1) Family name: Pardalotidae
2) Scientific name: Dasyornis
brachypterus
3) English name: Eastern Bristlebird
4) Subspecies survival status:
Vulnerable (populations of this species are all small and highly fragmented
with little chance of natural recolonization after local extirpation. Some
have already become extinct, others are threatened. By proposed new IUCN
criteria categorized as Vulnerable [Ne <2000, population fragmented,
ó5 populations with Ne>500]).
5) Former distribution:.In discrete
pockets of suitable habitat in eastern Australia from the Conondale Ranges,
south-east Queensland south to at least Marlo in eastern Victoria.
6) Current distribution: South-east
Queensland: Conondale Ranges, Border Ranges; north-east New South Wales:
Tweed Range; south-east New South Wales: possibly Kuringai Chase National
Park, Barren Grounds Nature Reserve/Budderoo National Park, Jervis Bay
Nature Reserve, Nadgee to Mallacoota in eastern Victoria, Cape Conran area.
It has been extirpated from several sites in south-east Queensland, New
South Wales north of Sydney and at Marlo in eastern Victoria.
7) Habitat: South of Sydney
woodland vegetation with tussocky under storey bordering on heath, occasionally
in woodland remote from heath and in heath with patches of tall shrubs.
When displaced by fire from heath-woodland areas, occurs in wet eucalypt
forest-woodland margins. In the Queensland - New South Wales border region
the bird usually inhabits grass tussocks in open forest-woodland close
to luxuriant rainforest which provides fire refuge.
8) Reasons for decline: Clearance
of habitat for agriculture or forestry (confirmed), inappropriate burning
regime (confirmed), invasion of habitat by exotic weeds (speculative),
predation by feral Cats Felis catus (speculative). The main threat appears
to be a change in fire regime, with fires either becoming too frequent,
thereby eliminating tussocks, or too infrequent, leading to dense shrubberies
unsuitable for nesting.
9) Conservation reserves on which subspecies
occurs: Queensland: `Scrubby Creek' National Park; Lamington
National Park; Main Range National Park; Mount Barney National Park; New
South Wales: Morton National Park; Border Ranges National Park: Nightcap
National Park: Budderoo National Park; Budawang National Park; Barren Grounds
Nature Reserve: Nadgee Nature Reserve, Jervis Bay Nature Reserve; Victoria:
Croajingalong National Park.
10) Public land on which subspecies occurs:
State forests in Conondale Ranges, and Spicers Gap, Queensland; Jervis
Bay Military Reserve and Bemm River, Victoria.
11) Other land on which subspecies occurs:
Private land adjacent to most conservation reserves in which recorded.
12) Is knowledge about subspecies adequate
for objectives and actions to be defined accurately? No. a)
Little is known of the size and distribution of populations in Victoria
or in New South Wales south of Jervis Bay. b) Optimal burning frequency
has not yet been determined for either northern or southern populations.
c) The effects of predation need to be determined. d) Former
localities for the species need to be assessed for suitability for re-introduction.
13) Recovery plan objectives: a)
To maintain the current populations. b) To establish optimal
burning frequencies in different habitats and devise management guidelines
for habitats in north and south of its range. c) To re-introduce
the species to places from which it has been extirpated and which now contain
suitable habitat.
14) Actions already initiated: a)
Ecological studies have been conducted at Barren Grounds Nature Reserve.
b) Surveys and ecological research has been conducted in the Border
Ranges for Queensland National Parks Wildlife Service and New South Wales
National Parks Wildlife Service. c) Further research is being
conducted in the Border Ranges by post-graduate students at University
of Queensland with support from Queensland National Parks and Wildlife
Service on the effects of fire and the population biology. d)
Surveys have been conducted in suitable habitat in eastern Victoria by
the Department of Conservation and Environment, including an intensive
survey in Cape Conran Coastal Park in 1990/91, but no birds were found.
15) Actions required: a) Survey
populations in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria, including
detailed habitat descriptions to characterize habitat preferences. b)
Undertake ecological research on the effects of fire on the southern populations.
c) Study the effects of predation.
d) Prepare fire management guidelines
for northern and southern populations which consider the requirements of
other elements of the community, such as Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus
wallicus, New Holland Mouse and some orchids, some of which may require
different fire frequencies. e) Assess places from which the bristlebird
has been extirpated for possible re-introduction under new fire management
guidelines.
16) Organizations responsible for conservation
os subspecies: New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service,
Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, Victorian Department of
Conservation and Environment.
17) Other organizations and individuals
involved: University of Queensland/Ruben Montero, Jiro Kikkawa,
University of New England/Peter Baverstock, Queensland Forest Service,
New South Wales Forestry Commission, Royal Australasian Ornithologists
Union/Barren Grounds Bird Observatory, Glenn Holmes, Richard Jordan.
18) Can the recovery plan be carried
out with existing resources? No.