Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199:reg:6:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00199
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 6 (pt 4/17)
Character Range: 14468–17359

site record). These examples illustrate the patchy recording of the species and consequent lack of knowledge regarding distribution and movements on a continental scale. Furthermore, large areas of inland and remote Australia are rarely if ever visited by ornithologists and even less so in wetter periods when the species is likely to be nesting (but country less accessible). Added to this is the secretive habits of the species and concealing habitat used.

1.5            Population size and trends

   In 2020, the population was estimated to be 340 (range 270–410) mature individuals following declines in the last five years (2015–2020), although with very low certainty given the biology of the species (Rogers et al. 2021). Population estimates for the Australian Painted Snipe are considered to be unreliable for a number of reasons. The cryptic nature of the bird undoubtedly contributes to it being overlooked during surveys; data are sporadic and therefore biased in terms of where people are more likely to be observing (geographically across its range, as well as spatially within a flooded wetland area). Large parts of the species' range are rarely visited by professional ornithologists or citizen scientists.

   Population estimates have varied from 1,500 (Watkins 1993), 5,000 (Garnett and Crowley 2000) and <2,500 (Garnett et al. 2011) but may now be down to 340 mature individuals (Rogers et al. 2021). However, care should be taken when comparing these population figures. For example, waterbird populations in Australia in the late 1970s were probably elevated due to the exceptionally wet (one in 100 years) period 1974–6 and already perhaps still boosted by the very wet 1950s (R. Jaensch pers. comm.). Cyclic fluctuations such as these wet year events are a natural phenomenon and unless taken into account - along with possible variations in distribution of waterbird populations reacting to wet and dry years - survey results and population trends can be misleading. Couple this with the difficulties associated with locating and detecting the Australian Painted Snipe, it is reasonable to assume that previous population estimates are unreliable.

   Although always thought to occur in limited numbers (that is, erratically or rarely recorded and usually counted in numbers of less than ten per wetland) (Marchant and Higgins 1993), the Australian Painted Snipe has experienced a decline since European settlement. Lane and Rogers (2000) noted a substantial reduction in numbers in the Murray–Darling Basin since the 1950s. This was based on Birds Australia's Atlas of Australian Birds reporting rate changing from 0.7 per cent to around 0.08 per cent by the 1980s, despite the increase in survey effort. The decline is continuing, much more so than for other waterbird species (Lane and Rogers 2000). Data collected for the 'New Atlas' period of 1998 to