Tribonyx mortierii

Scope: Global

Language: English

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Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
Animalia	Chordata	Aves	Gruiformes	Rallidae

Scientific Name:

Tribonyx mortierii Du Bus, 1840

Common Name(s):

English

–

Tasmanian Native-hen, Tasmanian Nativehen

Synonym(s):

Gallinula mortierii (Du Bus, 1840)

Tribonyx mortierii Christidis and Boles (2008)

Taxonomic Source(s):

Christidis, L. and Boles, W.E. 2008. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Australia.

Taxonomic Notes:

Tribonyx mortierii (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) was previously placed in the genus Gallinula.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2016
Date Assessed:	2016-10-01
Assessor(s):	BirdLife International
Reviewer(s):	Butchart, S. & Symes, A.
Facilitator/Compiler(s):	Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Fisher, S. & Harding, M.
Justification: Although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km²combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Previously published Red List assessments:	2012 – Least Concern (LC) Download assessment 2009 – Least Concern (LC) Download assessment 2008 – Least Concern (LC) Download assessment 2004 – Least Concern (LC) Download assessment 2000 – Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc) Download assessment 1994 – Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc) Download assessment 1988 – Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc) Download assessment

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:

This species formerly occurred on mainland Australia but disappeared around 4,700 years ago, roughly coinciding with the arrival of the dingo Canis familiaris. It is now restricted to Tasmania, Australia, although the species was introduced to Maria Island, off east Tasmania, in 1969.

Countries occurrence:

Native:

Australia

Additional data:

♦ Continuing decline in area of occupancy (AOO):	Unknown
♦ Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO):	No	♦ Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) - km2:	72800
♦ Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO):	Unknown	♦ Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO):	No
♦ Continuing decline in number of locations:	Unknown
♦ Extreme fluctuations in the number of locations:	No

Range Map:

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Population [top]

Population:

The global population size has not been quantified, but is very numerous within its range and is regarded as an agricultural pest.

Trend Justification: The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes.

Current Population Trend:

Unknown

Additional data:

♦ Number of mature individuals:	Unknown	♦ Continuing decline of mature individuals:	Unknown
♦ Extreme fluctuations:	No	♦ Population severely fragmented:	No
♦ Continuing decline in subpopulations:	Unknown
♦ Extreme fluctuations in subpopulations:	No	♦ All individuals in one subpopulation:	No

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species is found in a variety of habitats from open pasture and crops to permanent and seasonal freshwater wetlands. It requires short-grazed pasture for foraging and is currently dependent on swards maintained by introduced species (sheep, cattle and rabbits); swards were formerly maintained by grazing marsupials and by fire. It always breeds near water, usually from August-November, and mostly feeds on seeds and leaves, varying with the availability of plant species. It is flightless, making it very vulnerable to introduced predators.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater
Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat:	Unknown
Generation Length (years):	5.9
Movement patterns:	Not a Migrant

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The recent spread of foxes (Vulpes) to Tasmania is of concern, and although they are still scarce it is likely that they will impact upon T. mortierii in the long term.

Major Threat(s):

The recent spread of foxes (Vulpes) to Tasmania is of concern, and although they are still scarce it is likely that they will impact upon T. mortierii in the long term.

Citation:	BirdLife International. 2016. Tribonyx mortierii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22692900A93373971. . Downloaded on 19 April 2018.
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