Yellow Chat Management - Birds Australia

Home

Yellow Chat Management

The Yellow Chat (Capricorn subspecies), Epthianura crocea macgregori, is listed as vulnerable under Queensland legislation and Critically endangered in the schedules of the EPBC Act.

An informal recovery team, comprising Central Queensland University (CQU), Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), Birds Australia, Birds Queensland and Wetlands International, had as its objective the conservation of the single known population of Capricorn Yellow Chats at Curtis Island, and ecological studies were carried out in 2000 to 2002 to contribute to this.

Stage 1 Results

The research team found eight new mainland sites with Yellow Chats - four within Broad Sound, north of Rockhampton, and four within the Fitzroy Delta, south of Rockhampton. The estimated population has been expanded to at least 300 individuals
A better understanding of breeding habitat and dry season refuge habitat has been developed
Potential habitat on the mainland has been mapped to guide further searches for mainland populations
Historical changes in preferred habitat at Curtis Island have been mapped, providing input into management and threat identification
A contribution to community awareness of the values of wetlands in the region has been made and skills have been passed on to community groups in the region
Management guidelines of grazing lands that is compatible with Yellow Chat conservation have been documented

Stage 2 Objectives

Identification of threats and input into management actions to abate threats
Completion of Stage 1 objectives: (i) identification of range on the mainland so that population range, distribution and extent can be quantified and the conservation status of the subspecies can be properly assessed; and (ii) identification of preferred habitat requirements so actions to conserve such habitat can be developed
Continue raising community awareness of and involvement in monitoring Yellow Chat populations and their habitat

Management of Key Habitats

Curtis Island (conservation park)
Conducting fencing trials to assess the impact of current cattle stocking densities and feral pigs on shelter habitat and associated grasslands. A high priority because it is a 100-year grazing lease and observation elsewhere suggests that high grazing levels are detrimental to the habitat of Yellow Chats, which rely on rank vegetation (such as rush-beds and tall grasses) for shelter. Substantial reduction in the height or complexity of this vegetation through grazing and trampling could cause a reduction in suitable habitat.

Twelve Mile Creek, Fitzroy Delta (fish habitat reserve)
Interpretive signage has been developed describing the value of marine plain wetlands to fauna in general, sightings of rare species such as Yellow Chats; and conservation issues in saline wetlands. Twelve Mile Creek is heavily used by recreational fishers and the public, and this component of the project has the potential to greatly increase community awareness of the issue.

Broad Sound populations (Freehold)
Only a portion of potential habitat at Broad Sound has been searched. A thorough late breeding season search of the available habitat would enable the population size at Broad Sound to be more accurately determined. This would inform management as to the importance of this area to future management and recovery plans for the subspecies.

Monitoring Protocols
A pilot study at Twelve Mile Creek to develop guidelines for monitoring key components of the favoured habitat, for example height of shelter vegetation, or species mix at various strata levels. These guidelines will need to be habitat dependent as favoured habitat type varies from site to site. A photographic guideline for land managers is planned and will be developed in collaboration with QPWS officers who are developing protocols for management of the marine plain at Curtis Island. These protocols will then be used to guide longer-term monitoring of Yellow Chat habitat.

ID of mainland populations, breeding habitat requirements and critical dry season habitat

The known habitat suitable for Yellow Chats has been expanded as a result of finding large numbers in Cyperus freshwater wetlands, so the search has been expanded to include areas such as at Shoalwater Bay and as far north as Bowen and possibly the Burdekin River catchment.

The optimal period for these surveys is the late wet/early autumn period, when chats are breeding and more easily found, than during the non-breeding period, when birds are more secretive.

Dry season habitat searches are also important, as such habitat is a critical component of any management strategy for the subspecies. As a consequence of climatic variation in this region, sites may provide suitable habitat one year but not the next, depending on local rainfall. Incorporation of annual variability into an understanding of habitat requirements is fundamental to understanding the ecology and management requirements of the Yellow Chat.

Community Involvement and Monitoring Existing Populations

A longer-term understanding of the ecology of the subspecies and provision of baseline data for management is fundamental to conservation of the species.

Workshops with QPWS, Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) and local community groups to coordinate monitoring of local populations, including both birds and their habitat
Liaison with landholders in the Twelve Mile Creek/Raglan area, FBA and linked community groups to coordinate conservation of this site
Options for expanding the existing fish habitat reserve to be investigated through QPWS and FBA
Discussions with Broad Sound land managers, in conjunction with FBA staff, to help guide the direction of land management at Broad Sound properties