Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00635:reg:1:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00635
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 1 (pt 11/23)
Character Range: 32430–35501

slopes and northern tablelands of New South Wales. Loss of mature trees occurs through senescence, eucalypt dieback, harvesting for fence posts or firewood, or drought-induced stress. Grazing of livestock and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and the associated soil compaction, simplifies the structural diversity of remnant vegetation by removing or severely restricting shrub and sapling regrowth, leading to the reduction of suitable habitat quality.
Garnett and Crowley (2000) identified the regent honeyeater as one of 21 nationally threatened birds at risk from firewood collection. Driscoll et al. (2000) identified that Blakely's red gum, yellow box, white box and mugga Ironbark are heavily harvested for firewood, and that current firewood collection occurs at rates well above a sustainable level. Illegal felling of key species for firewood and fence posts has been noted in travelling stock reserves in recent years.
Changes to nectar availability in the regent honeyeater's key eucalypt species affect the distribution and abundance of regent honeyeaters. Nectar availability is reduced through clearing, drought, fire or presence/absence of competing species. Where fire intervals are too frequent, flowering events and maturation of nectar rich plant species may be reduced, resulting in a reduction of foraging resources for nectivorous birds (Woinarski & Recher 1997). It is important to identify and retain trees that produce relatively high levels of nectar. In some areas where there has been a history of removal of large trees, regent honeyeaters often select the largest available trees of the 'key' species. These trees are not necessarily mature or particularly large but are locally significant, producing heavier nectar flows than surrounding trees (Webster & Menkhorst 1992; Oliver 2000).
Climate change also threatens the regent honeyeater's habitat through both increased risk of drought and fire and altered flowering patterns, potentially leading to further habitat loss and degradation. Threats from climate change can only be addressed through efforts to make regent honeyeater populations and their habitat more resilient.

4.2.4  Competition
The regent honeyeater's reliance on nectar from a few key species predisposes it to competition from other nectivorous birds and the honeybee (Apis mellifera) (Menkhorst 1997). Regent honeyeaters compete for food resources with larger and/or more aggressive honeyeaters such as the noisy miner, noisy friarbird and the red wattlebird. While the impacts from greater levels of competition with these other aggressive honeyeaters is unclear, anecdotal evidence suggests it is likely to negatively affect breeding success and survival.
The population of red wattlebirds appears to be increasing across its eastern Australian range (Birds Australia 2008), which may effectively reduce habitat availability for regent honeyeaters. The noisy miner is common in fragmented and degraded habitat due to its preference for open areas adjoining eucalypt woodland, and may occupy areas up to 300 m from a