Bush stone-curlews are making a comeback in the ACT due to the success of sanctuary land. The species was thought to be extinct in the region after 1970, but were reintroduced to the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary in 2014. Now, more than 14 curlews live on the sanctuary.
The bird regularly ventures off the sanctuary in search of food, particularly at night when insects cluster around street lights.
“They love their insects so they play a role in terms of keeping insects down and eating some small reptiles and small mammals,” said sanctuary ecologist Kate Grarock in an interview with the ABC. Seeing the curlew’s return to the ACT is hopeful, but they’re still vulnerable to both wild and domestic predators. Residents have been asked to abide by pet containment rules and to be careful while driving around the sanctuary. ACT residents are also encouraged to photograph the birds to share information about the sightings.Positive Actions
Keep an eye out during the annual Aussie Backyard Bird Count from 22 - 28 October, 2018! If you’re in the ACT and see a curlew (example here) share it on social media at https://www.facebook.com/MulligansFlat/Subscribe to Positive Environment News
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.