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Working for our future - today Native animals living in or near creeks and rivers of the Gold Coast This list contains examples of some of the native fauna species you might see, hear or find signs of on your property if you have a creek, river, dam or pond. Learning to recognise the wildlife on your property can be very enjoyable and rewarding but also provides an indication of the ecological health of your property. How many species make their home in your backyard or use it when passing through? These are not complete fauna species lists. For a full listing of Gold Coast fauna visit the NCS Flora & Fauna Database. Many excellent field guides are available to assist with identification – see Land for Wildlife Technical Note 1. Undisturbed native vegetation close to your local creek or stream or dam provides essential food, shelter and breeding sites for many animals. Habitats include large trees with or without hollows, fallen logs, leaf litter, and understorey vegetation. Frogs Frog habitat includes creeks, dams, temporary puddles and artificial frog ponds which may be needed for breeding, food and shelter. Riparian vegetation including grasses, sedges and shrubs, provides shelter and places to find insect prey. Logs and rocks near water offer shelter. If you have a water feature like a frog pond it is not necessary to introduce frogs to your pond as they are easily able to find new habitat and colonise without assistance. Transporting frogs or tadpoles can spread pathogens like the chytrid fungus. Large areas of mowed grass only benefit cane toads. To discourage cane toads and help frogs, plant native grasses, sedges and shrubs and avoid use of pesticides and fertilisers. Common name Scientific name Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog Graceful Tree Frog Broad Palmed Rocket Frog Stony Creek Frog Striped Rocket Frog Whistling Tree Frog Tusked Frog Eastern Common Froglet Clicking Froglet Striped Marsh Frog Brown Pseudophryne Litoria fallax Litoria gracilenta Litoria latopalmata Litoria lesueuri Litoria nasuta Litoria verreauxii Adelotus brevis Crinia parinsignifera Crinia signifera Limnodynastes peronii Pseudophryne major Birds Many birds are permanent residents or regular visitors to the creeks and rivers of the Gold Coast. Some of the more common or conspicuous species are listed below. Whilst some birds can adapt to disturbance and even inhabit suburban gardens many are specialists and rely on natural riparian vegetation for shelter, food and nesting. By retaining and regenerating the vegetation around creeks and streams in your local area you can help provide suitable habitat for many of our native birds. Working for our future - today Common name Scientific name Whistling Kite Osprey Azure Kingfisher Darter White-faced Heron Pacific Heron Egrets Varied Triller Pheasant Coucal Eastern Whipbird Bar-shouldered Dove Brown Cuckoo-Dove Dollarbird Fan-tailed Cuckoo Brush Cuckoo Channel-billed Cuckoo Spangled Drongo Black-faced Monarch Spectacled Monarch Leaden Flycatcher Rufous Fantail Forest Kingfisher Welcome Swallow Australian Brush-turkey Eastern Spinebill Blue-faced Honeyeater Brown Honeyeater Lewin’s Honeyeater Rainbow Bee-eater Brown Gerygone White-browed Scrubwren Red-browed Firetail Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Eastern Yellow Robin Rose Robin Haliastur sphenurus Pandion haliatus Ceyx azurea Anhinga melanogaster Ardea novaehollandiae Ardea pacifica Egretta spp. Lalage leucomela Centropus phasianinus Psophodes olivaceus Geopelia humeralis Macropygia amboinemsis Eurystomus orientalis Cuculus pyrrhophanus Cuculus variolosus Scythrops novaehollandiae Dicrurus hottentottus Monarcha melanopsis Monarcha trivirgatus Myiagra rubecula Rhipidura ruffifrons Halcyon macleayii Hirundo neoxena Alectura lathami Acanthorynchus tenuirostris Entomyzon cyanotis Lichmera indistincta Meliphaga lewinii Merops ornatus Gerygone mouki Sericornis frontalis Emblema temporalis Lonchura castaneothorax Eopsaltria australis Petroica rosea Waterfowl - Ducks etc. Common name Scientific name Chestnut Teal Grey Teal Pacific Black Duck Hardhead Maned Duck Anas castanea Anas gracilis Anas superciliosa Aythya australis Chenonetta jubata Mammals Habitats for our native mammals include large trees with or without hollows, fallen logs, leaf litter, and understorey vegetation. These provide food, shelter and breeding sites. Working for our future - today Common name Scientific name Swamp Wallaby Platypus Northern Brown Bandicoot Common Ringtail Possum Mountain Brushtail Possum Water Rat Wallabia bicolor Ornithorhynchus anatinus Isodon macrourus Pseudocheirus peregrinus Trichosurus caninus Hydromys chrysogaster Fish Aquarium fish, even if they are native species, should never be introduced directly or indirectly to natural waterbodies as they may not be bred from local stock. This could also spread disease or cause ecological imbalances. Get advice from your pet shop about introducing native fish such as pacific Blue Eyes for mosquito control in artificial ponds which do not drain into natural waterbodies. Common name Scientific name Long finned Eel Empire Gudgeon Firetail Gudgeon Duboulay’s Rainbow Fish Pacific Blue Eye Eel-tail Catfish Anguilla reinhardtii Hypseleotris compressa Hypseleotris galii Melanotaenia duboulayi Pseudomugil signifer Tandanus tandanus Reptiles Reptiles need riparian vegetation including trees, shrubs and groundcover as well as logs, rocks and other cover close to water. For example, Eastern Water Dragons climb high into trees, perch on branches or logs looking for insect prey and burrow into banks to lay their eggs. They dive and swim often remaining submerged for long periods. Baby water dragons need thick, low growing vegetation and logs to hide from predators. Common name Scientific name Eastern Water Dragon Eastern long-necked Turtle Brisbane Saw-shell Turtle Common Tree Snake Common Keelback Marsh Snake Eastern Water Skink Physignathus lesueurii Chelodina longicollis Emydura signata Dendrelaphis punctulata Tropidonophis mairii Hemiaspis signata Eulamprus quoyii