Last Calls of the Curlew from the Central West

Burhinus grallarius or, in plain English, "big nosed bird that runs around on stilts" looking for same.

Finding the love of your life can be an exasperating task if you live on a farm in the Australian Outback - especially if you are one of three eligible bachelors in a community of only six families. Even if you have your own property and are willing to commit for a life-time, your call may remain unanswered. Being a Bush Stone-curlew has never been more difficult in the dusty Central West of New South Wales.

The Bush-stone curlew is one of the most iconic outback birds, and sadly one of the most endangered. For the curlews of Quandialla near West Wyalong in the Central West, the difference between survival and extinction is about $1,000 per bird. With only six breeding pairs and about three to four available single birds left in this small rural community this should not be an impossible ask.

Once common in the Australian bush, the Stone-curlew is a most unusual looking bird with a lifestyle to match the looks.

Bush stone-curlews are nocturnal, ground dwelling birds. Their long legs allow them to stand up to 60cm tall above the grass, with their huge eyes looking out for possible danger in the dark. The curlew's only defence is its grey-brown plumage that camouflages it perfectly. As soon as a predator approaches the birds do not flee but crouch and freeze close to the ground. This strategy has saved generations of curlews from native predators such as dingoes, but it is no match for the introduced foxes that have pushed wildlife everywhere to the brink of extinction.

Living among cattle and sheep is also a challenge for a species that only lays one to three eggs in a shallow depression on the ground. Both parents share the load of incubating and feeding the chicks, and the young stay with their parents for about 50 days, however, both eggs and chicks are in danger from predators and from being trampled.

Habitat fragmentation through clearing and development is another problem for the curlews that once lived in groups of up to 50 to 100 birds. Breeding pairs mate for life, which is a considerable thirty years, and stay in their territory of about 25 hectares. This area must include some native vegetation and fallen timber for the birds to find enough food and protection for their chicks.

The Silence of the Curlews
The curlews' slow decline has been noted by the absence of their most intriguing quality, the call that earned them the nick-name of the "wailing-baby birds". Spooky at times, it has frightened campers who are unfamiliar with the sounds of the bush after dark. Today mainly the older residents of the town of Quandialla remember the "the whining baby bird", and they are the first ones to notice that it had become increasingly quiet out there.

Like the Kookaburra, the curlews are social birds that call and answer in groups. Once one bird starts, the others join one by one until they all fall silent and then start all over again. Scientists use this social behaviour to monitor Bush Stone-curlews in the wild. Rather than trying to spot a perfectly still, camouflaged bird in the pitch black, they play a recording of the call at night and simply wait for the birds to answer.

Bush Stone-curlew populations have declined across Australia, but not all is lost for the species as a whole, nor for our 15-bird community near West Wyalong.

The Silver Lining
Bush Stone-curlews have adapted remarkably well to agricultural landscapes. On Kangaroo Island, where there are no foxes, the birds have benefited greatly from vegetation clearance for farming. They are now widespread in agricultural areas with remnants of native vegetation, but are largely absent from areas of dense native vegetation.

A captive breeding program could increase the survival rate of chicks dramatically, but until foxes have been removed from their habitat, any birds released into the wild would immediately be included in the fox's dinner menu.

The little curlew community has one great advantage - the human neighbours are on their side. Farmers are keen to get rid of foxes to protect their lambs, and if this also saves the curlews, even better. The Bush Stone-curlew has an iconic status in the community and its call at night is appreciated as part of the area's cultural heritage.

With foxes being by far the greatest problem for the birds, it is important to start with a baiting program. Reducing fox numbers will go hand in hand with a campaign to promote active conservation. Preserving fallen timber on private land, fencing curlew breeding sites off from grazing stock and coordinating baiting season with curlew breeding season are all important steps to make this program work.

At $1,000 per bird this rescue mission is within reach of all of us. Your donation, however small, can ensure that the curlew chicks of the next breeding season will not end up as fox food, and that those lonely youngsters will find a mate to raise many more generations of Bush Stone-curlews.

If you can help us give this species a chance, please make your donation by cheque or online and we will direct 100% of your donation to the wildlife emergency fund to go towards the species featured in this newsletter.

• Click here to donate online
• Mail to: (Click here to print a donation form)
  Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife
  "Wildlife Emergency Fund"
  GPO Box 2666
  Sydney NSW 2001

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