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4 RESULTS 4.1 Fauna Habitat

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4 RESULTS 4.1 Fauna Habitat 4 RESULTS 4.1 Fauna habitat The project area supports the following four broad fauna habitats: Open shrubland with an understory of spinifex or tussock grasses (Plates 1-6); Open eucalypt woodland over shrubs and chenopods of varying densities (Plates 7-10); Dense shrubland (Plates 11 and 12); and Mallee and shrubs of varying density (Plates 13 and 14). As with most areas in the Goldfields the density of trees and shrubs varies appreciably across the project area. There are also multiple areas of existing mining and exploration activity, and disturbed areas (Plates 15-17). Plate 1. Open shrubland with an understory of Plate 2. Open shrubland with an understory of spinifex or tussock grasses spinifex or tussock grasses Plate 3. Open shrubland with an understory of Plate 4. Open shrubland with an understory of spinifex or tussock grasses spinifex or tussock grasses 8 Plate 5. Open shrubland with an understory of Plate 6. Open shrubland with an understory of spinifex or tussock grasses spinifex or tussock grasses Plate 7. Open eucalypt woodland over shrubs and Plate 8. Open eucalypt woodland over shrubs and chenopods of varying densities chenopods of varying densities Plate 9. Open eucalypt woodland over shrubs and Plate 10. Open eucalypt woodland over shrubs and chenopods of varying densities chenopods of varying densities 9 Plate 11. Dense shrubland Plate 12. Dense shrubland Plate 13. Mallee and shrubs of varying density Plate 14. Mallee and shrubs of varying density Plate 15. Mining activity and disturbed areas Plate 16. Mining activity and disturbed areas 10 Plate 17. Mining activity and disturbed areas Plate 18. Rabbit scats The results of the rapid habitat assessment are provided in Appendix D. Images of the habitat at each of these assessment points provides a more comprehensive overview of the habitats in the project area and along the infrastructure corridors. 4.2 Malleefowl The project area was searched for Malleefowl mounds and tracks. Six Malleefowl mounds were found (Table 2; Plates 19-24). There is an active mound (i.e. #5) just south of the project area, that could be impacted by mine related activities and there is a recently active mound in the project area. One Malleefowl was seen while searching the project area. Some of the inactive mounds already had sticks in the centre indicating that someone else has done searches previously. Table 2. Malleefowl and their mounds (UTM Zone 51) No Easting Northing Height (m) Width (m) Status 1 345168 6634038 0.5 6 Old, long unused 2 347152 6633637 0.5 3.5 Old, long unused 3 347115 6633275 0.5 4 Used in 2016 (old egg shell) Used in 2016 (old egg shell and some 4 347031 6633149 0.5 3.5 scratchings) 5 346232 6632527 0.75 4 Currently in use (footprints, egg shell, scats) 6 346638 6632759 0.75 5 Inactive Bird 345604 6633990 Plate 19. Malleefowl mound 1 Plate 20. Malleefowl mound 2 11 Plate 21. Malleefowl mound 3 Plate 22. Malleefowl mound 4 Plate 23. Malleefowl mound 5 Plate 24. Malleefowl mound 6 4.3 Bioregional vertebrate fauna Appendix B provides a summary of the fauna survey data that are available near the project area. There are appreciable differences in the recorded fauna assemblages within and among fauna surveys shown in Appendix B. These differences are partially due to the low survey effort often deployed and they also reflect variations in soils and vegetation as well as temporal variations in the fauna assemblages. Tables 3-7 provide a list of vertebrate species potentially found near the project area that have been compiled based on the fauna survey report results shown in Appendix B. Table 3. Birds potentially found near the project area Family Species Common Name Family Species Common Name Casuariidae Dromaius novaehollandiae Emu Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Little Black Cormorant Megapodiidae Leipoa ocellata Malleefowl Ardeidae Ixobrychus sinensis Yellow Bittern Anatidae Stictonetta naevosa Freckled Duck Nycticorax caledonicus Nankeen Night Heron Chenonetta jubata Australian Wood Duck Accipitridae Elanus axillaris Black-shouldered Kite Anas gracilis Grey Teal Lophoictinia isura Square-tailed Kite Anas superciliosa Pacific Black Duck Aquila audax Wedge-tailed Eagle Podicipedidae Poliocephalus poliocephalus Hoary-headed Grebe Falconidae Falco cenchroides Nankeen Kestrel Columbidae Phaps chalcoptera Common Bronzewing Falco berigora Brown Falcon Phaps elegans Brush Bronzewing Rallidae Fulica atra Eurasian Coot Ocyphaps lophotes Crested Pigeon Charadriidae Charadrius ruficapillus Red-capped Plover Podargidae Podargus strigoides Tawny Frogmouth Vanellus tricolor Banded Lapwing Caprimulgidae Eurostopodus argus Spotted Nightjar Scolopacidae Tringa glareola Wood Sandpiper Aegothelidae Aegotheles cristatus Australian Owlet-nightjar Cacatuidae Eolophus roseicapillus Galah Anhingidae Anhinga melanogaster Australasian Darter Nymphicus hollandicus Cockatiel Otididae Ardeotis australis Australian Bustard Psittacidae Glossopsitta porphyrocephala Purple-crowned Lorikeet 12 Family Species Common Name Family Species Common Name Polytelis anthopeplus Regent Parrot Epthianura aurifrons Orange Chat Platycercus icterotis Western Rosella Epthianura albifrons White-fronted Chat Barnardius zonarius Australian Ringneck Sugomel niger Black Honeyeater Psephotus varius Mulga Parrot Lichmera indistincta Brown Honeyeater Cuculidae Chalcites basalis Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo Phylidonyris niger White-cheeked Honeyeater Chalcites osculans Black-eared Cuckoo Melithreptus brevirostris Brown-headed Honeyeater Chalcites lucidus Shining Bronze-cuckoo Pomatostomidae Pomatostomus superciliosus White-browed Babbler Cacomantis pallidus Pallid Cuckoo Psophodidae Cinclosoma castanotum Chestnut Quail-thrush Strigidae Ninox novaeseelandiae Southern Boobook Neosittidae Daphoenositta chrysoptera Varied Sittella Tytonidae Tyto alba Barn Owl Campephagidae Coracina maxima Ground Cuckoo-shrike Halcyonidae Todiramphus pyrrhopygius Red-backed Kingfisher Coracina novaehollandiae Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Meropidae Merops ornatus Rainbow Bee-eater Lalage sueurii White-winged Triller Climacteridae Climacteris rufa Rufous Treecreeper Pachycephalidae Pachycephala inornata Gilbert's Whistler Ptilonorhynchidae Ptilonorhynchus maculatus Spotted Bowerbird Pachycephala pectoralis Golden Whistler Maluridae Malurus splendens Splendid Fairy-wren Pachycephala simplex Grey Whistler Malurus leucopterus White-winged Fairy-wren Pachycephala rufiventris Rufous Whistler Malurus pulcherrimus Blue-breasted Fairy-wren Colluricincla harmonica Grey Shrike-thrush Acanthizidae Sericornis frontalis White-browed Scrubwren Oreoica gutturalis Crested Bellbird Hylacola cauta Shy Heathwren Artamidae Artamus personatus Masked Woodswallow Calamanthus campestris Rufous Fieldwren Artamus cinereus Black-faced Woodswallow Pyrrholaemus brunneus Redthroat Artamus cyanopterus Dusky Woodswallow Smicrornis brevirostris Weebill Cracticus torquatus Grey Butcherbird Gerygone fusca Western Gerygone Cracticus nigrogularis Pied Butcherbird Gerygone fusca Western Gerygone Cracticus tibicen Australian Magpie Acanthiza robustirostris Slaty-backed Thornbill Strepera versicolor Grey Currawong Acanthiza chrysorrhoa Yellow-rumped Thornbill Rhipiduridae Rhipidura albiscapa Grey Fantail Acanthiza uropygialis Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Rhipidura leucophrys Willie Wagtail Acanthiza iredalei Slender-billed Thornbill Corvidae Corvus coronoides Australian Raven Acanthiza apicalis Inland Thornbill Corvus bennetti Little Crow Aphelocephala leucopsis Southern Whiteface Corvus orru Torresian Crow Aphelocephala leucopsis Southern Whiteface Monarchidae Grallina cyanoleuca Magpie-lark Pardalotidae Pardalotus punctatus Spotted Pardalote Petroicidae Microeca fascinans Jacky Winter Pardalotus rubricatus Red-browed Pardalote Petroica goodenovii Red-capped Robin Pardalotus striatus Striated Pardalote Melanodryas cucullata Hooded Robin Meliphagidae Certhionyx variegatus Pied Honeyeater Eopsaltria griseogularis Western Yellow Robin Lichenostomus virescens Singing Honeyeater Drymodes brunneopygia Southern Scrub-robin Lichenostomus leucotis White-eared Honeyeater Megaluridae Cincloramphus mathewsi Rufous Songlark Lichenostomus flavicollis Yellow-throated Cincloramphus cruralis Brown Songlark Honeyeater Timaliidae Zosterops lateralis Mauritius Olive White-eye Lichenostomus cratitius Purple-gaped Honeyeater Hirundinidae Cheramoeca leucosterna White-backed Swallow Lichenostomus ornatus Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Hirundo neoxena Welcome Swallow Lichenostomus plumulus Grey-fronted Honeyeater Petrochelidon ariel Fairy Martin Purnella albifrons White-fronted Honeyeater Hirundo nigricans Tree Martin Manorina flavigula Yellow-throated Miner Nectariniidae Dicaeum hirundinaceum Mistletoebird Acanthagenys rufogularis Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Estrildidae Taeniopygia guttata Zebra Finch Anthochaera carunculata Red Wattlebird Motacillidae Anthus novaeseelandiae Australasian Pipit Epthianura tricolor Crimson Chat Table 4. Amphibians potentially found near the project area Family Species Common Name Family Species Common Name Hylidae Litoria moorei Motorbike Frog Neobatrachus sutor Shoemaker Frog Limnodynastidae Neobatrachus kunapalari Kunapalari Frog Neobatrachus wilsmorei Goldfields Bullfrog Neobatrachus pelobatoides Humming Frog Myobatrachidae Pseudophryne occidentalis Orange-crowned Toadlet 13 Table 5. Mammals potentially found near the project area Family Species Common Name Family Species Common Name Bovidae Capra hircus Goat Ningaui ridei Wongai Ningaui Bovidae Ovis aries Sheep
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