Download Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (Helmeted)

Subspecies Conservation Summary
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
(Helmeted)
Lichenostomus melanops cassidix (Gould, 1867)
Meliphagidae
Conservation status
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v), C2a(i), D
Reasons for listing
The extent of occurrence is <100 km2 and area occupied
<10 km2 with a severely fragmented population and a
net decline in the no. mature individuals. Neither of the
benign introductions at other sites is sufficiently
well-established to be considered self-sustaining. The
population has <50 mature individuals.
Status 2000
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
Status 1990
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii, v)+2ab(iii, v), C2a(i), D
Taxonomy
L. m. melanops (south-eastern Australia, south or east of
the Great Dividing Range) and L. m. meltoni (southeastern Australia, inland slopes of the Great Dividing
Range) are Least Concern, as is the species
Taxonomic uniqueness: low (43 genera/family, 21
species/genus, 3 subspecies/species)
Range
Endemic to southern-central Victoria. Currently an original population inhabits Yellingbo Nature Conservation
Reserve with small reintroduced colonies 30 km southeast at Tonimbuk in Bunyip State Park (birds first released
in 2001; Menkhorst 2008; Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater 2011). Formerly occurred in suitable riparian
habitats of the mid-Yarra River and adjacent Western
Port catchments and nearby south Gippsland (Blackney
and Menkhorst 1993).
Abundance
In 2011 there were 16 breeding pairs at Yellingbo and 5
breeding pairs at Bunyip State Park, making a total of 42
mature individuals with 15 pairs in captivity at Healesville
Sanctuary and Taronga Park Zoo (Menkhorst 2008). The
population size has declined throughout the 20th century
with 2 of the last 3 natural colonies being eliminated by fire
in 1983 (Smales et al. 1990). The population had declined
to 15 breeding pairs and about 50 mature individuals by
late 1989 and has been fluctuating since then.
Ecology
Inhabits streamside lowland swamp forest, particularly
that dominated by Mountain Swamp Gum Eucalyptus
camphora, rarely occurring far from water with all
current birds living in closed riparian forest. They feed on
invertebrates, lerps, honeydew, manna and sap, all
gleaned from foliage, twigs and branches of eucalypts or
tall shrubs (Menkhorst 2008).They lay 2 or 3 eggs and are
multi-brooded. While survival of eggs and chicks is low
(mean survivorship of nests from laying to fledging:
0.17), extended parental care of juveniles leads to high
survivorship of juveniles (survivorship from 40 days old
to 1 year of age: 0.63). The generation length is 3.2 years
based on mean age at first breeding of 2.1 years and mean
adult female survivorship of 0.7 (Smales et al. 2009).
Threats
The primary current threats to the Helmeted Honeyeater
relate to the small population size and consequent demographic uncertainty (McCarthy et al. 1994) and their
concentration in a tiny geographic area and isolated
linear habitat patches. The remaining colonies at Yellingbo are threatened by maturation of the principal eucalypt without regeneration of the understory, proximity to
colonies of Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys, which
reduces breeding success, and predation, both by native
species and probably by feral cats Felis catus and foxes
Vulpes vulpes. Past decline in range and abundance of the
subspecies was caused by extensive destruction of its
habitat, largely through clearance for agriculture, with
colonies in remnant habitat patches having been
destroyed by fire, exclusively occupied by Bell Miners or
simply been overcome by the accidents that can befall
very small, isolated populations (Menkhorst 2008).
Conservation objectives
1. A stable population of at least 1000 individuals in at
least 10 separate, but interconnected, colonies
dispersed along several creek systems in the midYarra and Western Port catchments
2. Captive colony maintained
3. Genetic diversity maintained
4. Habitat value of Yellingbo Nature Conservation
Reserve improved
Information required
1. Ongoing demographic trends
© Birds Australia 2011
Published by CSIRO Publishing, http://www.publish.csiro.au/
Citation: Garnett ST, Szabo JK, Dutson G (2011) The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
Current eligibility against IUCN Red List Criteria
IUCN
category
A
Criteria eligibility
Not applicable: past, current or future population
declines are thought unlikely to exceed 20% in any
3-generation period
B
Critically Endangered: EOO <100 km2, AOO <10 km2,
severely fragmented, observed continuing decline in
no. mature individuals
C
Critically Endangered: population <250 mature
individuals, observed continuing decline, <50 mature
individuals in largest subpopulation
D
Critically Endangered: population <50 mature
individuals in an established population
E
Not applicable: population viability analysis undertaken
but may need recalibrating
2. Techniques to maximise reintroduction success
3. Refined habitat suitability index
4. Causes of eucalypt dieback throughout Yellingbo
NCR
5. Techniques to accelerate revegetation, particularly of
Mountain Swamp Gum, and reduce tree death
6. Causes of low breeding success in captivity
Management actions required
1. Monitor both established and new populations
2. Control and reduce the spread of Bell Miners as
necessary
3. Reintroduce birds to new sites, reinforcing new sites
as necessary and minimising disease transfer risks
4. Improve the management of stream flows, water
quality and riparian environments throughout
catchments of existing and potential sites
5. Manage the captive population of Helmeted
Honeyeaters to provide insurance against the demise
of the wild population and to meet the needs of the
recovery program
6. Manage the populations to maintain genetic diversity
7. Protect and rehabilitate riparian vegetation,
particularly sedge-rich Mountain Swamp Gum
swamp
8. Ensure regional fire plan is adequate for protecting
key habitats and develop a honeyeater-specific fire
response plan, including as emergency evacuation of
birds from Healesville Sanctuary
9. Continue to work closely with the Friends of the
Helmeted Honeyeater, both within and outside the
Yellingbo NCR
IUCN Red List assessment data
Estimate
Reliability
75 km2
stable
high
high
Area of occupancy
trend
8 km2
decreasing
high
high
No. of mature individuals
trend
42
decreasing
high
low
No. subpopulations
2
high
No. locations
4
high
Extent of occurrence
trend
Largest subpopulation
Generation time
Global population share
33
high
3.2 years
high
100%
high
10.Continue to manage the conservation effort through
the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Team
Bibliography
BirdLife International (2011) ‘Species factsheet: Lichenostomus
melanops’. Retrieved 17 January, 2011 from <http://www.
birdlife.org/>.
Blackney JR, Menkhorst PW (1993) Distribution of subspecies
of the Yellow-tufted Honeyeater in the Yarra Valley Region,
Victoria. Emu 93, 209–213.
Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater (2011) ‘Helmeted Honeyeater Fact Sheet’. Retrieved 8 May, 2011 from <http://www.
helmetedhoneyeater.org.au/helmeted_honeyeater.htm>.
McCarthy MA, Franklin DC, Burgman MA (1994) The importance of demographic uncertainty: An example from the
Helmeted honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops cassidix. Biological Conservation 67, 135–142.
Menkhorst P (2008) ‘National recovery plan for the Helmeted
Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops cassidix’. Department
of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne.
Smales IJ, Craig SA, Williams GA, Dunn RW (1990) The Helmeted Honeyeater: decline, conservation and recent initiatives for recovery. In Management and Conservation of Small
Populations. (Eds TW Clark and JH Seebeck) pp. 225–238.
Chicago Zoological Society, Chicago.
Smales IJ, Quin BR, Menkhorst PW, Franklin DC (2009)
Demography of the Helmeted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus
melanops cassidix). Emu 109, 352–359.
Comments received from
Peter Menkhorst
© Birds Australia 2011
Published by CSIRO Publishing, http://www.publish.csiro.au/
Citation: Garnett ST, Szabo JK, Dutson G (2011) The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.