Conservation actions for Australasian Bittern in north central Victoria
The following abstract is part of the Bringing Back the Bunyip Bird Australasian Bittern Conservation Summit (Leeton, 1-4 Feb, 2022).
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Damien Cook, Wetland Revival Trust, damien@wetlandrevivaltrust.org
Actions trialled to support and potentially increase the population of Australasian Bitterns in north central Victoria include environmental watering, revegetation, wetland construction, pest plant and animal control and engaging with land holders with farms that support potential Bittern habitat.
Wetlands supporting Bitterns in the region that receive environmental water range in size from small swamps on private land (<10 ha) to large wetlands on public land (up to 630 ha). The timing of initial water delivery and subsequent deliveries is critical to the success of initiating and maintaining Bittern breeding, as this determines wetland habitat characteristics including vegetation structure and overall productivity.
Watering is done in conjunction with complimentary activities including revegetation, which is used to enhance both breeding and foraging habitat for Bitterns and other threatened species, and pest plant and animal control.
Reedbed Swamp in Gutterum Forest on the floodplain of the Murray River was known to regularly support Australasian Bitterns until the 1980s. Lack of flooding because of river regulation and overgrazing by cattle destroyed the stands of reeds in the swamp and allowed the encroachment of River Red Gums.
A recent habitat restoration project initiated after grazing licenses were revoked has involved removal of young red gums, delivery of environmental water, and planting of reed and rush species to restore potential breeding habitat. Another project on private land has involved the construction of wetlands specifically designed and revegetated to create bittern habitat.