A population of rare ground-dwelling birds has been discovered in an unexpected corner of South Australia.
Long thought to be entirely dependent on sparse native grasslands, the group of critically endangered plains-wanderers (Pedionomus torquatus) was spotted living in low, open shrubland far from its core range.
The finding, published in Ecology and Evolution, suggests the species may be more adaptable than previously believed.
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Plains-wanderer - a hidden population
The plains-wanderer is a small fawn-coloured, ground-dwelling bird. Standing 12-15cm tall, it is reminiscent of a quail, but has no close relatives. It is what scientists refer to as a 'living fossil' – an organism that has remained mostly unchanged for a very long time.
With fewer than 1,000 individuals thought to remain in the wild, every population counts. Yet before this study began, there had been fewer than 90 recorded sightings in South Australia over the past century.
All this changed when a research team from the University of Adelaide, surveying near the edge of the bird’s known distribution, encountered an astonishing 272 individuals.
"It was a surprise to find one plains-wanderer, let alone 272,” says co-author of the study Saskia Gerhardy, a PhD candidate at the university.
"South Australia has historically been considered marginal habitat for the species. We were immediately interested in understanding why there were so many birds living in habitat that had not been described as suitable for the species.”
To investigate, the team fitted some of the birds with tiny GPS trackers. “They’re lightweight and designed to sit comfortably between the birds’ wings, almost like a little hiking pack. This allowed us to follow their movements across the landscape without disturbing their natural behaviour,” says Gerhardy.
The tracking revealed a surprising behaviour. Rather than selecting open grassland, the plains-wanderers were seeking out low, prickly shrubland dominated by perennial shrub known as sclerolaena – or goathead burr. "While grassed regions were within our study region," explains Gerhardy, "we found the birds were avoiding these areas as they were too dense and did not provide enough open habitat.”
The findings challenge long-standing assumptions about the birds, says Gerhardy. "The fact the birds picked habitat that had specific composition, rather than specific species, suggests that vegetation structure, rather than plant species alone, is the key factor in habitat selection for the plains-wanderer.
"Our findings suggest a shift in how we understand the species – that plains-wanderers may be better described as compositional specialists than purely grassland specialists.”
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The researchers believe this new perspective could be pivotal when it comes to conserving the species. “As the habitat we identified in this study is common throughout much of South Australia’s arid and semi-arid interior, it is possible that there are more hidden plains-wanderer populations existing throughout this region,” Gerhardy says.
The work also underscores the importance of peripheral populations, which are often ignored in conservation planning but can be essential for a species’ long-term survival, says Gerhardy. “These groups might have unique genetic traits, show distinct behavioural adaptations, or act as a buffer if conditions in the core range decline. This research shows how even the most surprising findings can help shape a more hopeful future for endangered species.”
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The research took place on Boolcoomatta Station Reserve, managed by Bush Heritage Australia on Adnyamathanha and Wilyakali Country, 100 kilometres west of Broken Hill. Graeme Finlayson, Bush Heritage Australia’s SA Arid Rangelands Healthy Landscapes Manager, says the discovery is a major step forward.
“Bush Heritage began managing Boolcoomatta as a conservation reserve in 2006,” he says. “Before this research project commenced, we were only detecting plains-wanderer on the property in ones and twos, so this is a game changer in terms of how we think about the concept of a core range for this species and the likely importance of the Reserve for plains-wanderer conservation efforts.
"Back in 2019, I spotted three plains-wanderers in this location whilst out collecting data related to our monitoring of the species, and at the time we really hoped it was a breeding pair. To think that now, just a few short years later, we have found more than 250 plains-wanderers on the reserve is just incredible.”
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