More than 50 species of ‘bush bird’ have been recorded at Sydney Olympic Park in recent years. These species are mainly associated with the remnant forest of Newington Nature Reserve and shrubby areas within and around the Brickpit, but bush birds can be seen throughout the Park, wherever suitable habitat is present.
Bush birds at Sydney Olympic Park are defined as species that are dependent on woodland and forest habitats, excluding urban opportunists and agressive species such as the Noisy Miner, Rainbow Lorikeet and Australian Raven. Bush birds require structurally complex habitat comprising a mix of tree, shrub and groundcover species to provide a variety of food resources as well as dense thickets for shelter and nest sites.
Sydney Olympic Park supports a high diversity and abundance of bush birds, despite being relatively isolated by surrounding suburbs from other woodland and forest habitats. The bush bird species that have been recorded at the Park since 2004 include the following:
Although none of the bush bird species at Sydney Olympic Park are listed under threatened species legislation, many bush birds are in severe decline across Australia as a result of habitat loss. Over one third of Australia's original woodland habitat has been cleared, and the remaining vegetation is often fragmented, thinned or degraded.
As well as conservation of woodland and forest remnants, a priority action to address these declines is the restoration of structural and spatial diversity to vegetation patches by planting or promoting the regeneration of a mixture of tree, shrub and groundcover species. Patch size and shape are also important; small patches of habitat and linear patches favour only the very common urban birds, particularly the more aggressive species such as the Noisy Miner and Rainbow Lorikeet. A more protected, ‘core’ area suitable for bush birds can be established by maximising patch size (to at least 2-4 hectares where possible) and ensuring that patches are round or squarish rather than long and thin. Improving connectivity between habitat patches is important too as it assists species to move between foraging and breeding sites.
Vegetation remnants at Sydney Olympic Park are conserved, and expanded where possible through planting programs that incorporate a mixture of tree, shrub and groundcover species to maximise structural diversity. Trees are well-spaced while shrubs are densely planted.
Supplementary planting programs are improving the habitat value of tree plantings that took place around the Park during site redevelopment. These plantings are not likely to support large numbers of bush birds in the long term because of their structural simplicity, small patch size and lack of connectivity. While planted tree saplings initially support bush bird species by functioning as shrub habitat, they become progressively unsuitable as they mature. Supplementary planting of shrub and groundcover species amongst these trees will provide bush bird habitat into the future.
Removal of woody weeds such as Lantana that provide bush bird habitat is undertaken in stages, with small areas removed at a time.Native species are then planted to provide replacement habitat. The next stage of weed removal commences only after the replacement habitat has established.
More information is available at Birds in Backyards