The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Final

was recorded inside The Ballroom (Nettle Cave, Lime Stone), and in 15 per cent of the nocturnal site
spotlighting surveys that were performed. Jenolan Caves is listed as the western distributional limit for
the broad-tailed gecko (Wilson and Swan 2008).
Only one species of snake was recorded during the BSP surveys – the red-bellied black snake.
However photographic records, observations and historical records from Eddison (2008 and pers.
comm.) also include the diamond python, golden-crowned snake, tiger snake and highland
copperhead as occurring in the reserve. The absence of these species most-likely reflects the
conditions during the time of the survey and the typically low rates of detection for them. All are
expected to still be resident within the reserve.
Three species of water-skink occur within JKCR, the eastern water skink, yellow-bellied water skink
and southern water skink. The latter two can be difficult to distinguish and some uncertainty remains
about their taxonomic status. Both these latter species were also detected during BSP surveys in the
adjacent Kanangra-Boyd NP (DEC 2004). In both Kanangra-Boyd NP (DEC 2004) and the current
surveys there were some Eulamprus were captured that exhibited characteristics of both the yellowbellied
and southern water skinks, having strong dark flecking on the throat and belly and yellow
bellies. In 2004, one of the Kanangra-Boyd NP individuals was taken to the Australian Museum for
identification, where it was labelled as a yellow-bellied water skink. This specimen has been lodged
with the museum and may be accessed in the future should further questions about this species group
identification arise or a taxonomic review of the species occur.
4.2.3 Native diurnal birds
One hundred and thirty three native diurnal bird species have been found in JKCR, or are known to
have used the reserve in the past. As part of the current surveys, 21 systematic bird censuses were
performed, detecting a total of 50 species. The most commonly recorded were the white-throated
treecreeper (recorded during 91 per cent of systematic censuses), crimson rosella (76 per cent), pied
currawong (71 per cent), grey fantail (62 per cent), laughing kookaburra (62 per cent), noisy friarbird
(52 per cent) and superb lyrebird (52 per cent). On average 15 species were detected during each
systematic bird census. A number of species previously recorded were not detected during the current
surveys. These fall into three broad categories: visitors (including seasonal migrants and vagrants)
that were not present at the time of the survey but may still occur in the park from time to time;
uncommon species that are likely to still be resident but went undetected; and cryptic species that are
difficult to detect. Being highly mobile, birds will move outside of their typical range and therefore not
all species listed in the species inventory will be present at any given time.
Five species listed as vulnerable on either the
TSC or EPBC Acts were detected during the
surveys: the gang-gang cockatoo, flame robin,
scarlet robin, varied sittella and little eagle.
These species are considered in detail in section
5. The gang-gang cockatoo is relatively common
in the reserve, being recorded during 29 per cent
of bird censuses. The flame robin was less
common, being recorded during 9.5 per cent of
censuses. This robin was recorded from a range
of habitats, although most sightings were from
summits or ridgelines. The remaining threatened
birds were recorded incidentally.
White-browed scrubwren. Photo © M. Schulz
A recent national review of bird records identified
numerous species that appear to have declined
in recent years (Barrett et al. 2003). Species from JKCR that have been identified as declining
nationally (but are not listed on the TSC or EPBC Acts) include: the red-browed treecreeper,
rockwarbler, spotted quail-thrush, southern boobook and eastern barn owl.
JKCR is situated on the Great Dividing Range, which forms a boundary between coastal areas and
the dry inland, and this reserve is close to the western extent of many coastal birds. Nevertheless, the
bird fauna of JKCR is typical of upland forested areas of the Blue Mountains and shares many
similarities with coastal areas. Some birds typical of the Blue Mountains and coast that occur at JKCR
are the crimson rosella, superb lyrebird, white-throated treecreeper, white-browed scrubwren, ganggang
cockatoo and rockwarbler. The presence of the rockwarbler is interesting as this species is
generally associated with sandstone geologies rather than limestone, and the population at JKCR is at
the western distributional limit of the species. The rockwarbler was only recorded on a few occasions
during the current survey and may have recently declined on the reserve (I. Eddison pers. comm.).
30
The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve