Birdwatchers in Port Stephens have raised concerns that the Australian native bush stone curlew (burhinus grallarius) is under serious threat of extinction in these parts.
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Tomaree peninsula birdwatcher Neil Fraser said that the number of elusive curlew, also known as the bush thick-knee, in Port Stephens had diminished rapidly in the past decade and has called on local enthusiasts to help find remaining traces of the endangered species.
"I recently conducted a research study of the species in Port Stephens and my conclusion is that they will soon become extinct in our region, due to predation by introduced species such as foxes and cats, widespread land clearing, intensive farming and urban development, in addition to a lack of an effective conservation program," Mr Fraser said.
"A decade ago, records showed there were well over 20 individuals in the Hunter region and five breeding pairs. Today there are only a handful of bush stone curlews located around Port Stephens and only one known breeding pair."
The bush stone curlew has previously been recorded at Taylors Beach, Fenninghams Island, Bobs Farm, Tanilba Bay, Lemon Tree Passage, Karuah, Swan Bay, Carrington/Tahlee and Pindimar. The last recorded sighting was in January this year where a single bird was seen at the Bill King Aged Care facility at Fingal Bay.
Mick Roderick, the NSW woodland bird program manager at not-for-profit organisation Birdlife Australia, said that it was not uncommon to find the bush stone curlew in suburban areas in northern parts of Australia, where the bird still thrives.
"We have reported sightings of the curlew in school yards in Brisbane and on the streets of Darwin," he said.
"However, there numbers have dramatically fallen away in southern areas and we are concerned that they will become extinct in Port Stephens because of their dangerously low numbers.
"Foxes and feral cats are a major issue, while birds such as ravens and kookaburras are known to take off with their eggs." He said that most birds species have a tipping point and that once the population of that bird species passed that point, they tended to decline very quickly.
Mr Fraser said that he continues to monitor the bird in Port Stephens and is appealing for volunteers to help him find out just how rare the bird has become.
"I am hoping that anyone who may have spotted, or heard, the bush stone curlew in the Port Stephens area to contact me. I have posted a request for information on several local websites and newsletters, such as Port Stephens EcoNetwork, the Soldiers Point-Salamander Bay Landcare Group and the Myall Koala and Environment Group," he said.
"As birdwatchers will tell you - most often you will hear a bird before you see it. This is true of the bush stone curlew, which has an unmistakable call."
Mr Fraser said that the bush stone curlew had a strange wailing 'weer-loo' call at night, and was an unusual-looking bird, around 55cm in height with long legs and large yellow eyes.
It inhabits open forests and woodlands containing a sparse grassy ground layer with fallen timber or bark so it can blend in with its surrounds. They feed at night on insects and small vertebrates including frogs, lizards, snakes and mice. Both sexes are brownish-grey above with rufous and black streaks and the young are paler.
"If you come too close, the bird will stand motionless or lie flat on the ground, with its head and neck outstretched. However, if threatened it might raise its wings up and make itself look much larger - especially if guarding its young."
Anyone who thinks they may have seen or heard a bush stone curlew in Port Stephens in the past 18 months is urged to contact Neil Fraser at neil8fff@gmail.com.
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