The Maleny Community Precinct Master Plan includes an area now referred to as the Southern Wetland. This is shown as the lower of the two wetland areas in this graphic.
Green Hills, as part of the Precinct Community Advisory Group, was recently asked by the Council to comment on a proposed management plan for this area. The below species list was included in the Green Hills response to Council.
Although the wetlands are classified as palustrine, for several months of the year there is open water in the central channel. During periods of dry conditions in the interior, many wetlands on the Blackall Range provide a refuge for waterbirds from inland waterways. During the last ten-year drought, birds such as Grey Teal, Hardheads and Magpie Geese were seen in the southern wetland. The Magpie Geese grazed in the littoral zone and bred in nearby dams that had more extensive open water.
We contend that the southern wetland is indeed an important habitat, not only for birds, but other wetland dependent animals.
List of Birds recorded for the Southern Wetland on the Maleny Community Precinct.
BIRDS
Observations from regular visits since 1980 by Greg Czechura (Queensland Museum) and visits since 2001 by Dr. Les Hall.
Species recorded that are dependent on the southern wetland as a feeding, breeding and roosting habitat.
Magpie Goose
Anseranas semipalmata
Pacific Black Duck
Anas superciliosa
Hardhead
Aythyya australis
Grey Teal
Anas gracilis
Australasian Grebe
Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
White-faced Heron
Egretta novaehollandiae
Pacific Heron
Ardea pacifica
Bush-hen
Amaurornis olivaceus
Latham’s Snipe
Gallinago hardwickii
Purple Swamphen
Porphyrio porphyrio
Dusky Moorhen
Gallinula tenebrosa
Eurasian Coot
Fulica atra
Little Black Cormorant
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Little Pied Cormorant
Microcarbo melanoleucos
Buff-banded Rail
Gallirallus philippensis
Masked Lapwing
Vanellus miles
Clamorous Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus stentoreus
Golden-headed Cisticola
Cisticola exilis
Tawny Grassbird
Megalurus timoriensis
List of species that have been recorded from the immediate area of the southern wetland and that would obtain food and shelter from the wetland and its surrounding riparian vegetation. The presence of a number of raptors indicates that the wetlands provide a good source of food for these birds.
Australian Wood Duck
Chenonetta jubata
Cattle Egret
Ardea ibis
Straw-necked Ibis
Threshkiornis spinicollis
Black-shouldered Kite
Elanus axillaris
Swamp Harrier
Circus approximans
Brown Falcon
Falco berigoria
Grey Goshawk
Accipiter novaehollandiae
Nankeen Kestrel
Falco cenchroides
Brown Cuckoo-dove
Macropygia amboinensis
Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo
Calyptorhynchus funereus
Rainbow Lorikeet
Trichoglossus haematodus
Australian King-parrot
Alisterus scapularis
Pale-headed Rosella
Platycercus adscitus
Common Koel
Eudynamys scolopacea
Pheasant Coucal
Centropus phasianinus
Laughing Kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher
Todiramphus sanctus
Rainbow Bee-eater
Merops ornatus
Dollarbird
Eurystomus orientalis
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Malurus melanocephalus
Striated Pardalote
Pardalotus striatus
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Entomyzon cyanotis
Lewin’s Honeyeater
Meliphaga lewinii
Brown Honeyeater
Lichmera indistincta
Golden Whistler
Pachycephala pectoralis
Magpie-lark
Grallina cyanoleuca
Grey Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Willy Wagtail
Rhipidura leucophrys
Spangled Drongo
Dicrurus bracteatus
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Coracina novaehollandiae
Figbird
Sphecotheres viridis
Pied Butcherbird
Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie
Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong
Strepera graculina
Torresian Crow
Corvus orru
Red-browed Finch
Neochima temporalis
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
Brown Quail
Coturnix ypsilophora
Australasian Pipit
Anthus novaeseelandiae
Tree Martin
Hirundo nigricans
Dusky Woodswallow
Artamus cyanopterus
White-breasted Woodswallow
Artamus leucogaster
Go to Mammals and Frogs Species List