Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00635:reg:1:p8
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00635
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 1 (pt 8/23)
Character Range: 23659–27199

mistletoe species for the regent honeyeater include:

    * Mugga (or Red) Ironbark, Eucalyptus sideroxylon
    * Yellow Box, E. melliodora
    * White Box, E. albens
    * Yellow Gum, E. leucoxylon
    * Spotted Gum, Corymbia maculata
    * Swamp Mahogany, E. robusta
    * Needle-leaf Mistletoe, Amyema cambagei on River Sheoak, Casuarina cunninghamiana
    * Box Mistletoe, A. miquelii
    * Long-flower Mistletoe, Dendropthoe vitellina

Other tree species may be regionally important. For example the Lower Hunter Spotted Gum forests have recently been demonstrated to support regular breeding events of regent honeyeaters. Flowering of associated species such as thin-leaved stringybark (E. eugenioides) and other stringybark species, and broad-leaved ironbark (E. fibrosa) can also contribute important nectar flows at times.
Mature, large individual trees tend to be more important as they are more productive, particularly on highly fertile sites and in riparian areas (Webster & Menkhorst 1992; Oliver 2000). Trees in such areas tend to grow larger (Soderquist & MacNally 2000) and produce more flowers (Wilson & Bennett 1999).

3.4.6 Habitat critical to survival
Habitat critical to the survival of the regent honeyeater includes:
    * Any breeding or foraging habitat in areas where the species is likely to occur (as defined by the distribution map provided in Figure 2); and
    * Any newly discovered breeding or foraging locations.
Key areas include the Bundarra-Barraba, Pilliga Woodlands, Mudgee-Wollar and the Capertee Valley and Hunter Valley areas in New South Wales, and the Chiltern and Lurg-Benalla regions of north-east Victoria (Table 2; Figure 1).
Habitat critical to the survival of the regent honeyeater occurs in a wide range of land ownership arrangements, including on private land, travelling stock routes and reserves, state forests and state reserves, and National Parks. It is essential that the highest level of protection is provided to these areas and that enhancement and protection measures target these productive sites.

Table 2: Regular and subsidiary areas used by regent honeyeaters for foraging and breeding
Regularly used areas              Subsidiary areas
                                  a. Inverell-Ashford-Emmaville
1. Bundarra-Barraba               b. Pilliga
                                  c. Warrumbungles
                                  a. Central Coast
                                  b. Central Hunter Valley
2. Hunter Valley / Central Coast  c. Lower Hunter Valley
                                  d. Upper Hunter Valley
                                  e. Goulburn River
                                  f . Widden Valley
3. Capertee Valley                a. Mudgee-Munghorn Gap-Wollar
                                  b. Burragorang River Valleys
                                  a. Albury-Thurgoona
4. Chiltern                       b. Killawarra-Glenrowan
                                  c. Bobinawarrah-Carboor
                                  d. Lurg-Benalla district

Figure 1. Regent honeyeater distribution

4 Threats

4.1  Historical causes of decline
The major cause for the decline in the regent honeyeater population has been the clearing and fragmentation of woodland and forest containing the bird's preferred eucalypt species. Whilst clearing directly reduces the amount of available habitat, it can also make remaining remnants unsuitable as they become too small or isolated. The major continuing threat is further degradation of habitat,