Table 2: Current distribution of south coast threatened species and key threats at each location. Common name Scientific name Subpopulation Location Tenure Major Threats Population estimate Western ground parrot (Pezoporus flaviventris) FRNP, CANP and nearby parts of Nuytsland Nature Reserve DPaW managed estate Fire Predation by foxes & feral cats Phytophthora dieback Climate change <140 (Gilfillan et al. 2006; Bondin et al. 2011) Western bristlebird (Dasyornis longirostris) TPBNR to Bluff Creek DPaW managed estate, private property, reserve, UCL Fire Predation by foxes & feral cats Phytophthora dieback Introduced herbivores Weed invasion Climate change 203 pairs in 2005 (Tiller et al. 2006) FRNP DPaW managed estate Fire Predation by foxes & feral cats Phytophthora dieback Climate change <160 pairs in 2005 (A.H. Burbidge unpubl.) Noisy scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus) to Cheyne Beach DPaW managed estate, private property, shire reserve, UCL Fire Predation by feral cats Introduced herbivores Weed invasion Climate change 379 singing males in 2011 (S. Comer unpubl.) Bald Island (translocation) DPaW managed estate Fire Biosecurity 115 singing males in 2012 (S. Comer unpubl.)
3: Key aspects of the biology and ecology of extant south coast threatened birds. (Habitat requirements are summarised in Table 4). Species Breeding Habits Diet and foraging Activity period Movements and social organisation Pezoporus flaviventris, western ground parrot or kyloring Season: July- Dec, may vary geographically Clutch size: 2 – 3 (2 only); 4 egg clutches likely Parental care: unknown Chronology: unknown Fledging success: unknown semi-altricial, nidicolous mainly at dawn and dusk short distances, low over vegetation on or close to ground dispersal ability with little specialisation (but avoids big seeds in woody fruits); may use more green fruit and vegetable material than P. wallicus (Burbidge et al. 1989) on the ground or in low shrubs Active from 20-60 mins before sunrise, resting late morning to late afternoon, becomes active again c. 20 mins after sunset, for 30-40 mins when moving from feeding to roosting areas solitary (occasionally in dispersal probably begins in late Nov. extending through summer Dasyornis longirostris, western bristlebird Very little known Season: July-Oct Clutch size: 2 Parental care: unknown Chronology: unknown Fledging success: unknown Young: altricial, nidicolous terrestrial close to ground weakly and reluctantly, only distances skimming vegetation elusive and rarely seen dispersal ability invertebrates and seeds forage alone or in pairs forage on or close to the ground, either among leaf litter or from open ground, or glean from foliage Diurnal: Call most often in 2 hours after sunrise and before sunset, rarely in middle of day except in winter (Whittell 1936, McNee 1986, Smith 1987) sometimes overlapping fixed home ranges >two singing birds occupy home range, surviving low intensity fire by limited movement into nearest vegetation. Where habitat suitable birds recorded settling near fire edge, and moving back to preferred sites.
Psophodes nigrogularis oberon, western whipbird (western mallee) Season: July to Aug (Whittell 1939, Elson 2008), eggs found in Oct at Ongerup (Howe and Ross 1933) Clutch size: 2 Parental care: both sexes incubate (Elson 2008) Chronology: unknown, but probably similar to western heath subspecies Fledging success: unknown, but probably similar to western heath subspecies Young: altricial, nidicolous Flight strong but not sustained Nests in low, dense shrub Poor dispersal ability Apparently similar to western heath subspecies Insectivorous: mainly terrestrial invertebrates Forage alone or in pairs Mostly forage on the ground or in low vegetation In Stirling Range a pair, were seen foraging on the ground under mallee vegetation, they turned leaf -litter over with their bills and were not seen to use their feet (Rose 1991) Diurnal similar to western heath subspecies in territories or home ranges, probably maintained but are details unknown
oberon, western whipbird (western mallee subspecies) such species as Hakea, Lambertia, or Banksia (Higgins and Peter 2002) In FRNP, in mallee, very open mallee, shrubland and heath, on quartzite, phyllitic schist, upland, spongolite gorge. Banksia caleyi (southern wheatbelt).