Using climate change models to inform the recovery of the western ground parrotPezoporus flaviventris

Abstract

Translocation of species to areas of former habitat after threats have been mitigated is a common conservation action. However, the long-term success of reintroduction relies on identification of currently available habitat and areas that will remain, or become, habitat in the future. Commonly, a short-term view is taken, focusing on obvious and assumed threats such as predators and habitat degradation. However, in areas subject to significant climate change, challenges include correctly identifying variables that define habitat, and considering probable changes over time. This poses challenges with species such as the western ground parrot Pezoporus flaviventris, which was once relatively common in near-coastal south-western Australia, an area subject to major climate change. This species has declined to one small population, estimated to comprise < 150 individuals. Reasons for the decline include altered fire regimes, introduced predators and habitat clearing. The establishment of new populations is a high priority, but the extent to which a rapidly changing climate has affected, and will continue to affect, this species remains largely conjecture, and understanding probable climate change impacts is essential to the prioritization of potential reintroduction sites. We developed high-resolution species distribution models and used these to investigate climate change impacts on current and historical distributions, and identify locations that will remain, or become, bioclimatically suitable habitat in the future. This information has been given to an expert panel to identify and prioritize areas suitable for site-specific management and/or translocation.

Variable effects of protected areas on long‐term multispecies trends for Australia's imperiled birds

“…Finally, paired monitoring protocols are not possible for all taxa, as identifying both protected and unprotected populations of the same taxa is challenging and sometimes impossible (Watson et al, 2011). The critically endangered Western Ground Parrot ( Pezoporus flaviventris ), once widespread across thousands of kilometers of coastal heathland, is now restricted to a single national park due to a combination of habitat clearing, altered fire regimes and introduced predators (Molloy, Burbidge, Comer, & Davis, 2020). Additionally, some taxa have migratory ranges extending across boundaries and are difficult to monitor consistently in fixed sites (e.g., the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater [ Anthochaera phrygia ]).…”

A critically co-endangered feather louse Forficuloecus pezopori n. sp. (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) detected through conservation intervention for the western ground parrot Pezoporus flaviventris (Psittaculidae)

“…wallicus (Kerr, 1792), following recent evidence ( Joseph et al, 2011 ; Murphy et al, 2011 ) and recognition in the Australian Faunal Directory and primary literature (e.g. Hamilton et al, 2017 , Molloy et al, 2020 , Newbey, 2016 , Thomas et al, 2020 , White et al, 2023 ; see also Burbidge et al, 2016 ). The western ground parrot is not currently recognised at the species level by prominent bird checklists ( BirdLife International, 2015 ; Clements et al, 2023 ).…”

Presence of Endangered Red-Crowned Parrots (Amazona viridigenalis) Depends on Urban Landscapes

“…The cell size chosen represented a balance of the original datasets' grid sizes, which ranged from 1 km to 30 m, and allowed us to easily detail the range of Red-crowned Parrots. Previous studies on parrot distributions generally used rather coarse grid sizes (>1 km) [40,41], so, while 300 m 2 may not have been detailed enough to specify tree species or microhabitats, it could adequately describe important drivers of distribution at a broad scale.…”