Management techniques and new survey opportunities helping bitterns in South-eastern South Australia and south-western Victoria
The following abstract is part of the Bringing Back the Bunyip Bird Australasian Bittern Conservation Summit (Leeton, 1-4 Feb, 2022).
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Bob Green, Avian Monitoring Services / BirdLife South East SA, shriketit@bigpond.com
Certain sites in south-eastern South Australia and south-western Victoria have been known to support Australasian Bitterns throughout the calendar year, seemingly at odds with what was originally thought to occur in the region. Outside the breeding season though they prove more difficult to find, when their cryptic nature comes to the fore, and most observations have therefore been incidental in nature. Recent findings from satellite tracking have shown a connection with the Riverina rice region, showing that at least some parts of the population are migratory.
Do we also have resident birds that stay put year-round? Or are “our” birds replaced by these other migratory birds?
A recent discovery could lead to a way of finding some of these birds outside the breeding season, with concentrations of unusual numbers and densities recorded along drainage channels, at a time of year that coincides with migration of one of our fish species, a Galaxid. A search of records shows observations of bitterns along rivers and creeks for this same time period.
Wetland restoration efforts, as well as management actions to improve bittern habitat will increase the extent of habitat suitable to the birds during the breeding season, but also for seasonally used wetlands, creeks, drains and rivers.
Reed-burning and slashing to refresh growth and open up the habitat for foraging, retention of water to increase wetland size or create new areas are techniques being used or discussed to further Australasian Bittern conservation.