Indicative distribution
The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas.
(
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The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Mallee Bird Community of the Murray Darling Depression Bioregion
Profile last updated:
13 Mar 2024
Description
The Mallee Bird Community is an assemblage of 20 bird species that rely on mallee habitats. Within the assemblage two broad groups of species are recognised: mallee specialists and mallee dependents. Mallee specialists are found almost exclusively in mallee habitats and include: black-eared miner Manorina melanotis, chestnut quail-thrush Cinclosoma castanotum, mallee emu-wren Stipiturus mallee, malleefowl Leipoa ocellata, red-lored whistler Pachycephala rufogularis, scarlet-chested parrot Neophema splendida, striated grasswren Amytornis striatus and mallee western whipbird Psophodes leucogaster. Mallee dependents are bird species dependent on mallee where it is present, but that also utilise non-mallee woodland or shrubland habitat that intergrades with mallee vegetation. Mallee dependents include: crested bellbird Oreoica gutturalis, grey-fronted honeyeater Ptilotula plumula, jacky winter Microeca fascinans, purple-gaped honeyeater Lichenostomus cratitius, regent parrot Polytelis anthopeplus, shy heathwren Calamanthus cautus, southern scrub-robin Drymodes brunneopygia, splendid fairy-wren Malurus splendens, spotted pardatolote Pardalotus punctatus, white-eared honeyeater Nesoptilotis leucotis, white-fronted honeyeater Purnella albifrons and yellow-plumed honeyeater Ptilota ornata. A number of these species are widely distributed with specific sub-species associated with mallee habitats.
Distribution
The Mallee Bird Community is found in mallee habitats to the east of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, in western Victoria and the south western corner of New South Wales. Mallee habitats are those in which the dominant trees, typically small (<10m) eucalypts, are characterised by multiple stems arising from a woody subterranean regenerative organ or lignotuber. They occur in drier areas, generally with annual rainfall between 200-350 mm.
Habitat and ecology
- The Mallee Bird Community is found in all four broadly recognised mallee habitat types: Triodia Mallee, mallee that has a relatively open understorey with hummock grass and sparse sclerophyll shrubs with an arid affinity (150-300 mm annual rainfall); Chenopod and Tussock Grass Mallee, mallee with a relatively open understorey with semi-succulent chenopod shrubs and tussock grasses, develops in areas with more moderate rainfall (200-300 mm annually); Shrubby Mallee, mallee with a relatively open understorey of sclerophyll shrubs which are long-lived with regenerative organs, generally in areas of moderate rainfall (200-300 mm/year); and Heathy Mallee, mallee that typically has a relatively dense understorey of sclerophyll shrubs with temperate affinities, with grasses and forbs being less common, develops in areas of higher rainfall (300-600 mm/year), with recruitment of trees and shrubs cloasely tied to fire.
- The assemblage has a high proportion of small birds, with eleven species weighing <30g,and another five <60g. Only two species reach over 100g.
- Three species (chestnut quail-thrush, malleefowl, southern scrub-robin) nest on the ground, while the spotted pardalote nests in burrows. The eastern regent parrot primarily nests in hollows in river red gums Eucalyptus camaldulensis <120 m from water. The scarlet-chested parrot is also a hollow nester although little is known of it's preferences other than that they nest in smaller mulga Acacia aneura, or mallee eucalypts. The remaining species nest in standing vegetation.
- The Mallee Bird Community consists of six honeyeaters, three wrens, two parrots, two robins, a quail-thrush, a pardalote, a whistler, a thornbill, a megapode, a bellbird and a whipbird.
- Most of the Mallee Bird Community feed on invertebrates, with the honeyeaters also consuming nectar and pollen. Eleven species also include seeds and/or fruit in their diet. The two parrots primarily feed on seed, fruit and foliage.
- There is substantial variation in mobility between species of the Mallee Brid Community, with species such as the mallee emu-wren, purple-gaped honeyeater and southern scrub-robin moving only short distances, while the regent parrot and spotted pardalote have been recorded moving distances of >100 km.
- Most species in the assemblage have a lifespan of 10 years or less and reproduce within their first one or two years. Three species, the malleefowl and the two parrots, are the only species with a longevity >20 years, while the malleefowl is the only species with age at first reproduction greater than two years.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Loss of habitat as result of clearing for agricultural/horticultural expansion or intensification.
- Loss of habitat as a result of mining, particularly mineral sands, clearing for infrastructure such as transmission lines and roads, and clearing to protect infrastructure from fire.
- Range and diversity of resources available to support the Mallee Bird Community reduced, increasing vulnerability to fluctuations in climatic conditions, stochastic events, fire and pest invasion. Increased edge to area ratio, increased prevalence of edge effects. Limited ability to disperse to better habitat under challenging conditions.
- Population isolation and reduced genetic diversity within species that comprise the Mallee Bird Community.
- Habitat quality and resource availability changes with time since fire, with different mallee bird species being associated with different post-fire successional stages. Most mallee birds are however positively associated with mid to late post-fire stages.
- Goat and rabbit browsing reduces measures of ecosystem function, changes vegetation composition and structure, and plant biomass, reducing availability of food and shelter resources. May also disperse weeds.
- Livestock grazing reduces measures of ecosystem function, changes vegetation composition and structure, and plant biomass, reducing availability of food and shelter resources. May also disperse weeds and compact soil.
- Cats and foxes are highly successful predators of birds. Cats are particularly effective given their capacity to hunt efficiently on the ground and in trees. Ground-nesting and ground foraging birds are particularly susceptible.
- Pig foraging may cause extensive ground disturbance affecting ground layer vegetation and recruitment of other species. Pigs forage on a number of plant species in the ground layer and may compete for resources with ground-foraging birds. Pigs predate and destroy nests that are on or close to the ground. Soil disturbance facilitates weed invasion and fosters high levels of weed coverage.
- Overabundant native herbivores can exert significant grazing and browsing pressure on native vegetation, especially understorey grasses and herbs, and can affect ground layer regeneration, vegetation composition and plant biomass.
- Most mallee bird populations decline post-fire, or in some cases of severe wildfire are extirpated, hence extensive hot fires may threaten local population survival.
- Climate change projections for the Murray Darling Depression suggest harsher droughts, declining rainfall generally, but particularly in the cooler seasons, higher temperatures and increased fire weather, which is likely to result in changes in habitat composition, structure and function.
Recovery strategies
Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological
community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified
0 priority actions
to help recover the Mallee Bird Community of the Murray Darling Depression Bioregion in New South Wales.
Activities to assist this species
- Retain and protect mallee habitat. Large patches of high quality habitat, and habitat that supports at least three Mallee Bird Community species are particularly important.
- Retain areas of vegetation that are important for maintaining connectivity between remaining mallee habitat.
- Enhance areas of degraded mallee habitat through improved management or active habitat enhancement.
- Establish or improve connectivity between existing remnant habitat.
- Implement appropriate fire management in suitable habitat. Maintain significant areas of stands that are in mid to late post-fire age classes.
- Engage with landholders and other relevant groups to promote and support management of mallee habitat so as to protect, enhance or expand suitable mallee habitat.
- Undertake landscape-scale feral cat and fox control in areas of high quality habitat, particularly in areas where species vulnerable to feral predators, such as malleefowl, occur. Manage habitat so as to reduce cat and fox hunting efficiency.
- Manage total grazing pressure (feral herbivores, livestock, native herbivores), particularly in medium to high quality habitat, to prevent habitat degradation.
- Implement effective control of weed species, particularly in medium and high quality habitat, prevent establishment of weed species that are likely to have a negative impact on resources or habitat characteristics that are required by mallee birds.
- Where populations have become extinct or are threatened with extirpation, undertake translocation and/or reintroduction of important mallee bird species.
- Enhance community awareness of the Mallee Bird Community and the threats it faces. Encourage the community to contribute to activities that will support the recovery of the community, and to participate in relevant citizen science projects.
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