Seabirds rescued after wild weather pushes them as far inland as NSW Central Tablelands

By Emma Siossian

Wild weather off Australia's east coast has pushed seabirds hundreds of kilometres inland, with some rescued at Canberra and on NSW's Southern and Central tablelands.

Key points:

A number of the seabirds were found exhausted and underweight; some have since died

It's hoped they will eventually be released back out to sea, certainly not until Cyclone Uesi has had its time impacting the east coast

There's also been another rare sighting of a Bulwer's petrel, which don't usually venture too far from the equator

Mick Roderick from Birdlife Australia said it was not unusual for rough weather to knock birds off course, but the latest weather system had resulted in some very rare sightings.

"Even before the wild weather, we saw a lot of sooty terns close to the coast, which is unusual — there may be something going on with their food source," he said.

"But then the east coast low hit during the week and that has absolutely sent a lot of these seabirds off course.

Continued

Bird paradise Christmas Island saved from mining devastation

5 Jun 2018

Following a tireless campaign by BirdLife Australia, which gained support from around the world, the Australian Government has decided to reject an application for phosphate mining on Christmas Island, a crucial wildlife haven in the Indian Ocean.

It was one of the best Christmas presents ever — and it’s only June!

Last week, the Federal Environment Minister, Josh Frydenberg, decided to reject an application for the expansion of phosphate mining on Christmas Island, a remote Australian territory in the Indian Ocean. BirdLife Australia has been campaigning hard to prevent the mining operation from destroying even more of the island’s pristine rainforests, and our many supporters have played a crucial role.

Over 56,000 people from right across Australia — and across the world — rallied to save the island and its unique birds by adding their signatures to BirdLife Australia’s petition, calling on the government to stop the mining from encroaching further into Christmas Island’s tropical rainforests.

The petition was delivered to the Minister earlier this year — and the government finally listened. The great number of signatures showed that people really cared, and they played a crucial role in convincing Mr Frydenberg to reach his decision, a rare ministerial edict in favour of the environment.

He rejected the application for expanded mining “because it is likely to have significant and unacceptable impacts on matters protected under national environment law.”

Christmas Island’s pristine rainforests support the world’s last remaining breeding colony of Abbott’s Boobies Papasula abbotti, an Endangered species, and it’s also where the world’s rarest frigatebirds, the Christmas Frigatebird Fregata andrewsi (Critically Endangered), build their nests. Seven species of bush birds unique to Christmas Island (four of which are threatened species), plus loads of other marvellous wildlife, also inhabit the rainforest.

Continued  

Guardian Australia wants you to vote for Australia’s most-loved native bird

In partnership with BirdLife Australia, Guardian Australia has launched its annual Australian bird of the year poll to ask readers to nominate their favourite bird and encourage others to do the same

Monday 20 November 2017 02.54 GMTLast modified on Monday 20 November 2017 03.13 GMT

This week Guardian Australia and BirdLife Australia are asking readers to cast their vote on their favourite native bird. From the gregarious sulphur-crested cockatoo to the ubiquitous bright lorikeet, it’s time to recognise our country’s wealth of amazing native birds.

The poll aims to celebrate the uniqueness of Australian birdlife and raise awareness of the threats facing many of the birds on the list, including climate change, habitat loss, land-clearing and feral animal predators.

Today BirdLife Australia’s magazine editor and author of the Big Twitch, Sean Dooley, provides us with an essay on the relationship Australians have with our unique birdlife from the brightest of our parrots right down to the much maligned ibis, or “bin chicken” as it has become known.

Guardian Australia’s environment reporter, Michael Slezak, provides us with a breakdown of the pecking order: can the willie wagtail – bird of the year 1908 – claw its way back to the top in 2017? Or will the superb fairy-wren take flight and wing it again as it did in a 2013 BirdLife Australia poll?

The winner of the Australian bird the year competition will be announced on 9 December 2017.

Read more  

Citizen scientists count nearly 2 million birds and reveal a possible kookaburra decline

October 31, 2017 7.05pm GMT

Mark Baker/Reuters

Kerryn Herman

Research Ecologist, Deakin University

Disclosure statement

Kerryn Herman is a research ecologist employed by BirdLife Australia. BirdLife Australia is Australia's longest running conservation organisation and works on the conservation and advocacy of Australia's native birds and their habitats.

The Conversation UK receives funding from Hefce, Hefcw, SAGE, SFC, RCUK, The Nuffield Foundation, The Ogden Trust, The Royal Society, The Wellcome Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The Alliance for Useful Evidence, as well as sixty five university members.

The fourth Aussie Backyard Bird Count has just ended, with nearly 2 million birds from 635 species submitted to the BirdLife Australia app. The count, which is in its fourth year, has created a national database of birds found in our backyards.

We don’t know yet exactly how many people participated this year, but more than 60,000 people submitted checklists in 2016. Participants span the whole country, though participation is highest in our urban areas. By surveying our backyards (rather than “good” bird spots), these citizen scientists provide ecologists – like me – with information from urban areas we would not otherwise sample.

This includes data on a range of common bird species that are not frequently analysed because these species are believed to be secure. One of the most surprising results is a decline in the frequency of occurrence of the laughing kookaburra across southeast Australia

Continued 

Magpies, kookaburras and willie wagtails among common Australian birds 'starting to disappear', report suggests

By Loretta Florance

Updated earlier today at 4:57am

Sightings of magpies, laughing kookaburras and willie wagtails are on the decline in some regions, a report tracking the health of Australia's bird populations has found.

The State of Australia's Birds Report, published by Birdlife Australia, analysed data collected in more than 400,000 surveys across the country, the majority done by bird-loving volunteers.

.(Audience submitted: Tess Kleine)

Editor of Australian Birdlife Sean Dooley said the decline of common birds in parts of Australia was a surprise to researchers.

He said while predators including cats, habitat loss and even changes in climate might be to blame, more research was needed before certain species became endangered.

"The stuff that Birdlife Australia has come out with is showing is that a lot of birds that we assumed were really common and sailing along quite fine are showing significant declines," he told 774 ABC Melbourne.

"While they're still not endangered, it's basically the first step to them becoming endangered, so we really need to use this as a wake-up call and start looking at what we're doing across landscapes to try and figure out what's going on."

Of Australia's 137 terrestrial bird species, only 10 per cent showed a "consistent overall trend" the report found, with most birds, including magpies and willie wagtails, appeared to be declining in some regions, while increasing in others.

Australian Birds Threatened Due to Habitat Loss

A study from several Australian conservation groups has found that there is no plan in place to help the threatened birds.

Cari Jorgensen

A recent study conducted by BirdLife Australia, Australian Conservation Foundation and Environmental Justice Australia concluded that the primary threat to Australia’s endangered animals is habitat loss. In the past 200 years, 50 species have gone extinct and about half of the country’s forests have become fragmented or cut down altogether to make room for housing and other developments, The Guardian reports, resulting in 1,764 Australian species listed as at-risk. The study found that 90% of the most endangered of those species have nothing in place to stop the loss of their homes from occurring.

According to The Guardian, "recovery plans consistently avoid any measures to limit habitat loss.” The Australian Conservation Foundation policy coordinator, James Trezise, finds this worrisome. "Recovery plans can bind future decision making for governments,” Trezise told The Guardian. "We’ve seen examples where scientific advice has been given to governments on habitat loss, such as the swift parrot in Tasmania, and it has been ignored. We know that land clearing is a key threat and recovery plans need to state unambiguously that the best bits of remaining bush should be left intact.”

Continued ...

Fresh hope for rare honeyeater bird

By By LUCAS FORBES

Oct. 24, 2014, 9:37 a.m.

Bird lovers Shirley Cook and Beth Williams are bringing attention to a rare avian friend in the New England region for National Bird Week.The regent honeyeater once flew in flocks of thousands in Australia but now there may be less than 400 left.

But the New England region has one known breeding pair near Bundarra which Mrs Cook visited yesterday.

University of New England academic Steve Debus said the main reason for their decline was the same as with many other endangered species: habitat loss and fragmentation.

The birds are a migratory species, so when areas are cleared by humans they become easy targets for prey in the open.

National Bird Week is an initiative by BirdLife Australia, which also monitors the regent honeyeater.

It's aimed at raising the profile of bird conservation nationally.

Shirley Cook is part of two bird watching groups in town and said while some birdwatchers in Armidale were taking part in the week.

One way people participate is by taking part in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count.

Read on ...

Painted Snipe bird declared endangered

By Matthew Crawford 

Tuesday, 14 May 2013 

The Painted Snipe is one of the most threatened birds in Australia. Its numbers are so small, scientists believe there are only 1500 of them left. 

In recognition of this, the Federal Government has officially moved the bird from the vulnerable to the endangered list. 

The bird is nomadic and survives in wetlands. 

BirdLife Australia CEO Paul Sullivan says that wetlands are critical to the species' survival. 

"Over the last fifty years important wetlands have been disappearing from our landscape because of inappropriate water management and development," he said. 

"The population has nose-dived and this crucial listing will help us to protect remaining wetlands and restore important ailing wetlands to their former glory." 

He says there were just eleven Painted Snipe sightings in Australia in a two year period, but 24 sightings of the bird at wetlands near Abbot Point, Bowen, in north east Queensland. The area is the subject of a coal port expansion. 

BirdLife Australia says the proposed expansion of the coal terminal at Abbot Point will cause "significant degradation" of the neighbouring Caley Valley Wetlands. 

The North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation has prepared an Cumulative Impact Assessment report of Abbot Point. http://www.nqbp.com.au/abbot-point/ 

Chris Purnell, research officer, BirdLife Australia

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2013/s3758869.htm?site=tropic

Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeaters released into the wild in Australia

40 captive bred Regent Honeyeaters to be released in Victoria

April 2013. Victoria Department of Environment (DEPI) Senior Biodiversity Officer, Glen Johnson said: "These birds were bred at Taronga Zoo in Sydney and will provide another boost to the Regent Honeyeater population. We'll be attaching radio transmitters to about 25 of the birds that are being released, and all are fitted with unique colour leg band combinations to assist individual identification," Mr Johnson said.

Will breed with wild birds
"We know from re-sightings of previously released birds that the captive bred Regent Honeyeaters can successfully breed with and recruit new fledglings into the wild population. Each time we find another captive-bred bird in the wild we learn a bit more about how they are adapting and behaving."

"The transmitters have been specially adapted for Regent Honeyeaters by Dean Ingwersen, BirdLife Australia's National Regent Honeyeater Recovery Co-ordinator and the team at Taronga Zoo. We will be working with skilled volunteers to track these transmitters and identify individuals based on the unique colour band combinations."

Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeaters released into the

 wild in Australia. Photo courtesy of Birdlife Australia

Nomadic birds
Dean Ingwersen said: "Regent Honeyeaters, like other species of honeyeaters, rely on flowering events in our forests for their food, so they are relatively nomadic and can travel large distances. This makes them a difficult species to study particularly when there are so few of them. Once again though, this project highlights the value of releasing captive-bred birds and of colour banding as a research and monitoring tool," Mr Ingwersen said.

"There's so much we are still learning about Regent Honeyeater movements and habitat requirements and each detailed sighting report adds to our knowledge about individual birds and the species."

For more information about Regent Honeyeaters click here.

Bands help protect endangered birds

THE NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Birdlife Australia have been placing leg bands with visible identification flags on critically endangered hooded plovers, and they ask the public to please report any sightings.

Hooded plovers are small, black-headed birds with white bellies, a white stripe across the backs of their necks, and pale brown backs and wings. 

They are seen on popular and remote beaches between Jervis Bay and the Victorian border and beyond.

NPWS shorebird recovery coordinator for the Far South Coast, Amy Harris, says understanding hooded plover movements is critical to their protection.

“We’re tracking hooded plovers because while 10 to 15 chicks usually fledge from this region each year, the resident population of breeding adults has not significantly increased from about 50 individuals,” Dr Harris said.

“If you see a banded hooded plover, please note the location and letter and number on its tag, and call the statewide NPWS number on 1300 361 967 or one of our local offices at Merimbula, Narooma or Ulladulla.”

Dr Harris said studies using leg bands and identification flags had improved understanding of other shorebirds in the region, and the public had responded enthusiastically in the past.

“Through banding and tracking projects along the coast the public helped us follow a little tern for 17 years and also taught us that pied oystercatchers travel hundreds of kilometres,” she said.

“We don’t know if the hooded plovers we see each year are the same individuals, or if they move around more than we think, but returning here to breed is a vital part of species recovery and we appreciate everyone’s help in tracking their movements.”

http://www.ulladullatimes.com.au/story/1419616/bands-help-protect-endangered-birds/?cs=1228

Major concern raised over new Australian mega-fence as a threat to emus

Fence would cut major woodland and threaten emus - Courtesy of BirdLife International   

January 2013. BirdLife Australia (BirdLife Partner) has joined an alliance of conservation groups calling on the West Australian government to halt its plans to extend the State Barrier Fence.

Construction of the fence extension in the Esperance region would create a largely continuous barrier that would run through five bioregions from North of Geraldton to Cape Arid.

BirdLife Australia has many serious concerns about this proposal, including concerns that the WA Government made a commitment to build the fence prior to the completion of appropriate socio-economic and environmental studies.

However our major concerns relate to the potential ecological impacts of the fence, particularly where the fence will cut through the Great Western Woodlands, separating 300,000 ha of contiguous bush from the main woodland block.

BirdLife Australia Conservation Manager Jenny Lau said that the fence may lead to the death of thousands of emus in migration years, prevent dingo re-establishment and destroy at least 1000 hectares of bushland.

At a time when most governments are working to improve wildlife corridors, the WA government's plans to create a massive wildlife barrier, deliberating fragmenting the world's largest remaining intact temperate woodland, is both puzzling and disturbing.

Please help  BirdLife International  Stop and Rethink the Fence by taking action now.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/australia-fence.html

National Bird Week

22-28 October 2012

Every October, BirdLife Australia organises and promotes Bird Week with the goal of inspiring Australians to take action and get involved in bird conservation. For almost 100 years, October 28 has been designated ‘Bird Day’ across Australia.

Spring in Australia is the peak nesting and breeding time for many birds. So October is a great time to get out and see birds in action and learn more about how you can help them. This year, Bird Week's focus is on the needs of nesting birds and the variety of nesting styles birds adopt.

During October and into November BirdLife Branches and Centres around Australia will host activities in their local region.

Links

BirdLife Australia: www.birdlife.org.au

http://www.surfcoastnews.com.au/2012/10/22/national-bird-week/