GROUP More than just a bird-watching group COG what is it? - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CANBERRA ORNITHILOGISTS GROUP

More than just a bird-watching group

COG – what is it?

• Dedicated to the

conservation of birds and their habitat

• 50 years old
• 30 years of data on birds
• Contributes to

environmentally sensitive and sustainable development in the ACT

• Works with a range of

partners and the community

White-winged Choughs

How do we do this?

Data Collection – surveying and monitoring

• Database informs future

planning to conserve and maintain ACT birds in the landscape

• Surveying and monitoring

data collected over 30 years

Typical Grassy Woodland Species – White -eared Honeyeater, Leaden Flycatcher , Rufous Whistler

Data Collection – surveying and monitoring

• Includes:
• 21 years of woodlands

survey

• 35 years of Garden Bird

Survey

• 10 plus years of

waterbird surveys in Jerrabomberra Wetlands in the ACT and Lakes George and Bathurst

Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve

Partnerships

COG works with a number

• f partners:
• ANU
• Woodlands and

Wetlands Trust

• ACT Conservation

Council

• CIMAG
• ACT Government
• Greening Australia

Bush-stone Curlew Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve

Research

• A range of research

activities supported

• Canberra Bird

Conservation Fund

• Supports ANU and

Canberra University PhD students doing research work on birds

• 14 projects to date

Survey at Jerrabomberra Wetlands

Citizen Science

• Citizen science - Gang-

gang Year of the Bird project

• engaged community in

reporting sightings of Gang-gangs over 12 months

• Analysis of data to

provide a much better picture of conservation needs of Gang-gangs

Gang-gang Cockatoo

WHAT HAVE BEEN OUR SUCCESSES?

Conservation Role

• Strong conservation stance about the natural

landscape in the ACT

• COG has influenced decision-making by ACT

Government agencies in urban development

• Data assisted with conservation of the

endangered Yellow Box/Redgum grassy woodland ecological ecosystem

Case Study - Mulligans Flat

• Data gathered since the

80s

• Grazed leasehold

earmarked for urban development

• Baseline data

highlighted ecological value and importance

• f the large area of

Yellow Box/Redgum grassy woodland

New Suburb of Casey

Case Study - Mulligans Flat

• Mulligans Flat was declared a

reserve in 1995 due to the survey and monitoring work by and lobbying of government by COG and other groups

• Now one of the largest and

most important Yellow Box/Redgum grassy woodland areas under public protection

• Site of a large scale woodlands

research and restoration experiment with the re- introduction of locally extinct species

Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary

Case Study - Throsby

• COG data contributed

to government decision to include area of the proposed new suburb

• f Throsby in

Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve

• Superb Parrot surveys

contributed significantly to outcome

Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve

Case Study - Throsby

• Reduces the

development footprint in Throsby

• Will help protect

Superb Parrot breeding trees

• Superb Parrots only

EPBC Act 1999 listed species regularly visiting Canberra

Superb Parrot

Listing of Threatened Species

• Data contributed to listing of

several bird species under ACT legislation

• Species threatened include
• Scarlet Robin, Brown

Treecreeper, Hooded Robin

Scarlet Robin Brown Treecreeper Hooded Robin

Where to from Here

• Helping to preserve the

“Bush Capital”

• Contribute to build the

bird knowledge base

• Maintain ongoing

research

• Continue survey work in

Greening Australia’s K2C program

Gang-gang Cockatoo feeding young

Where to from Here

• Continue work with the

Woodlands and Wetlands Trust on the re- introduction of the Bush- stone Curlew

• Develop further citizen

science activities such as more Bird of the Year projects

• Continue to raise

community awareness about the importance of birds in the landscape

Grey Cuckoo-shrike feeding young