Australia’s endangered Eastern Bristlebird

From Wildlife Extra:

Australian minister steps in to protect endangered Eastern Bristlebird

March 2009. Birds Australia and WWF-Australia support the decision by the Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett to reject a proposed land rezoning and development at Heritage Estates in the Shoalhaven Council of Jervis Bay, NSW. This decision directly protects a significant population of the nationally endangered Eastern Bristlebird, along with a number of other threatened fauna and flora.

Habitat loss and fragmentation

“Habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to the Eastern Bristlebird,” said Birds Australia CEO, Graeme Hamilton. “With only a few thousand individuals left in the wild, the Minister’s decision to reject this development proposal goes a long way to ensuring the survival of this species.”

This small and semi-flightless bird is susceptible to catastrophic events and localised extinction, and the habitat present at the Heritage Estates site contains a large number of the existing bristlebird population. The species is also extremely restricted in range, occurring in only two isolated regions of the east coast of Australia. …

If approved the planned housing development would have also impacted numerous other threatened species listed under state and federal legislation, including the Powerful Owl and the Ground Parrot. Five listed migratory bird species were also recorded on site during the assessment process (two of which are likely to breed on the site). Additionally, vegetation clearing associated with the development would likely have resulted in the loss of a vital habitat corridor and consequent isolation of habitat at Booderee National Park, thus impacting on all fauna and flora in this area of Jervis Bay.

Australia: Rare swift parrot sightings south of Narooma: here.