunningham and Andrew Silcocks. Renaissance on Lanark Birds Australia, Melbourne, 2003. Supplement to Wingspan, vol. 9, no. 1, March 1999. Graeme O’Neill Where do all the bush birds go? Birds Australia, Melbourne, 1999. Supplement to Wingspan, vol. 9, no. 4, December 1999 Wildlife on Farms: How to conserve native animals. Michael Clarke, Peter Griffioen and Richard Loyn David Lindenmayer, Andrew Claridge, Donna Hazell, Birds Australia, Melbourne, 1999.

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Community contacts BIRDS AND BIRDING NATURAL HISTORY GROUPS Birds Australia (National Office) Border Rivers - 415 Riversdale Rd, Hawthorn East VIC 3123 Gwydir Catchment Management Authority Phone 1300 730 075 7023 Gwydir Highway http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au Inverell NSW 2360 Phone: 6721 9810 Birds Australia Southern Queensland Group Email: [email protected] Secretary, P.O. Box 224, Crows Nest, Qld 4355 Website: [email protected] http://www.users.bigpond.com/basqld Chinchilla Field Naturalists Club Birds Australia Northern NSW Group P.O. Box 368, Chinchilla, Qld 4413 Secretary, 4 Virginia Close, Armidale, NSW 1586 Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Tamworth Birdwatchers Club Dalby Branch, P.O. Box 338, Dalby Qld 4405 Phone: 026765 6070 or 02 6767 0283 Toowoomba Branch, P.O. Box 2337, Toowoomba, Qld 4350 CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT http://www.wildlife.org.au/ AND LANDCARE Central West Catchment Management Authority Toowoomba Bird Observers Inc. 141 Percy Street WELLINGTON NSW 2820 P.O. Box 4730, Toowoomba East, Qld 4350 Phone: 02 6840 7800 Fax: 02 6840 7801 http://www.toowoombabirdobservers.org/ Email: [email protected] Website:http://www.cw.cma.nsw.gov.au Border Rivers Catchment Management and Landcare Centre Waggamba Square, Brook Street Locked Bag 3, Goondiwindi, Qld 4390 Phone: 07 4671 7900 Fax: 07 4671 2966; Email: [email protected]

111 112 COMMUNITY CONTACTS

LANDCARE AND CATCHMENT COTTON INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICE AND NRM Landcare Discovery Centre Environmental extension officer (cotton) 127b Campbell Street (Cnr Bellevue St), Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Toowoomba, Qld 4350 St George, Qld P.O. Box 6243, Toowoomba West, Qld 4350 Phone: 07 4620 8103 Phone: 07 4637 6270; Fax: 07 4632 8062 Email: [email protected] Cotton Catchment Communities CRC Locked Bag 1001 Maranoa Balonne Landcare and Catchment Centre Narrabri NSW 2390 95 Arthur St PO Box 1078, Roma, Qld 4455 Phone: 02 6799 1500 Phone: 07 4622 8446; Fax 07 4622 6060 Email: [email protected] OTHER ORGANISATIONS NatureSearch Coordinator North East Downs Landcare Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service P.O. Box 1078, Roma199, Oakey, Qld 44554401 P.O. Box 731, Toowoomba, Qld 4350 Phone: 07 4622 8446; Fax: 07 4622 6060; Phone: 07 4699 4333 Email: [email protected] New South Wales Parks Narribri Namoi Catchment Management Authority Phone: 02 6792 7300 Fax: 02 6792 1133 35-37 Abbott Street Gunnedah Street address: 1/100 Maitland Street, Phone: 02 6742 9220 Narrabri NSW Email: mailto:[email protected] Postal address: PO Box 72, Narrabri NSW 2390 Website: www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au New South Wales Parks, Dubbo Queensland Murray Darling Committee Inc Phone: 02 6883 5330 Fax: 02 6884 8675 127b Cnr Campbell and Bellvue Streets Street address: 48-52 Wingewarra Street, Toowoomba, Qld 4350 Dubbo NSW P.O. Box 6243, Toowoomba West, Qld 4350 Postal address: PO Box 2111, Dubbo NSW 2830 Phone: 07 4637 6201; Fax 07 4632 8062; Email:[email protected] Greening Australia (Qld) Inc. http://www.qmdc.org.au P.O. Box 338, Dalby, Qld 4405 Phone: 07 4669 95 78

113 114 CHECKLIST

Checklist of Birds across the Cotton Production Regions

WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS This list is derived from the ongoing Birds Australia Atlas database, used to develop FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS the New Atlas of Australian Birds. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Australasian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis U A closed symbol ( ) indicates the habitat where you are most likely to find a species or Grey Teal Anas gracilis C habitats used equally by those species that don’t occur predominantly in one habitat. Chestnut Teal Anas castanea U Open symbols ( ) indicate additional habitats in which the species may be found. Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus U Hardhead Aythya australis U Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae C The status of each species in this region is coded as follows: Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus U V vagrant (seenC common; occasionally). U uncommon; Also in theR rare; status and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus U column, a D indicates woodland species that are Darter Anhinga melanogaster C suffering population decline in eastern Australia. Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos C Migratory species are only present for part of the year, and are indicated thus: S summer migrant; W winter Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius U migrant. An asterisk (*) denotes introduced species. Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris U

GRASSLANDS WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS FARMLANDS Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo U

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus U

Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae C White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae C Australian Brush-turkey Alectura lathami R Little Egret Egretta garzetta U Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata R White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica C Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis U Pied Heron Ardea picata V Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora U Great Egret Ardea alba U Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata U Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia U Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni U Cattle Egret Ardea ibis U Wandering Whistling-DuckDendrocygna arcuata U Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus U Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis U Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus R Musk Duck Biziura lobata U Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus U Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa R Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus U Black Swan Cygnus atratus U Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca C Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides U Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis C Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata C Royal Spoonbill Platelea regia U Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus R Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platelea flavipes C Green Pygmy-goose Nettapus pulchellus V Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus U Mallard Anas platyrhynchos U* Osprey Pandion haliaetus R Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa C Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata U

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species

115 116

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species CHECKLIST

WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME

Black-shouldered Kite Elanus notatus C Red-chested Button-quail Turnix pyrrhothorax U Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus R Painted Button-quail Turnix varia U Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura U Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii U Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon R Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa R Black Kite Milvus migrans U Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis U Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus C Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia R White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster U Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola R Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis U Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata U Swamp Harrier Circus approximans U Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea R Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus U Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis R Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae R Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea R Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrhocephalus U Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus magnirostris UD Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax C Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus U Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides U Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae U Brown Falcon Falco berigora U Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus R Australian Hobby Falco longipennis U Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops U Grey Falcon Falco hypoleucos R Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogonys cinctus U Black Falcon Falco subniger U Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor U Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus U Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles C Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides C Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella V Brolga Grus rubicunda U Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae U Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis U Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica R Lewin’s Rail Rallus pectoralis R Caspian Tern Sterna caspia R Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla U Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus U Australian Spotted Crake Porzana fluminea U White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus SR Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis R Rock Dove Columba livia U* Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio U Spotted Turtle-Dove Streptopelia chinensis U* Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa C Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia amboinensis R Black-tailed Native-hen Gallinula ventralis U Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera C Eurasian Coot Fulica atra U Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes C Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis U Squatter Pigeon Geophaps scripta RD Little Button-quail Turnix velox U Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata U

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species

117 118

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species CHECKLIST

WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME

Peaceful Dove Geopelia striata C Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus US Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis U Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis US Wonga Pigeon Leucosarcia melanoleuca R Black-eared Cuckoo Chrysococcyx osculans U Red-tailed Black-CockatooCalyptorhynchus banksii U Horsfield’s Bronze-CuckooChrysococcyx basalis U Glossy Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami UD Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus U Yellow-tailed Black-CockatooCalyptorhynchus funereus U Common Koel Eudynamis scolopacea US Galah Cacatua roseicapilla C Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae US Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris R Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus U Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea U Powerful Owl Ninox strenua R Major Mitchell’s CockatooCacatua leadbeateri U Barking Owl Ninox connivens U Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita C Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae U Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus C Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae R Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus U Barn Owl Tyto alba U Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus RD Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides U Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna U White-throated Nightjar Eurostopodus mystacalis U Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla U Spotted Nightjar Eurostopodus argus U Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis C Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus U Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus C White-throated NeedletailHirundapus caudacutus US Superb Parrot Polytelis swainsonii U Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus RS Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans C Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azurea U Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius C Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae C Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus C Forest Kingfisher Todiramphus macleayii V Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius C Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygia U Blue Bonnet Northiella haematogaster C Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus CS Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor RD Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus CS Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus C Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis US Mulga Parrot Psephotus varius U Superb Lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae R Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus U White-throated TreecreeperCorombates leucophaeus C Bourke’s Parrot Neosephotus bourkii V White-browed TreecreeperClimacteris affinis R Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma R Red-browed Treecreeper Climacteris erythrops U Turquoise Parrot Neophema pulchella U Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus C Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus US Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus C

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species

119 120

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species CHECKLIST

WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME

Splendid Fairy-wren Malurus splendens U Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops C Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti U Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens U White-winged Fairy-wren Malurus leucopterus U White-eared Honeyeater Lichenostomus leucotis C Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus C Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops U Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus R Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus U Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus C White-plumed HoneyeaterLichenostomus penicillatus C White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis U Black-chinned HoneyeaterMelithreptus gularis U Chestnut-rumped HeathwrenHylacola pyrrhopygia U Brown-headed HoneyeaterMelithreptus brevirostris U Speckled Warbler Chthonicola sagittata UD White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus U Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris C Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta U Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki R Painted Honeyeater Grantiella picta UD Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca U Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris U White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea C Black Honeyeater Certhionyx niger R Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla U Pied Honeyeater Certhionyx variegatus R Inland Thornbill Acanthiza apicalis U Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta U Chestnut-rumped ThornbillAcanthiza uropygialis U Crimson Chat Ephthianura tricolor U Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides C Orange Chat Ephthianura aurifrons V Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa C White-fronted Chat Ephthianura albifrons U Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana C Jacky Winter Microeca leucophaea C Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata U Scarlet Robin Petroica multicolor U Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis U Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii UD Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata U Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea RW Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera R Rose Robin Petroica rosea UW Spiny-cheeked HoneyeaterAcanthagenys rufogularis C Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata UD Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata C Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis CD Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus C Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis CD Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis C White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus U Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia UD Chestnut-crowned BabblerPomatostomus ruficeps U Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis C Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus R Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala C Spotted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctatum U Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula C Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera U Lewin’s Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii U Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus UD

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species

121 122

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species CHECKLIST

WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS WETLANDS AERIAL NIGHTBIRDS WOODLANDS STATUS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS FARMLANDS GRASSLANDS

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME

Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis U Torresian Crow Corvus orru U Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis C White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos CD Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris C Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea C Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica C Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus U Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula U Spotted Bowerbird Chlamydera maculata U Satin Flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca U Singing Bushlark Mirafra javanica U Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta C Richard’s Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae UD Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca C House Sparrow Passer domesticus C* Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons US Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata U Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa C Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii C Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys C Plum-headed Finch Neochmia modesta U Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus RS Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis C Black-faced Cuckoo-ShrikeCoracina novaehollandiae C Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata U White-bellied Cuckoo-ShrikeCoracina papuensis U Chestnut-breasted MannikinLonchura castaneothorax U Cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris US European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis V* Ground Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina maxima U Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum C White-winged Triller Lalage sueurii US White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosternum U Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus U Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena C Figbird Sphecotheres viridis R Tree Martin Hirundo nigricans U White-breasted WoodswallowArtamus leucorynchus U Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel C Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus U Clamorous Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus U White-browed WoodswallowArtamus superciliosus U Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis R Black-faced WoodswallowArtamus cinereus U Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus U Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus C Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi US Little Woodswallow Artamus minor RS Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis US Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus C Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis U Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogulari C Silvereye Zosterops lateralis C Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen C Bassian Thrush Zoothera lunulata R Pied Currawong Strepera graculina C Common Blackbird Turdus merula U* Australian Raven Corvus coronoides C Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris C* Little Raven Corvus mellori U Common Myna Acridotheres tristis U* Little Crow Corvus bennetti U

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species

123 124

C common; U uncommon; R rare; V vagrant; D woodland species in population decline; S summer migrant; W winter migrant; (*) introduced species INDEX

Spiny-cheeked...... 57, 85 Raven, Australian...... 11 Apostlebird ...... 16 Pink-eared Duck ...... 34 Striped...... 64, 86 regeneration ...... 99 Babbler, Grey-crowned...... 58,83 Eagle, Wedge-tailed...... 40 White-plumed ...... 67 Reed-Warbler, Clamorous ...... 39 Bee-eater, Rainbow ...... 61 Egret, Great ...... 28 Yellow-faced ...... 65 Ringneck, Australian ...... 56 Bellbird, Crested ...... 59 Emu...... 49 Ibis, Australian White ...... 30 riparian management...... 105 bird friendly farming landscape ...... 91 extinction debt ...... 94 Straw-necked...... 30 Robin, Eastern Yellow ...... 65, 80 Blue Bonnet...... 56 Fairy-wren, Red-backed...... 21 isolation ...... 95 Hooded ...... 66, 81 Boobook, Southern ...... 48 Superb...... 22 Kestrel, Nankeen ...... 45 Red-capped ...... 72 Bowerbird, Spotted ...... 54 Variegated ...... 74, 88 Kingfisher, Sacred ...... 60 Rosella, Eastern ...... 55 Bronzewing, Common...... 51 White-winged ...... 74, 87 Kite, Black ...... 42 Sea-Eagle, White-bellied ...... 40 buffer...... 105 Falcon, Brown ...... 43 Black-shouldered...... 44 Shrike-thrush, Grey ...... 55 Bushlark, Singing...... 24 Fantail, Grey ...... 68 Whistling...... 42 Silvereye ...... 71 Butcherbird, Grey ...... 52 feral animals ...... 103 Kookaburra, Laughing ...... 13 Sittella, Varied ...... 73 Pied...... 15 Finch, Double-barred ...... 73 Lapwing, Masked ...... 14 Songlark, Rufous ...... 25 Chough, White-winged ...... 50 Plum-headed ...... 25 Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted...... 60 Sparrow, House ...... 20 Cisticola, Golden-headed ...... 26 Zebra...... 72 Magpie, Australian...... 14 Spoonbill, Royal ...... 29 Cockatiel ...... 17 fire management ...... 101 Magpie-lark ...... 16 Yellow-billed ...... 29 Cockatoo, Red-tailed Black ...... 49 Firetail, Diamond ...... 71, 79 Mannikin, Chestnut-breasted ...... 26 stand structure ...... 99 Sulphur-crested ...... 11 Flycatcher, Restless ...... 63 Martin, Fairy ...... 46 Starling, Common ...... 19 connectivity...... 95 Friarbird, Little...... 53 Miner, Noisy ...... 18 stepping stones ...... 95 Coot, Eurasian ...... 36 Noisy...... 53 Yellow-throated ...... 18 Stilt, Black-winged...... 37 Corella, Little...... 12 Frogmouth, Tawny ...... 47 Mistletoebird ...... 75 Swallow, Welcome ...... 46 Cormorant, Great ...... 32 Galah ...... 13 Moorhen, Dusky ...... 35 Swamphen, Purple ...... 32, 90 Little Black ...... 37 Gerygone, White-throated ...... 69 Myna, Common ...... 18 Swan, Black...... 27 Little Pied ...... 36 grazing ...... 101 Oriole, Olive-backed...... 54 Teal, Grey ...... 35 corridors ...... 95 Grebe, Australasian ...... 38 Owl, Barking ...... 48 Thornbill, Inland ...... 70 Coucal, Pheasant...... 23 habitat complexity...... 97 Barn ...... 47 Yellow ...... 70 Crow, Torresian ...... 11 habitat simplification ...... 97 paddock trees ...... 95 Yellow-rumped ...... 21 Cuckoo, Channel-billed...... 43 habitat trees...... 99 Pardalote, Spotted ...... 75 Treecreeper, Brown ...... 63, 89 Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced ...... 17 Hardhead ...... 34 Striated ...... 76 White-throated ...... 62 Currawong, Pied ...... 50 Harrier, Spotted ...... 41 Parrot, Red-rumped ...... 19 Triller, White-winged ...... 59 Darter ...... 31 Swamp ...... 41 Red-winged ...... 51 Wagtail, Willie...... 20 Dollarbird ...... 57 Heron, White-faced...... 31 patch size ...... 93 Warbler, Speckled ...... 69, 84 Dotterel, Black-fronted ...... 38 White-necked ...... 28 Pelican, Australian ...... 27 Weebill ...... 76 Dove, Bar-shouldered ...... 52 Hobby, Australian ...... 44 pest birds...... 103 wetland management ...... 107 Peaceful...... 61 hollow trees...... 99 Pigeon, Crested ...... 15 Whistler, Golden ...... 66, 82 Rock ...... 12 Honeyeater, Blue-faced ...... 58 Pipit, Richard's ...... 24 Rufous ...... 62 Duck, Australian Wood ...... 33 Brown ...... 67 predators ...... 103 Winter, Jacky ...... 68 Pacific Black ...... 33 Singing ...... 64 Quail, Brown...... 23 Woodswallow, White-breasted ...... 45

125 126 NOTES

127 128 NOTES

129