DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION Background Report

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16/08/02 Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion Background Report breeding colonies of ibis in the Murray-Darling basin (Smith 1993). In general, there are very few major colonial waterbird breeding sites in Australia, consequently those that exist are extremely important. Ibis breeding is localised and uncommon and is triggered by wetland flooding. In general terms, the bigger the flood, the bigger the breeding response (Maher 1999). Estimated population sizes of the colonial nesting waterbird species in the three most significant wetlands in the DRP are: Ibis (three species): 100 000 to 150 000 Gwydir Wetlands; 75 000 to 80 000 Narran; 70 000 to 75 000 Macquarie Marshes (800 glossy ibis, 2 000 Australian white ibis, more than 12 000 straw-necked ibis); Large egret: 10 000 to 15 000 Gwydir Wetlands; 3 000 to 5 000 Macquarie Marshes; Intermediate egret: 17 000 Macquarie Marshes; Rufous night heron: 10 000 to 15 000 Gwydir Wetlands; Australian pelican: 1 000 to 1 500 Narran Lakes; Magpie geese: eight pairs Narran; 20 pairs Gwydir Wetlands; 20 pairs Macquarie Marshes; Royal spoonbill: 8 000 to 9 000 pairs in Narran Lakes; and Brolga: six to eight pairs Macquarie Marshes. These estimated numbers confirm the significance of these wetlands within NSW and the Murray-Darling Basin (Kingsford & Thomas 1995; Maher 1999). The Macquarie Marshes provide habitat for more than 70 species of waterbirds, including 42 species that breed in the area, and 130 species of land birds. It is one of the few wetlands supporting breeding colonies of all four species of egret and three species of ibis. The threatened magpie goose has also bred in the wetlands. In 1984, the marshes supported at least 88 000 waterbirds, considerably more than any other wetland in the area (Kingsford & Thomas 1995). Sixty-five species of waterbirds have been recorded from the Narran wetlands and 46 species breed in the area (Ley 1998a; Ley 1998b; Henderson 1999a). The wetlands support the largest recorded breeding colonies in Australia of straw-necked ibis, little black cormorant and royal spoonbill and large numbers of sixteen other species (NPWS 2000a; Ramsar 2000). An estimated 200 000 pairs of ibis bred in the Narran Lake Nature Reserve in 1983, the largest breeding event ever recorded in Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1993). Smith (1993) lists the estimated number of breeding pairs of waterbirds at Narran Lake during the period 1971 to 1991 as ranging from 50 to 200 000 pairs in any one year, and these numbers are largely dependant on inundation and water availability. Narran wetlands flood every two to three years on average, which is more frequent than most other wetlands in north western New South Wales (NPWS 2000a). Threatened species known to breed at Narran Lakes include the brolga (Grus rubicunda), blue-billed duck (Oxyura australis), freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa) and the most western known breeding record of magpie geese in New South Wales. Breeding occurs in lakes and associated channels (Ley 1998a; NPWS 2000a). Large numbers of waders, including the threatened black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), also congregate on freshly exposed mudflats after flooding, and eleven of these species are listed under the JAMBA and CAMBA agreements (Ley 1998a). 100
16/08/02 Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion Background Report Lake Menindee, Lake Cawndilla and associated wetlands provide important waterfowl habitat, breeding sites and drought refuge in the New South Wales western division. Breeding species include cormorants, egrets, pelicans, spoonbills, darters and ibis. Annual aerial waterbird surveys have been undertaken by Kingsford et al. (2002) since 1983 over NSW. Major wetland areas within the DRP which are covered by this survey include Menindee Lakes (includes Lake Cawndilla, Lake Menindee, Emu Lake and Eurobilli Lake) and the Macquarie Marshes. A summary of waterbird counts for these wetlands is shown in Appendix F. This summary shows that the waterbird species with the highest counts recorded by Kingsford et al. (2002) during the survey period between 1983 and 2001 for the Macquarie Marshes were: grey teal - with 82 378 records overall and a yearly range from 84 records in 1991 to 48 881 records in 1984; straw-necked ibis - with 47 706 records overall and a yearly range from 15 records in 2001 to 11 269 records in 1984; pacific black duck - with 17 426 records overall and a yearly range from five records in 1994 to 6 006 records in 1983; and Australian white ibis - with 15 227 records overall and a yearly range from three records in 2000 to 6 739 records in 1983. Appendix F also shows that the waterbird species with the highest counts recorded by Kingsford et al. (2002) during the survey period between 1983 and 2001 for the Menindee Lakes were: grey teal - with 48 997 records overall and a yearly range from two records in 1998 to 44 923 in 1995; pink-eared duck - with 15 671 records overall and a yearly range from four records in 1990 to 13 832 records in 1995; little black cormorant - with 8 096 records overall and a yearly range from two records in 1990 to 3 164 records in 1984; and Eurasian coot - with 7 585 records overall and a yearly range from 14 records in 1998 to 2 780 records in 1987. 5.4.2 Species of conservation concern Eight endangered and 32 vulnerable bird species have been recorded in the DRP. These species and those listed on the international treaties, JAMBA and CAMBA, are listed in Table 5.3 and the post - 1970 records of threatened species have been plotted on Map 36. Some of the recorded threatened species include: from Narran Lake Nature Reserve - Australian bustard (Ardeotis australis), grey falcon (Falco hypoleucos), Major Mitchell’s cockatoo (Cacatua leadbeateri), barking owl (Ninox connivens) and masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) (NPWS 2000a); from Culgoa and Birrie River floodplains - grey falcon, Australian bustard, Major Mitchell’s cockatoo and painted honeyeater (Grantiella picta); and, from Kinchega National Park - freckled duck and Major Mitchell’s cockatoo (NPWS 1996). Eighteen threatened bird species and nine species protected by JAMBA and CAMBA agreements have been recorded in the Macquarie Marshes. 101
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DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION B
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For more information data contact t
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3.2 Vegetation Mapping and Descript
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10 APPENDICES 166 A CLIMATIC DATA B
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List of Maps Chapter 1 Map 1 Locati
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PROJECT SUMMARY This report forms p
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abbits are listed as key threatenin
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ainfall (mm) 900 800 700 600 500 40
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Appendix A: Mean Monthly Rainfall a
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Major Rangetype Rangetype Physiogra
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Appendix C : Native Flora Other Tha
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Family Scientific Name Common Name
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Family Scientific Name cretica Comm
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APPENDIX E: Fauna Other than Those
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Common Name Scientific Name No Reco
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Common 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 198
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Common Name 1983 1984 1985 1986 198
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Taxa No Records Dataset Class Arach
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Taxa No Records Dataset Family Hebr
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Taxa No Records Dataset Tabanidae s
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Taxa No Records Dataset Berosus sp
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DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION Background Report

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