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Pedionomus torquatus
– Endangered
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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CHARADRIIFORMES
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Family:
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PEDIONOMIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Pedionomus torquatus
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Species Authority:
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Gould, 1841
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Common Name/s:
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| English | — | PLAINS-WANDERER |
| French | — | HÉMIPODE À COLLIER, PÉDIONOME ERRANT |
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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EN C2a(ii) ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2007
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Assessor/s:
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Birdlife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Bird, J. & Butchart, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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This species is listed as Endangered because it has a very small population that is experiencing ongoing decline owing to cultivation and overgrazing of natural grassland.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Threatened (Collar and Andrew 1988) |
| 1994 | - | Vulnerable (Collar, Crosby and Stattersfield 1994) |
| 2000 | - | Endangered (BirdLife International 2000) |
| 2004 | - | Endangered (BirdLife International 2004) |
| 2006 | - | Endangered (BirdLife International 2006) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Pedionomus torquatus is endemic to Australia. It is found in high densities only in the Riverina region of New South Wales. Here, the population may be as high as 5,500 birds after good years, but can decline to about 1,000 in poor years. In northern Victoria, there are fewer than 500 individuals. In Queensland, low densities occur in the south-west and central areas, but no recent surveys have been completed. It has become effectively extinct in south-west Victoria, south-east South Australia, eastern New South Wales and south-east Queensland. Numbers may vary between less than 2,500 birds after years with lower than average rainfall, to 8,000 birds in good years. The area of occupancy may be as low as 1,000 km2 1.
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Range Map:
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 (click for detailed map)
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Countries:
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Native:
Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia - possibly extinct regionally, Victoria)
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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It favours sparse grasslands with c.50% bare ground, widely spaced plants up to 0.1 m high and remaining standing vegetation less than 0.05 m in height. It is sedentary for as long as the habitat remains suitable.
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System:
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Terrestrial
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List of Habitats:
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| 4.4 | Grassland - Temperate |
| 4.5 | Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
| 14.1 | Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land |
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Threats
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Threats:
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The cultivation of native grassland has virtually extinguished the species from southern South Australia and Victoria and is increasing across the Riverina. Even if left to recover, habitat remains unsuitable for decades. Where patches survive, they are often too few and dispersed to be suitable. High levels of grazing cause the desertion of an area, possibly because birds become too vulnerable to predators. Pesticides for locust control may kill birds, directly or indirectly. Foxes may be significant predators near crops.
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List of Threats:
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| 1.1.1.3 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Agro-industry farming (ongoing) |
| 1.1.4.2 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Livestock - Small-holder (ongoing) |
| 1.1.4.3 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Livestock - Agro-industry (ongoing) |
| 2.2 | Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) - Predators (ongoing) |
| 6.2.1 | Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Land pollution - Agriculture (ongoing) |
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Conservation measures underway:
Management actions completed or underway include extensive surveys in New South Wales, Victoria and south-east South Australia, detailed research on habitat requirements, recovery planning in New South Wales and Victoria, and incorporation of habitat in the protected-areas estate in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Locust control spraying is now regulated in Plains-Wanderer habitat.
Conservation measures proposed:
Refine population estimates in Queensland and northern South Australia. Monitor populations and habitat condition, and provide feedback to land-holders. Survey for suitable habitat in New South Wales and Queensland and identify areas of high conservation value for the species. Negotiate uncultivated, buffered refuge areas, and integrate into regional conservation plans.
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List of Conservation Actions:
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| 1.4 | Policy-based actions - Other (needed) |
| 3.2 | Research actions - Population numbers and range (needed) |
| 3.5 | Research actions - Threats (needed) |
| 3.9 | Research actions - Trends/Monitoring (needed) |
| 4.1 | Habitat and site-based actions - Maintenance/Conservation (needed) |
| 4.4.1 | Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Identification of new protected areas (needed) |
| 4.4.2 | Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (needed) |
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Bibliography
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Bibliography:
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Baillie, J. and Groombridge, B. (compilers and editors) 1996. 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Bird Reference Citations. The numbers inserted in the text accounts above (usually in bold) refer to references. For further details on these references, click on the BirdLife International link above to go to the specific species account on the BirdLife web site. In some cases, particularly in the taxonomic notes, the references are cited using the author names. Details for these can be found on the BirdLife International web site at the following two places:
For References from A–L.
For References from M–Z. BirdLife International 2006. Threatened Birds of the World 2006. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 04/05/2006. BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, U.K. BirdLife International. 2004 Threatened Birds of the World 2004. CD-ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K. Collar, N.J. and Andrew, P. 1988. Birds to Watch. The ICBP World Checklist of Threatened Birds. ICBP Technical Publication No. 8. Page Bros. (Norwich) Ltd, Norfolk, England. Collar, N.J., Crosby, M.J. and Stattersfield, A.J. 1994. Birds to Watch 2. The World List of Threatened Birds BirdLife International. Page Bros (Norwich) Ltd, U.K. IUCN. 1990. 1990 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
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