Riparian bird communities in relation to land management practices in floodplain woodlands of south-eastern Australia Original Research Article

Bird communities are declining in south-eastern Australia and riparian woodlands are critical habitats for birds in this agricultural region. We investigated how terrestrial bird communities varied with different land management practices (levels of grazing by domestic livestock and extent of clearing) and with habitat quality on the floodplains of the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers. Bird community composition in ungrazed and lightly grazed sites was significantly different to that in more heavily grazed sites, and these differences were related to tree and shrub cover, as well as tree species diversity and abundance of standing dead trees. Grazing appeared to have an effect on bird communities separate from that caused by clearing. Indicator species were identified for the effects of grazing and clearing. Grazing by livestock has had negative impacts on riparian birds through degradation of habitat quality. A combination of lower stocking rates, strategic placement of off-river watering points for stock, and the introduction of rotational grazing practices may be used to restore riparian habitat quality. The grazing-sensitive species we identified could be used as indicator species for the success of rehabilitation efforts.