Conservation of the Noisy Scrub-bird: a review of 35 years of research and management

Abstract

The Noisy Scrub-bird is a small, semi-flightless insectivore which forages in leaf litter and the lower stratum of dense vegetation. More widespread when discovered last century the species declined rapidly after European settlement of Westem Australia due to habitat clearing and large scale, uncontrolled wildfires. A small, remnant population survived in dense low forest and thickets on Mt Gardner at Two Peoples Bay. Exclusion of fire from scrub-bird habitat allowed the population at Two Peoples Bay to increase through natural breeding. Translocations to new sites, where successful, have provided more habitat for the scrub-bird resulting in seven sub-populations in the area between Oyster Harbour and Cheyne Beach east of Albany. Rapid increases in numbers have occurred in the Mt Manypeaks area in recent years. The whole population has now increased to 10.5 times its size at rediscovery. This paper reviews Noisy Scrub-bird conservation efforts during the 35 years since its rediscovery and focuses on recent progress, population trends, and the current status of the species. Successful conservation management has been based on research into the scrub-bird's biology and ecology and has involved habitat reservation and protection, fire management, population monitoring, and translocation. Scrub-bird conservation has also provided benefits for other threatened species.