Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01094:body:0:p16
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01094
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 48601–51591

the primary reason for the species' historical decline (Bryant 1991; Bradshaw 2012).

3.2 Current threatening processes
The major current threats to the species are habitat degradation and inappropriate fire regimes (Bryant et al. 2021). Over 80% of currently occupied habitat is at high risk of wildfire, with only 17% having burnt since 1969. Forty-spotted pardalote habitat is particularly vulnerable to fire on hot, windy days during drought (Webb et al. 2019). Drought frequency and severity are expected to increase (Evans et al. 2017), which will increase fire risk and direct drought threats to the trees. The extent and quality of habitat also continues to be reduced by land clearance for urban development and agriculture (Webb et al. 2019).

Ectoparasitic fly (P. longicornis) larvae are the principal cause of nestling mortality in areas where the fly is of high prevalence (Edworthy et al. 2019; Alves et al. 2020). This threat is also likely to increase with climate change as larval development is temperature dependent (Edworthy 2016b). The host-parasite dynamics are poorly understood and research is required to investigate drivers of fly populations and threat mitigation.

Several other species may be impacting on the survival and reproductive output of the forty-spotted pardalote. Striated pardalotes compete with forty-spotted pardalotes for food and nesting sites and may have a competitive advantage in altered habitat (Edworthy 2016a). Tree martins also usurp nest boxes used by forty‑spotted pardalotes (T Cochran & A Hingston 2022. pers comm 10 January). Manorina melanocephala (noisy miners) and the introduced laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) are potential competitors or predators, respectively (Bryant 2010; Webb et al. 2019). Cracticus torquatus (grey butcherbird), which is often associated with the noisy miner (Westgate et al. 2021), is also a potential predator. Though not documented, introduced Krefft's Gliders (Petaurus notatus; formerly sugar glider P. breviceps (Cremona et al. 2021)) may also prey on nestlings on the Tasmanian mainland.

Human activity, noise and other habitat disturbances may also contribute to declines in urban and public use areas (Bryant 2010).

3.2.1 Wildfire and inappropriate fire regimes
The principal current threat to the forty-spotted pardalote is wildfire and inappropriate fire regimes (Bryant et al. 2021). Hot fires have the potential to kill trees or scorch canopies critical for producing food. Structural changes to forest habitat as a result of fire that reduce tree canopy cover may lead to reductions in abundance, or the local extinction of the forty-spotted pardalote (Bryant et al. 2021). The reduction of cultural burning practices since European colonisation has brought about changed forest structures and increased wildfire intensity (Mariani et al. 2022).

Over 80% of the species' currently occupied habitat or AOO (now largely confined to Maria and Bruny Islands) is at high risk of