Eastern Bristlebird
Conservation
The Eastern Bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus) is a small, cryptic, ground-dwelling bird that occupies low, dense heathland and grassy vegetation along the south-east coast of Australia. As a result of habitat loss and degradation, the once continuous distribution of the Eastern Bristlebird from Queensland to South Australia is now fragmented into three separate populations.
The northern population of the Eastern Bristlebird is one of 20 Australian threatened birds on the IUCN Red List of species threatened with extinction. Population monitoring has seen an 80% decline since the 1980s and this critically endangered northern population now comprises an estimated 38 wild birds. This population is found only in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales and faces extinction in the wild from threatening processes such as habitat loss, grazing and predation.
Protecting the Eastern Bristlebird in the wild
The conservation work for the Eastern Bristlebird in the wild includes habitat management to reduce the impact of weeds and feral predators on Eastern Bristlebird populations. Fire regimes in Eastern Bristlebird habitats are also crucial to ensure the grassy habitats are maintained for this species. Regular surveys are also conducted to monitor population trends.
Saving the Eastern Bristlebird through specialist care breeding
The Recovery Plan for the northern population of the Eastern Bristlebird includes a specialist care breeding program that is managed by Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. The overall objective of the program is to have a sustainable population in specialist care that can support multiple reintroductions of Bristlebirds into the wild to supplement the wild northern population. This population in specialist care also acts as an insurance population against extinction.
Who Knew?
The Eastern Bristlebird is rarely seen but may be detected by its distinctive, loud calls
Eastern Bristlebird Recovery Program Timeline:
2024 – A total of 30 Eastern Bristlebirds have now been released, adding valuable genetics and numbers to the critically endangered northern population.
2023 – HOORAY!! 15 Bristlebirds successfully released into prime wild habitat.
2022 – First central x northern provenanced Bristlebird pair successfully bred at Garima Conservation Reserve.
2022 – 5 breeding pairs of Eastern Bristlebird were transferred to the new breeding habitats at Garima Conservation Reserve.
2021 – Construction of 5 breeding habitats at Garima Conservation Reserve (a property managed by Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary).
2020 - First successful breeding of a central population provenanced Eastern Bristlebird at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
2019 – Central population provenanced Eastern Bristlebirds collected from the wild and transferred to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to increase genetic diversity in the specialist care breeding population.
2015 - Northern Eastern Bristlebird eggs collected from the wild. These eggs were incubated and the chicks’ hand-reared at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. This year Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary also had our first northern Eastern Bristlebird chick successfully bred in specialist care!
2014 – Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary takes on the role of leading specialist care breeding of the northern Eastern Bristlebirds. Birds collected from the wild and the remaining birds in specialist care held at another institution were transferred to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
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