Atlas-Campaspe Mineral Sands Project Fauna Assessment Appendix D: EPBC Act significance tests Atlas-Campaspe Mineral Sands Project Fauna Assessment Contents Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) ................................................................................................................ D-1 Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) ........................................................................................ D-8 Australian Painted Snipe (Rosostratula australis) .................................................................................. D-12 Regent Parrot (eastern subspepecies) (Polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides) ......................................... D-17 Corben’s Long-eared Bat (Nyctophilus corbeni) ................................................................................. D-21 D-i Atlas-Campaspe Mineral Sands Project Fauna Assessment Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellataata) The Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellatllata) is listed as Vulnerable under the Commonwonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999 (EPBC Act). This assassessment of impact significance has been conductected according to the Commonwealth Departmenent of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populationion and Communities (SEWPaC) Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1: Matters of National Environmental Significance (Commonwealth Department off EEnvironment, Water, Heritage and the Arts [DEWHA] 2009) for vulnerable species. The Malleefowl is a large groundnd-dwelling, pheasant-like bird that occurs acrossss ssouthern Australia in temperate, semi-arid districts whwhere the annual rainfall is 200 to 450 millimetresres (mm) (Marchant & Higgins 1993). In New South WWales (NSW) it occurs west of the Great Dividiiding Range, from the Pilliga scrub south-west towardsrds to the districts of Griffith, Wellington, Balranalnald, and continuously into north-western Victoria andnd south-eastern South Australia (Morris et al. 1981; Marchant & Higgins 1993; NSW Office of Environment and Heritage [OEH] 2012). ThThe species is mostly sedentary and established pairss ttend to stay in the same area year-round. Locall movementsm do occur between seasons in some areas,as, and larger movements can occur in responsese to drought and fire (Marchant & Higgins 1993). ChChicks and juveniles disperse only a short distancance (rarely more than 20 kilometres [km] or so) from theirth incubation mound (Marchant & Higgins 1993993). The Malleefowl occurs mostlytly in mallee woodlands, but sometimes rangeges into surrounding woodlands or shrublands of otheroth sorts (Marchant & Higgins 1993; OEH 201012). The Malleefowl prefers taller mallee with a dedense but discontinuous canopy (to provide abubundant leaf-litter for mounds) and floristically rich shrubs and herb layers to provide food plants (e(e.g. Acacia, Cassia, Bossiaea and Beyeria spp.). Itt tendste to be less common in short or open mallellee woodlands with a spinifex (Triodia spp.) understortorey, but still occurs in such habitats. Lighter sandndy or loamy soils are preferred because they provide drdrainage, rather than ease of digging (Marchant & Higgins 1993). The home range size is not wellell known. Home ranges may be up to 100 hectartares (ha), but there is often considerable overlap betweween home ranges of different pairs. During the brbreeding season males stay close to the mound and usee a much reduced area (Benshemesh 2007). Homee range and density of breeding pairs may vary accordirding to a range of factors including climate (i.e..e. rainfall), vegetation type, season, recent conditions (e.g.(e drought) and condition of habitat (e.g. whethether grazed or not). For the purposes of this assessmentent, we have assumed a theoretical conservativee estimate of density, based on the area of potential priprimary habitat (1,575 ha) and the home range off thet species (100 ha), of about one pair per 100 ha. The Malleefowl builds a large momound of sand (with loam and pebbles) incorporatrating a litter of leaves, bark, twigs and small brancheshes, in which they incubate their eggs with thehe heat of fermenting vegetation. The organic contentnt varies considerably. Organic material is usuallylly collected from June to August and then mixed followowing spring rains to begin the fermentation procescess. Eggs are laid any time from mid-September to earlarly February, but usually in the spring through the early summer. The average size recorded for 34 clutclutches was 15 eggs (ranging from 3 to 33) (Marchahant & Higgins 1993). The species is mainly granivoroorous but berries, invertebrates, herbage (especiacially buds) and bulbs contribute to the diet. Acacia seedeeds are particularly important. Small congregationons have been reported feeding on crop stubble, such as barley. A source of surface water is not needed,ed, but individuals will drink readily when water is availaailable (Marchant & Higgins 1993). D-1 Atlas-Campaspe Mineral Sands Project Fauna Assessment Habitat loss and degradationn have caused extensive declines in Malleefoefowl abundance and distribution throughout its rangeran (Benshemesh 2007; Garnett et al. 201011). Higher rainfall (300-450 mm) mallee with the mmost diverse understory has been extensively cleareared for agriculture or grazed by stock. Competition witwith grazing stock (sheep [Ovis aries] and cattle [Bos taurus]) and feral animals (rabbits [Onyctologus cuniculus] and goats [Capra hircus]) reduces habiabitat viability because grazed mallee offers much lesss hherbage and seed for Malleefowl to feed on. Largrge fires also probably kill most Malleefowl in their wakake, as the birds are poor fliers. Fire in mallee has the effect off preventingp or reducing breeding for up to 20 orr 330 years, although in some instances breeding will resumeres after 6 years. Predation by foxes (Vulpes vulpes) is often high, particularly for eggs, chicks, juvjuveniles and even adults (Marchant & Higgins 11993; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service [NPWPWS] 1999; Benshemesh 2007; Garnett et al. 2011)1). In the north-western edge of thehe Campaspe footprint, several observations of tracracks were made and a nesting mound found. At anothther location outside the Campaspe footprint but within the Mining Lease Application (MLA) 1 arearea, tracks were recorded. At one location in thee fofootprint of the Atlas Mine a nesting mound was founund. The proposed mine general arrangement wowould avoid these two nesting mounds1. Records of the Malleefowl, including footprints, mounds andd ssightings were made throughout the proposed offsett area.ar Two records made during the field survey anand three contained in the Atlas of NSW Wildlife Dataatabases came from further afield in the generall vvicinity of the Atlas- Campaspe study area. The MaMalleefowl has been recorded twice in recentt surveyss by Ecotone Ecological Consultants for the BalranaldB Mineral Sands Project. One Malleefowlwl was observed in the study area for the West Balranalnald Deposit and two active Malleefowl moundss werew recorded in the study area for the Nepean Depeposit (Ecotone Ecological Consultants 2012a; 22012b). No mounds, tracks or individuals were obseserved within the Ivanhoe Rail Facility study arearea and there are no database records within 20 km of the study area. Known breeding and foragingg habitatsh of the Malleefowl that occur in the AtAtlas-Campaspe Mine footprint and proposed offset arearea are Linear Dune Mallee and Sandplain Mallellee. Potential habitats (supplementary habitats that migight be used on occasions for foraging or disperpersal), include Belah- Rosewood Woodland, Acacia WWoodland/Shrubland, Disturbed Shrubland and Cleared Land during seeding and harvesting of crops.ps. Potential secondary or supplementary foragingg habitat exists within the Ivanhoe Rail Facility footprinrint, including Belah-Rosewood Woodland and Natative Grassland. An action is likely to have a significasign nt impact on a vulnerable species if thereere is a real chance or possibility that it will: Criterion 1: lead to a long-termm decreased in the size of an important populationn oof a species? The population in and around theth Atlas-Campaspe Mine study area is part off a broader population occurring on leasehold land in theth vicinity, containing some 300 pairs (Ewin 200707). Based on the area of potential primary habitat (1,5,575 ha) and the home range of the species (1000 ha), and assuming a density of breeding pairs of one per 100 ha, a conservative theoretical estimimate is that up to 15 breeding pairs could potentiallyly beb impacted by the Project. Despite this theoretictical estimate, detailed surveys over the Project area revealedrev only the two mounds proposed surfacee areaa and are avoided through revision of the mine ggeneral arrangement1; however, the Project iss likelyli to impact any individuals using those mounds. 1 The mine plan has been refined to avoivoid a Malleefowl nesting mound and two Cobar Greenhood Orchichid locations recorded during surveys. Given this commitment was mamade immediately prior to the finalisation of this report, and resultedted in a change to the proposed surface development area, figures withinin the main body of this report (such as Figure 15) were amended to reflect this change. It should be noted however, that the figures in AppendixAp C of this report (Seven Part Tests) have not been updated,d, on the basis that at the scale presented, the relevant changes would hahave been immaterial. For clarity, the figures in the main body of thithis report provide the accurate representation