Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The Araluen-Wungong IBA supports at least 1% of the non-breeding population of the endangered Baudin's Black-Cockatoo and smaller numbers of the endangered Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo. The IBA boundaries are defined by native vegetation within a 6 km foraging radius of known non-breeding season roost sites for Baudin's Black-Cockatoo in the Darling Range in south-west Western Australia. Foraging distance has been determined by research undertaken by the Western Australian Museum (T. Kirkby, Western Australian Museum, pers. comm. 2009). The IBA consists of all native vegetation greater than 1 ha on private land, water catchment areas, state forests, nature reserves and other reserves. Pasture, crops, non-native plants, weed species and orchards are excluded from the IBA. The 1 ha minimum native vegetation criterion has been determined by experts in a consultation process undertaken by the Australian Government (C. Gole pers. comm. 2009). The area has a Mediterranean climate.
The forest redtail subspecies of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (
Calyptorhynchus banksii naso) is listed as vulnerable under the Australian federal government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This subspecies is a breeding resident of the IBA. Numbers of breeding Red-tailed Cockatoos in this IBA have been monitored for a number of years by the Western Australian Museum (T. Kirkby, Western Australian Museum, pers. comm. 2009). There is a single record of the biome-restricted Regent Parrot near Wungong Gorge (T. Kirkby, Western Australian Museum, pers. comm. 2009).
Non-bird biodiversity: This large IBA is likely to contain a number of other threatened flora and fauna. Details of these are available from the Department of Environment and Conservation, Threatened Species and Communities Branch.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
European Honeybee (feral bee) control and mitigation of illegal shooting, particularly for Baudin's Black-Cockatoo. Active prevention of fruit crop damage by Baudin’s Black-Cockatoo by permanent netting and scaring by gas guns and shooting to scare (DEC 2008).
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
For a number of years, a research and monitoring project has been conducted by the Western Australian Museum to document the distribution and movements of Baudin's Black-Cockatoo in the non-breeding season and the breeding and ecology of Forest Red-tailed Cockatoo (
Calyptorhynchus banksii naso). Incidental records of Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo have been obtained during the course of this project.
The IBA overlaps with five protected areas.
Private landholders (orchardists, farmers, peri-urban residents); state forests (Department of Environment and Conservation); local government; service providers (Western Power); Water Corporation.
Site access / Land-owner requests
Access to private land and areas with restricted access must be arranged with individual land-holders.
Cheryl Gole (WWF-Australia and Birds Australia Western Australia) prepared the nomination. Kellie Mantle (Department of Environment and Conservation) provided mapping assistance. The Forest Cockatoos Recovery Team (Department of Environment and Conservation) provided input on thresholds for Baudin's Black-Cockatoo. Tony Kirkby and Ron Johnstone (Western Australian Museum) provided invaluable advice, support and data.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Araluen-Wungong (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/araluen-wungong-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.
