Sydney Olympic Park supports a regionally significant resident population of the White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons. It is present in small numbers in the wetland of Newington Nature Reserve, though has previously been recorded within the Coastal Saltmarsh of Badu Mangroves, which still has the potential to support the species.
The White-fronted Chat is a small insectivorous bird that forages in small flocks for midges, kelp-flies, beetles and other insects.
The species has a wide distribution across coastal and inland southern Australia, from Shark Bay in Western Australia around to the Queensland/New South Wales border. It occurs in saltmarsh and other damp areas with low vegetation, such as swampy farmland and roadside verges and sometimes beaches, lake edges and mudflats.
Males and females form pairs towards the end of winter. They sometimes nest in loose colonies, but males defend a small nest-site territory for at least some of the breeding season. Only the female builds the nest (guarded closely by the male at all times), but both sexes take equal roles in incubation and feeding of young. Repeat nesting is common after both successful and unsuccessful nests. Clutch size is small (2-3 eggs), and reproductive success is low, with most losses due to predation.
The White-fronted Chat has undergone decline over much of its range though remains common in coastal wetlands and rural areas and is not listed under threatened species legislation. In areas of high human population density, its decline is probably attributable to draining and filling of swamps for housing and other development, which has eliminated much of its habitat.
The White-fronted Chat population at Sydney Olympic Park is considered regionally significant as it is one of only two remaining populations in the Sydney region (the other is 20km away at Towra Point Nature Reserve, Botany Bay). Both are considered to be isolated, closed populations.
The Sydney Olympic Park population is entirely dependent on the habitats of the Park for its survival. The population was reported to comprise 60-100 birds in 1996, but targeted surveys suggest that the population has declined from just 19 birds in 2005 to 11 birds in 2007 (comprising 5 males and 6 females).
The decline to such a low number presents a high risk that the species will become locally extinct in the next 10 years, and the current population may be too small to be recoverable. Breeding activity of this species within the Park appears to be low, with low reproductive success.
White-fronted Chats would have utilised swampy wetlands that developed over former unremediated landfills, that were rehabilitated in the in the 1990s. More recently, works to conserve coastal Saltmarsh would have increased available habitat at Sydney Olympic Park.
Restrictions apply to management activities within the Coastal Saltmarsh of Newington Nature Reserve during spring to avoid disturbance to White-fronted Chat nest sites.
The population has been regularly monitored since 2005.
See Environment Reports for more information about White-fronted Chat surveys and management.
Print
Email
