BIRDS OF PARTICULAR CONSERVATION CONCERN IN THE WESTERN DIVISION OF NEW-SOUTH-WALES

The Western Division of New South Wales is an arid and semi-arid region of 325 000 km2. Land use is chiefly grazing of sheep and some cattle on the native vegetation of extensive pastoral leases. Since the arrival of the first European explorers in 1817, 324 species and subspecies of native birds have been recorded in the Division. At least six of these have since become regionally extinct, another five have been reduced to the status of accidental vagrants, and at least nine others have undergone pronounced declines. Four native and six introduced species have colonised the Division, and at least four other native species have greatly expanded their ranges. Altogether, we estimate that 35% of the native bird taxa have decreased in abundance, 29% have increased, 23% have shown variable trends and 13% have been little affected We have identified 60 taxa that we consider threatened in the Division, comprising 23 taxa at national and taxon level, 23 in New South Wales and 14 in the Western Division. We have also identified 31 other taxa that are of conservation concern because of their restricted breeding distributions in the Division. The most general threat is habitat degradation through overgrazing by stock, feral animals and increased numbers of kangaroos. Other major threats are introduced predators (foxes Vulpes vulpes and feral cats Felis catus), altered fire regimes and clearing of native vegetation.