Boosting Regent Honeyeater numbers

FIVE healthy Regent Honeyeaters chicks are a sign of hope for their species which had 80 percent of their habitat destroyed by recent fires and struggled with aggressive Noisy Minor birds exploding in numbers.

The new chicks were able to make a fledgling start at restoring their species numbers thanks to the Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) and BirdLife Australia coming to their rescue.

Lyndel Wilson, team leader with Hunter LLS, said a culling program of the Noisy Minor birds has decreased 80 percent of the population in the Regents Honeyeaters habitat and given the species the chance to breed and feed their young.  

“This control program conducted over 1800 hectares of known breeding habitat has reduced the local Noisy Miner population by more than 80%,” said Ms Wilson.

“There is evidence that the remaining burnt areas are ‘opened up’, making the habitat more suitable to Miners” she said.

The culling program was conducted during winter to reduce competition for food during Spring and 20 captive-bred Regent Honeyeaters were released in areas with food sources such as Eucalypt blossom.

Two pairs of Honeyeaters have produced a total of five healthy chicks, being fed on insects and nectar from the local flowering Needle-leaf Mistletoe.

“This is the result we were hoping for,” Ms Wilson said.

“We are working with experts in our region, in New South Wales and nationally through the Recovery Team and Local Land Services to ensure the right actions happen when and where they are needed to support this species and its habitats.

“Having several breeding pairs in one valley, post bushfires and with key threats reduced, is the ultimate outcome for these bushfire response efforts,” Lyndall Wilson said.

The Hunter LLS and BirdLife Australia are continuing to monitor the breeding of the Regent Honeyeaters in the wild and ensuring numbers of Noisy Minors are kept in check.