The Mallee emu-wren is back in South Australia following bushfires that were thought to have wiped it out in the state.

The birds are small, at an average 16.5 centimetres, and prefer hiding among spinifex to flying leaving them susceptible to the loss of ground cover either through land clearing or bushfires.

In 2014 fires swept through Ngarkat Conservation Park, stripping away singificant portions of the emu-wrens' habitat, leading to its designation as being 'functionally extinct' in South Australia.

However, the ABC has reported that the bird had been successfully breeding in surprising numbers thanks in part to reintroduction efforts from Victoria's Mallee region as well as the Murray Sunset and Hattah-Kulkyne national parks. Of particular interest is cooperation between birds in raising chicks, ensuring their survival as numbers grow.

While the emu-wren is also known to live in Victoria and New South Wales the news of its return is welcome to South Australian bird afficionados. This good news is likely to continue as another 200 birds are planned to be introduced to Ngarkat in the near future.

Positive Action

• Participate in National Tree Day and help to create and rehabilitate habitats.
• Get involved in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count and help keep tabs on Australian birdlife.

 

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Positive Environment News has been compiled using publicly available information. Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.