The Little Wattlebird is the smallest of the wattlebirds, weighing between 45–85 g, with a body length of 27–35 cm. The birds are mostly dark brown, with the forehead, crown and nape streaked with fine white shafts, and the rest of the upperparts with pale streaks and spots. Underparts are dark grey streaked with white, and prominent silvery-white cheek patches 2 Anthochaera chrysoptera halmaturina (Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird) Conservation Advice 3 contrast with a dark chin and throat. The bill is black and the iris is blue-grey, and chestnut wing patches can be seen while in flight. Juveniles are browner with less prominent streaking and spotting, dull yellow bill and dull blue-grey iris. Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird adults have the same plumage patterns, but are generally much darker than the nominate subspecies.
Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird |
Anthochaera chrysoptera halmaturina
Status: Vulnerable on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Anthochaera chrysoptera halmaturina
Climate change Increased likelihood of Status historical; current Average temperatures in Australia have extreme events (i.e.; future increased by around 1.4 C in the past heatwave and drought) Confidence known century (BOM CSIRO 2020 IPCC 2021); and global temperatures are likely to Consequence severe exceed 1.5 C in the next 20 years if global Trend increasing greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced Extent across the entire range immediately (IPCC 2021).
The cumulative effect of the climate anomalies has led to; and will continue to; increase the likelihood of extreme events such as droughts and heatwaves (BOM CSIRO 2020).
This change in climate may have detrimental impact on Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebirds and their habitat.
Climate anomalies will also increase the risk of wildfire (see Increase in frequent; large extent; high intensity wildfires).
Monitor for any impacts of any extreme climatic events on the Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird.
Analysis by the Wildlife and Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel; based on intersecting the modelled distribution of the Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird and the National Indicative Aggregated Fire Extent Dataset; indicated that approximately 67 of the range of the subspecies was within the extent of the 2019 2020 bushfires (Legge et al. 2020).
An analysis done by the National Environment Science Program (NESP) Threatened Species Recovery Hub showed that a large proportion of the range of the Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird was affected by the 2019 2020 bushfires 51 was burnt in high to very high severity fire; and a further 11 was burnt in low to moderate fire (Legge et al. 2021).
Threats The most prominent threat that has caused the subspecies to decline is frequent; large extent; high severity wildfire particularly the 2019 2020 bushfires; where half of the Kangaroo Island was impacted (Paton et al. 2021).
While fire is integral to the ecology of Kangaroo Island; the 2019 2020 bushfires were the most extreme in recorded history and were unprecedented in their scale; speed and intensity (Government of South Australia 2020b).
Extreme fire weather (Di Virgilio et al. 2019 Dowdy et al. 2019) driven by longer and more severe droughts (Evans et al. 2017) and more frequent heatwaves (Herold et al. 2018) is likely to increase in frequency and intensity in coming decades and poses the greatest risk to the subspecies (Paton et al. 2021).
The flammable nature of some weeds; including non endemic species such as Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus); may also increase fire risk and severity (Government of South Australia 2021).
Trend increasing The fire was also unprecedented in its Extent across the entire range scale; speed and intensity (Government of South Australia 2020a).
Proposed changes include increased fire prevention works such as prescribed burns; mechanical vegetation removal and increased asset protection zones and buffer zones (BirdLife Australia 2021; pers comm 02 July).
Ensure fire suppression strategies also consider impacts on the population or its habitat.
The number of locations was determined using the 2019 2020 fire extent on Kangaroo Island; which heavily impacted the western side of Kangaroo Island; though unburnt habitat fragments remained within the fire affected area.
The risk of a fire extirpating all individuals on the eastern side of the island was considered.
Given there are lower fuel loads and less contiguous vegetation cover in east; as well as greater access to fire fighting resources; the risk of fire impacting this entire area is reduced.
An analysis by a team from the NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub shows that a large proportion of the range of Kangaroo Island Little Wattlebird was affected by these fires 51 was burnt in high to very high severity fire; and a further 11 was burnt in low to moderate severity fire (Legge et al. 2021).
Extreme fire weather (Di Virgilio et al. 2019 Dowdy et al. 2019) driven by longer and more severe droughts (Evans et al. 2017) and more frequent heatwaves (Herold et al. 2018) is likely to increase in frequency and intensity in coming decades and poses the greatest risk to the subspecies (Paton et al. 2021).
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