Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Summary This large block of woodland supports strong populations of the vulnerable Painted Honeyeater and near threatened Diamond Firetail, irregular numbers of the endangered Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater and the near-threatened Bush Thick-knee, and good numbers of other declining woodland birds.

Ornithological information There are irregular records of the Endangered Swift Parrot, e.g. on Barkala in 2002 (B. Williams), and Warrumbungle NP in 2005 (H. Stevens). Regent Honeyeater has declined over the last ten years (D. Geering, pers. comm.) and must be considered an occasional breeding visitor at present. No known Malleefowl mounds in the IBA since 1991 but two immatures seen in 2001 (J. Squire). The near threatened Bush Stone-curlew only occasionally seen in the IBA, status uncertain (one record in Atlas of Australian Birds surveys from 1998 to 2008). Australasian Bittern has been recorded (D. Paull in litt. 2007). The woodlands support the largest population of Barking Owls and other declining woodland species in NSW. One hundred and seventy bird species were recorded in the IBA during surveys in 1991-1993 (Date et al. 2002) and in 1999-2000 (NSW NPWS 2000) and over 200 bird species recorded for the Pilliga (D. Johnston pers. comm.). A total of 125 bird species recorded from Barkala, including Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Grey-crowned Babbler, Speckled Warbler, Brown Treecreeper, Hooded Robin and Turquoise Parrot as common residents. Single sightings of the biome-restricted Black Honeyeater and the near threatened Flame Robin reported in the Atlas of Australian Birds surveys from 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database).

Site description This IBA is defined as the conservation areas of the the Pilliga woodlands and scrub between the towns of Pilliga, Baradine, Coonabarabran and Narrabri in inland NSW. The IBA takes in the the Community Conservation Areas zones 1-4 (i.e. including Conservation Areas and much of the State Forests), all conservation areas managed by NSW NPWS and two private blocks, and includes the nearby Warrumbungle NP. Additional contiguous woodland on private land may be worthy of inclusion within the IBA but there is insufficient supporting bird survey data. The nearby Brigalow Belt Nature Reserve, which supports Painted Honeyeaters, is also included, however other suitable habitta around Narrabri, including network of smaller remnants surrounding Narrabri (including Yarrie Lake, Killarney, Bobbiwaa and Moema State Forests) need further survey work before inclusion. The whole Pilliga is important for woodland birds including Diamond Firetail and Painted Honeyeater, mainly along creeks, and the Bush Thick-knee along forest edges, and includes the Baradine/Yearinan Creek in central Pilliga (Regent Honeyeater), the eastern Pilliga (Swift Parrot), a large area of southern Namoi River catchment and Castlereagh River catchment. The area has a warm-temperate climate and is dominated by Ironbark, Red Gum, Callitris and Box woodlands and forests with areas of scrub and heath, and is the largest tract of dry sclerophyll forest in NSW. Much of the areas has been logged and logging continues in some areas with high densities of White Cypress Pine Callitris glaucophylla and Narrow-leaved Ironbark Eucalyptus crebra but the Pilliga Nature Reserve has been unlogged since 1931. Some fuel-reduction fires are undertaken in the eastern Pilliga, and fuel-reduction grazing in the western Pilliga, but the whole area suffers from wild-fires.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Brigalow Park	Nature Reserve	202	protected area contained by site	202
Merriwindi CCA Zone 3 State	Conservation Area	1,714	protected area contained by site	1,714
Pilliga	Nature Reserve	83,726	protected area contained by site	83,726
Pilliga CCA Zone 1	National Park	10,603	protected area contained by site	10,603
Pilliga CCA Zone 3 State	Conservation Area	33,278	protected area contained by site	33,278
Pilliga East CCA Zone 3 State	Conservation Area	24,626	protected area contained by site	24,626
Pilliga West CCA Zone 1	National Park	7,893	protected area contained by site	7,893
Pilliga West CCA Zone 3 State	Conservation Area	34,169	protected area contained by site	34,169
Timallallie CCA Zone 1	National Park	39,287	protected area contained by site	39,287
Warrumbungle	National Park	23,575	protected area contained by site	23,198
Yarragin CCA Zone 1	National Park	3,123	protected area contained by site	3,123

Habitats

Land ownership NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, Forests NSW, R. & M. Rickert (Barkala), R. & I. Hawley "Blue Valley".

Land use

Other biodiversity At least 36 native mammal species (including 16 bat species), 9 introduced mammal species, 50 reptile species and at least 15 amphibian species have been recorded in the Nature Reserve, including at least 21 species listed as threatened in NSW, including the Pilliga Mouse.

Management considerations Observe Ecological Sustainable Forest Management Practices in logged areas. Control grazing herbivores which graze native grasses needed by Diamond Firetails. Promote creekside revegetation on private land.

Protection status Numerous - see separate section.

Conservation response DECC NSW undertaking post-fire research project, Forests NSW undertake pre-logging surveys. "Barkala" signed to conservation agreement with Namoi Catchment Management Authority, including fencing off of native vegetation and creek.

Access/Land-Owner requests All private land owners and managers require prior notification for access.

Acknowledgements Alan Morris, David Geering (DECC), Elizabeth Date, Stephen Naven (NPWS) and Carl Gosper contributed information. David Johnston (Pilliga Bird Watchers Group), Helen Stevens and Michael Murphy (DECC) have been monitoring birds. Owners of "Barkala" and "Blue Valley" have kindly granted access.

References Atlas of New South Wales Wildlife (2007) Species list for Pilliga Nature Reserve. Downloaded from http://wildlifeatlas.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/wildlifeatlas/watlas.jsp on 1 October 2007.

Date, E.M., Ford, H.A. and Recher, H.F. (2002) Impacts of logging, fire and grazing regimes on bird species assemblages of the Pilliga woodlands of New South Wales. Pacific Conservation Biology 8: 177-195.

Cooney, S.J.N. and Watson, D.M. (2005) Diamond Firetails preferentially nest in Mistletoe. Emu 105: 317-322.

NSW NPWS (2000) Preliminary fauna survey (Stage 1). NSW Western Regional Assessments. RACAC.

NSW NPWS (2002) Vertebrate fauna survey, analysis and modelling projects. NSW Western Regional Assessments, RACD, Sydney.

Traill, B.J. and Duncan, S. (2000) Status of birds in the New South Wales Temperate woodlands region. Consultancy report to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Australian Woodlands Conservancy: Chiltern, Victoria.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Pilliga. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013

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