Eastern Bristlebird Conservation: 2025 Wrap-Up

Looking Back on a Big Year for Eastern Bristlebird Conservation

Happy New year from the Avian Conservation team! As we begin 2026, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what was an exceptional year for our Eastern Bristlebird conservation program.

The northern population of the Eastern Bristlebird remains one of Australia’s most threatened birds. Every successful release brings us closer to restoring a self-sustaining wild population in northern New South Wales. And let us tell you, 2025 was significant.

Through long-term collaboration between government agencies, species specialists, private landholders, and conservation practitioners, we continue to combine specialist care breeding, genetic rescue, habitat restoration, and carefully planned releases to stabilise and grow this fragile population.

Read on to uncover all the 2025 highlights and find out what’s next!

A Powerful Conservation Partnership

This work would not be possible without the commitment and collaboration of our partners. We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support of:

• NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) – Saving Our Species Program
• National Parks and Wildlife Service
• Sunbird Ecological Services
• Maguire Ecology
• Goanna Ecological Bush Regeneration
• Reconeco
• Dedicated private landholders
• The broader Eastern Bristlebird conservation team

Together, these teams deliver everything from ecological fire management and weed control to specialist breeding, releases, monitoring, and long days in the field. All focused on securing a future for this elusive bird.

2025 Conservation Highlights

Our partners at DCCEEW have shared the following highlights, showcasing the scale and impact of last year’s efforts:

Breeding, Releases & Survival

• 21 Eastern Bristlebirds released in 2025, contributing to 51 birds returned to the wild in the past three years
• First-month survivorship consistently around 90%, demonstrating the success of our release and monitoring methods
• Resightings of previously released birds, providing strong evidence of long-term survival and integration into the wild population
  • Thor (released January 2023) now paired with Martini (September 2024)
  • Beau and DJ (September 2024) showing strong site fidelity
  • Hawkeye, Silvie and Donna (February 2024) persisting in the wild

By the way, what do you think of these bird names? Pretty cool, aren’t they!

Strengthening Genetic Diversity

• Three new wild founders collected from the central population, significantly boosting the genetic integrity of the specialist care breeding program
• 32 Eastern Bristlebirds currently in specialist care at Currumbin, including 8 breeding pairs and three new wild males strengthening future generations

Habitat Restoration & Protection

• More than 350 hectares of prescribed burning across three on-park sites and five private-land burns, carefully designed to restore Bristlebird habitat
• Over 70 hectares of targeted weed control completed across public and private land, improving nesting and foraging areas
• Predator monitoring conducted to confirm safe and suitable release sites

Monitoring, Surveys & Science

• 2025 Census results detected 45 birds, giving a conservative population estimate of 54 birds across 27 territories
• Birds recorded in areas where they hadn’t been detected for more than a decade
• In collaboration with EcoCommons and BirdLife Australia, a species distribution model was developed to identify high-quality Eastern Bristlebird habitat and guide future conservation efforts

Thousands of Hours for One Remarkable Bird

Behind every statistic is an enormous collective effort, including countless hours of planning, walking, listening, burning, spraying, caring, tracking, and problem-solving. All of it dedicated to one cryptic, character-filled little brown bird that plays a vital role in Australia’s ecosystems.

What’s Next After a Successful 2025?

Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on this momentum. Upcoming priorities include:

• Working with a conservation detection dog to help locate additional northern genetic lines
• Preparing for the next release in April 2026, which will return 12 more Eastern Bristlebirds to the wild

Each step brings us closer to securing the future of the northern population.

How You Can Help

This vital conservation work is only possible thanks to the support of our members and generous donors. Your contribution directly supports breeding, habitat restoration, monitoring, and future releases.

👉 You can help protect the Eastern Bristlebird by donating a wish list item. From research equipment to food for the birds, your support directly powers our conservation program and helps secure the species’ future.

Together, we can ensure another successful year (and a thriving future) for the Eastern Bristlebird.