Work continues to save noisy scrub birds

There will soon be a new population of one of Western Australia's most endangered and distinctive bird species following today's release of six noisy scrub birds into new habitat in the Jane National Park, near Northcliffe.

Environment Minister Donna Faragher said one female and five male noisy scrub birds were released by officers from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC).

Mrs Faragher said noisy scrub birds were thought to have been extinct before a small population was rediscovered at Two Peoples Bay near Albany in 1961.

She said the birds were small, solidly built and unable to fly more than a few metres, preferring to leap and climb.

"With only a few hundred known to exist in the wild, noisy scrub birds are among the most susceptible to the impact of bushfires in WA," the Minister said.

"Increasing the number of populations remains one of the most effective strategies for reducing the impact of fire on their population, alongside strategic prescribed burning and reservation of habitat.

"Since 1983, translocations have been instrumental in facilitating the growth and spread of the scrub bird population near Albany, but it is important to establish more populations to insure against the possible loss of big numbers of birds in a single bushfire event."

Mrs Faragher said Jane National Park was chosen because it provided appropriate food and habitat for the birds and it underwent a prescribed burn in May 2009.

Surveys also determined that no black rats, which are known to predate on scrub bird eggs and young, were detected in Jane National Park. 

"The birds selected for this translocation were from Bald Island off the Albany coast, which has supported a healthy population of scrub birds since they were translocated to the site in 1992," the Minister said.

"Interestingly, the noisy scrub birds are captured for translocation by being lured with taped recordings of their own calls, as they are very territorial birds and will investigate calls from other noisy scrub birds in the area.

"It is the most effective technique in capturing birds, but does require DEC staff to wait patiently for hours on end, playing back recordings of the male birds' loud and distinctive call before finally attracting the birds and trapping them in a net."

The translocated birds have been fitted with radio transmitters to allow tracking and monitoring.