The Goulburn Broken catchment serves as a vital sanctuary for numerous threatened native species, including the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater.
Goulburn Broken CMA project officer, Janice Mentiplay-Simith said the beautiful black and gold lace patterned Regent Honeyeater was critically endangered and a rare gem in the region.
“Today only several hundred Regent Honeyeaters remain, so any form of habitat loss is catastrophic,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said.
“As habitats shrink, animals and birds are squeezed into smaller, overlapping areas. This forces them to compete fiercely for food and space, often at the expense of vulnerable species like the Regent Honeyeater.
“The Regent Honeyeater is a flagship species, meaning conservation actions undertaken for this bird benefit a suite of threatened and declining woodland fauna such as the Swift Parrot, Superb Parrot, Brush-tailed Phascogale, Squirrel Glider and Painted Honeyeater.” Birdlife Australia’s Regent Honeyeater Recovery Team and hundreds of volunteers are working hard to save this beautiful bird.
For more than 25 years, the group has worked with the community, landholders and agencies to make significant changes across the Lurg, Winton and Benalla landscapes for the benefit of Regent Honeyeaters and other woodland birds, with more than 2,460ha of habitat protected and/or planted.
Activities undertaken to help this bird include Regent Honeyeater searches, population monitoring, genetic studies, radio and satellite tracking, working with landholders on habitat restoration and protection, pest bird control, nest protection, community engagement and education and working with agencies on captive breeding and release programs.
To learn more about the achievements of this project and to find out how you can be involved ‘hands on’ visit https://www.regenthoneyeater.org.au
