Werribee River: Wildlife of the waterways T he Werribee River estuary forms the eastern boundary of a large Ramsar wetland in north- western Port Phillip Bay. This wetland supports key environmental values for plants and animals (especially waterbirds), as well as cultural, educational, tourism and scientific values. The areas surrounding the river are home to a range of animals including birds, frogs, fish and mammals. Revegetation projects and the introduction of conservation areas have allowed wildlife to flourish and this means we can enjoy them in their natural surrounds. We have provided an overview of some of the animals you are most likely to see in the area but don’t be surprised if you see even more! Fish T he Werribee River supports rich and diverse groups of fish. A number of fish located in the Werribee River are introduced species, which tend to alter the natural environment. A survey of the Werribee River conducted in 2006 recorded 30 species of fish, including freshwater, estuarine and marine-estuarine opportunist fish. Some species move between fresh and saltwater as part of the process, and must migrate through the estuary to complete their lifecycle. Water quality (both flow and non-flow related), barriers to fish movement, habitat degradation and over-exploitation by fishing were identified as the principal threats to fish in the Werribee River. The river estuary supports several species of recreational and commercial importance, including black bream, King George whiting, yellow eye mullet and trevally. Recreational fishers target tench, brown trout, roach, short-finned eel, and river blackfish in freshwater sections of the river. Fish 1 3 2 4 RE IV R BLACKFISH COM M ON GALAXIAS CL IMBING GALAXIAS S POTTED GALAXIAS GADOPSIS MARMARATUS GALAXIAS MACULATUS GALAXIAS BREVIPINNIS GALAXIAS TRUTTACEUS SIZE: 30-60CM OTHER NAME: SIZE: UP TO 28CM OTHER NAMES: COMMON JOLLYTAILL TROUT MINNOW OR T his nocturnal, non-migratory T his migratory fish, the SPOTTED MINNOW native fish usually dwells near SIZE: UP TO 19CM largest Australian galaxiid, T his migratory fish is brown to the bottom of upper sections of T his migratory and slender- is grey-brown, with a darker olive overall, with pale-edged the river. It ranges from uniform bodied fish is found in most back, and a highly variable dark spots on its upper sides and grey overall to paler brown with of the Werribee River. It is pattern of dark bars, rows of a dark diagonal stripe below the irregular darker bands, blotches olive-grey to amber overall, spots, blotches or finer mottling eye. It is found mostly at lower or mottling on the sides, and with a variable combination on its sides. It was previously elevations near the coast and eats insects, crustaceans, worms, of darker spots and mottling found in Toolern Creek, a was first recorded in the small fish and fish eggs. on its sides. Adults move tributary of Werribee River. Werribee River in 2006. Overfishing has decreased downstream to estuaries numbers significantly. to spawn. Fish 5 7 6 8 MOUNTA IN GALAXIAS T UPONG S OUTHERN PYGMY PERCH Sh ORT-FINNED EEL GALAXIAS OLIDUS P SEUDAPHRITIS URVILLII N ANNOPERCA AUSTRALIS A NGUILLA AUSTRALIS SIZE: UP TO 13.5CM SIZE: UP TO 30CM SIZE: UP TO 8.5CM SIZE: MALES UP TO 60CM, FEMALES UP TO 90CM T hese non-migratory fish are T upong are whitish with an T hese small fish are food for yellowish-green to brown overall irregular series of dark brown larger animals such as tortoises, T hese native migratory fish with a variable combination of blotches on their sides. They birds, other fish and frogs. They have a long snake-like body dark bands, blotches or mottling are found in the lower sections are usually pale golden with and an even golden to on their sides. Mountain galaxias and usually near the bottom greenish-brown mottling and olive-green colour. They are tolerate very cold water. They of Werribee River. Tupong sit a silver belly, and eat small active at night and eat are found from sea level to 1800 camouflaged on the river bed crustaceans, insects and their crustaceans, insects, yabbies, metres in elevation and in quite waiting to ambush smaller larvae. They were recorded in fish and frogs. Short-finned large numbers in the upper animals such as crustaceans, large numbers in the upper eels are found along the sections of Werribee River. molluscs, worms, insects sections of Werribee River length of Werribee River. and small fish. in 2006, and previously Sexual maturity is attained recorded in the 1980s. at 14 years for males and 18 to 24 years for females. Fish 9 10 E ASTERN GAMBUSIA B RROWN T OUT GAMBUSIA HOLBROOKI S ALMO TRUTTA OTHER NAME: MOSQUITO FISH SIZE: UP TO 90CM SIZE: MALES UP TO 3.5CM, T hese silvery to brownish or FEMALES UP TO 6CM olive fish have dark spots on T hese small, pale olive green to the sides and are found in the grey fish are found in the lower upper sections of Werribee sections of Werribee River. They River. Native to Europe, they are native to north and central were introduced to Australia American rivers, and are believed in the 1860s for angling. to have been introduced into Brown trout eat insects, Australia in the 1920s. They feed crustaceans, molluscs, and on rotting debris, insect larvae small fish. Maximum weight and pupae, fish eggs and fry. in Australia is 14kg. Numbers are almost in plague proportions in some rivers. B irds S ome people say Werribee and surrounds are second only to Kakadu National Park for birdwatching. At least 190 bird species inhabit this environment during the year. The Werribee River is home to a diverse population of native and migratory bird species, including the mighty wedge-tailed eagle and the splendid peregrine falcon. Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant provides a haven for tens of thousands of birds and is recognised as one of the world’s most significant wetlands. The Western Treatment Plant supports large numbers and groups of waterfowl and several species of waders and ducks. Within the plant is Lake Borrie, the most significant wetland in Victoria for migratory shorebirds. Migratory birds travel from as far as Alaska, Siberia, China and Japan, doubling their body weight on the abundant food over summer before heading back overseas. The Western Treatment Plant is home for up to 65,000 birds at any one time, with more than one-third of Australia’s species being recorded there (about 270 species). Birds WED GE-TAILED EAGLE Sw AMP HARRIER G REAT EGRET A L USTRA IAN PELICAN A QUILA AUDAX C IRCUS APPROXIMANS A RDEA ALBA P ELECANUS CONSPICILLATUS SIZE: MALES UP TO 91CM, OTHER NAME: MARSH HARRIER SIZE: UP TO 103CM SIZE: UP TO 180CM FEMALES UP TO 104CM SIZE: MALES UP TO 57CM, T he egret is usually black with T his very large bird has a long, T hese magnificent birds are FEMALES UP TO 61CM green facial skin. The body, pink bill with an obvious throat sooty-black with tawny hackles S wamp harriers are dark brown wings and long lacy shoulder pouch, and lives in fresh and on the back of the neck. They with prominent white rumps, (scapular) plumes are white and saltwater. It is one of the world’s also have pale brown wing and barred (striped) tail and wings the legs are dark grey or black. heaviest flying birds and the only undertail feathers and feathers and long yellow legs. They hunt It lives in floodwaters, rivers, pelican in Australia, sporting a on their legs. They have a long over tall grass, reeds, rushes and shallows of wetlands and wing span up 3m and the wedge-shaped ‘tail’ and a crops, soaring with elevated intertidal mudflats, and can be longest bill of any known bird. wingspan of about 210cm. wings. They make a high pitched recognised by its harsh croak. As with all pelicans, they have They live in most places ‘seee-uh’ sound as they transfer webbed feet for paddling and except closed forests and are food to one another. usually inhabit the coastline. recognisable by their yelps The Australian pelican can also and squeals. They can be seen be found inland near bodies of soaring with their upswept, freshwater during times of high ‘fingered’ wings. rainfall. They are generally white with black wings, a pale orange bill, and a slender arched neck, and may live 25 years or longer. Birds RED- NECKED STINT A USTRALASIAN SHOVELER C RIMSON ROSELLA RED-R B OWED FINCH C ALIDRIS RUFICOLLIS A NAS RHYNCHOTIS P LATYCERCUS ELEGANS N EOCHMIA TEMPORALIS SIZE: UP TO 15CM OTHER NAMES: SPOONBILL SIZE: UP TO 36CM OTHER NAME: DUCK, SHOVELBILL, STINKER RED-BROWED FIRETAILS T hese non-breeding stints T he crimson rosella has mostly have a short, black bill with Female Australasian shovelers crimson (red) plumage and SIZE: UP TO 12CM a grey crown, white below, have mottled brown upperparts, bright blue cheeks. The feathers T he red-browed finch is green a thin black line through the chestnut underparts, and a dark of the back and wing coverts are and grey but most easily rump and a white wing bar. brown eye. Males in breeding black, broadly edged with red. recognised by its bright red The breeding stints have plumage have a deep grey-blue The flight feathers of the wings eyebrow, rump and beak. It is black centred back feathers head with a white stripe have broad blue edges and the often observed in small flocks, with chestnut edges.