Download Help save the grey-crowned babbler (eastern subspecies

Help save the grey-crowned babbler (eastern subspecies)
(Pomatostomus temporalis temporalis)
Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable
Commonwealth status: N/A
Saving our Species management stream: Landscape species
Species profile: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10660
Saving our Species aims to conserve as many threatened species as possible. Experts have identified the
distribution of the grey-crowned babbler (eastern subspecies) and the critical management actions required to
conserve the species in the long-term.
All conservation work being undertaken to conserve the grey-crowned babbler (eastern subspecies) around the
state is vital to its recovery. If you are carrying out critical management actions within the species’ habitat, please
contact us at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/savingourspecies/contactus.htm
Map of grey-crowned babbler (eastern subspecies) distribution
Legend
Species distribution
Threats to this species are outlined at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10660#threats .
The actions listed in the action toolbox are supplementary to NSW legislation, policy and programs and can be used
by stakeholders, where applicable, to guide management at a site, regional or state scale.
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Action toolbox
Action description
Scale
Negotiate conservation agreements to protect patches of good condition core habitat across all tenures.
Prioritise areas currently being used by grey-crowned babblers with relative high numbers of large mature
rough barked eucalypt trees (box, stringybark, mahogany, peppermint, ironbark) greater than 0.6m diameter in
the overstorey, scattered shrubs/small trees, native grassy understorey containing areas of leaf litter, stick
debris in inter-tussock areas and large woody debris scattered throughout. Priority should be given to habitat
around nesting sites as it is especially important for foraging during breeding periods and patches of greater
than 5ha area within 300m of other habitat.
Site, Area
Target habitat restoration/revegetation projects to increase area of grey-crowned babbler habitat using a
diverse mix of locally appropriate species. Restoration should ensure a native grassy understorey is present
with inter-tussock space for leaf and stick litter to accumulate, large woody debris, some shrubs and
appropriate local rough barked eucalypt species. Priority for expansion of habitat is to increase patch size up
to 5ha. Restoration for improved connectivity in relative order of priority should focus on ensuring connectivity
between groups within a local population separated by more than 2km, between local populations, improving
connectivity between areas of core habitat, expanding areas of existing core habit, and restoration of vegetated
corridors or stepping stones connecting large patches that are greater than 100m away from habitat and are
not used because of isolation.
Site, Area
Identify and map all grey-crowned babbler groups over a defined area and ascertain the number of birds in
each group to inform strategic management planning, on-ground actions and development of an extension
program with local land managers.
Site, Area
Negotiate agreements with land managers to change management practices in areas where total grazing
pressure and removal of coarse woody debris has degraded known habitat resulting in absence of natural
regeneration and coarse woody debris. Habitat restoration can be achieved through a range of methods
including managing over-abundant native herbivores, total stock grazing exclusion or reducing stock pressure
through a range of strategic grazing systems and importation of coarse woody debris. Sites should not be
grazed until tree regeneration is tall enough to withstand grazing (minimum of 3 to 10 years). However,
periodic grazing can be important in managing the dense grass sward so that babblers can access the ground
layer for food. Prioritise areas of fertile soil types as these provide the richer foraging habitat.
Site, Area
Deliver a community education program with a focus on threatened woodland birds in important areas of the
grey-crowned babbler habitat including: promotion of the Office of Environment and Heritage Threatened
Species website, development of landholder guidelines for habitat management, running of bird identification
courses, threatened woodland bird field days and promotion of habitat enhancement for woodland birds at
Landcare events, schools and agricultural shows.
Site, Area
Identify, map and prioritise for negotiation of conservation agreements areas of habitat that may function as
drought or climate change refuge sites for source populations in a defined area. Examples of areas likely to
provide refuge sites are large areas of habitat on high fertility soil types such as on floodplains and riparian
areas. These areas provide the highest productivity foraging habitat in the landscape.
Area
Monitor noisy miner population trends, levels of harassment to babblers and impact on babblers in areas of
conservation agreements. Implement management actions to decrease impacts from over-abundant noisy
miners in areas where it is demonstrated that they are significantly impacting on the long term viability of
babbler groups. This could include habitat manipulation techniques such as planting of compound-leaved
shrubs in the understorey (e.g. acacias), smoothing or rounding of remnant edges when revegetating to
enlarge patches, making vegetation corridors as wide as possible by adding to existing roadside corridors
(ideally more than 600m) and fence remnants to establish all vegetation layers. Where impacts on a babbler
group long-term viability is significant, removal of noisy miners may have to be considered as an option.
Site
Liaise with Roads and Maritime Services, as well as local councils to negotiate appropriate management of
roadsides where they represent core habitat for the species (e.g. installing 'important habitat' signage,
implementing procedures to minimise disturbance to roadside vegetation).
Site, Area
Conduct strategic hazard reduction burning in known habitat areas to provide a mosaic of different post fire
ages so that a large proportion of the habitat area remains unburnt in any one year. Conduct low intensity
burns (to retain large woody debris) and ensure that the period between hazard reduction burns is long enough
to enable the recruitment of young trees and shrubs as these are important for shelter and nesting. Use crash
grazing as a fuel reduction tool during years that a fire may cause high mortality in a recruitment event.
Site
Control invasive exotic perennial pasture grasses including, but not limited to phalaris ( Phalaris aquatica),
Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana), serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma), coolatai grass (Hyparrhenia
hirta), kikuyu (Penisetum clandestinum)and invasive forms of African love grass (Eragrostis curvula) in known
habitat. These species are very aggressive and form dense grass swards covering inter-tussock spaces
preventing access to leaf and stick litter where babblers commonly forage for invertebrates.
Site
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Are you helping to save threatened species?
Tell us about the work you’re doing, and find out more about our program - visit
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/savingourspecies.
Published on 31-Jul-2015
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