• Summary
• Text account
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• Reference and further resources

Site description (2008 baseline):

This IBA is defined as the conservation areas of the the Pilliga woodlands and scrub between the towns of Pilliga, Baradine, Coonabarabran and Narrabri in inland NSW. The IBA takes in the the Community Conservation Areas zones 1-4 (i.e. including Conservation Areas and much of the State Forests), all conservation areas managed by NSW NPWS and two private blocks, and includes the nearby Warrumbungle NP. Additional contiguous woodland on private land may be worthy of inclusion within the IBA but there is insufficient supporting bird survey data. The nearby Brigalow Belt Nature Reserve, which supports Painted Honeyeaters, is also included, however other suitable habitta around Narrabri, including network of smaller remnants surrounding Narrabri (including Yarrie Lake, Killarney, Bobbiwaa and Moema State Forests) need further survey work before inclusion. The whole Pilliga is important for woodland birds including Diamond Firetail and Painted Honeyeater, mainly along creeks, and the Bush Thick-knee along forest edges, and includes the Baradine/Yearinan Creek in central Pilliga (Regent Honeyeater), the eastern Pilliga (Swift Parrot), a large area of southern Namoi River catchment and Castlereagh River catchment. The area has a warm-temperate climate and is dominated by Ironbark, Red Gum, Callitris and Box woodlands and forests with areas of scrub and heath, and is the largest tract of dry sclerophyll forest in NSW. Much of the areas has been logged and logging continues in some areas with high densities of White Cypress Pine Callitris glaucophylla and Narrow-leaved Ironbark Eucalyptus crebra but the Pilliga Nature Reserve has been unlogged since 1931. Some fuel-reduction fires are undertaken in the eastern Pilliga, and fuel-reduction grazing in the western Pilliga, but the whole area suffers from wild-fires.

There are irregular records of the Endangered Swift Parrot, e.g. on Barkala in 2002 (B. Williams), and Warrumbungle NP in 2005 (H. Stevens). Regent Honeyeater has declined over the last ten years (D. Geering, pers. comm.) and must be considered an occasional breeding visitor at present. No known Malleefowl mounds in the IBA since 1991 but two immatures seen in 2001 (J. Squire). The near threatened Bush Stone-curlew only occasionally seen in the IBA, status uncertain (one record in Atlas of Australian Birds surveys from 1998 to 2008). Australasian Bittern has been recorded (D. Paull in litt. 2007). The woodlands support the largest population of Barking Owls and other declining woodland species in NSW. One hundred and seventy bird species were recorded in the IBA during surveys in 1991-1993 (Date et al. 2002) and in 1999-2000 (NSW NPWS 2000) and over 200 bird species recorded for the Pilliga (D. Johnston pers. comm.). A total of 125 bird species recorded from Barkala, including Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Grey-crowned Babbler, Speckled Warbler, Brown Treecreeper, Hooded Robin and Turquoise Parrot as common residents. Single sightings of the biome-restricted Black Honeyeater and the near threatened Flame Robin reported in the Atlas of Australian Birds surveys from 1998 to 2008 (Atlas of Australian Birds database).

Non-bird biodiversity: At least 36 native mammal species (including 16 bat species), 9 introduced mammal species, 50 reptile species and at least 15 amphibian species have been recorded in the Nature Reserve, including at least 21 species listed as threatened in NSW, including the Pilliga Mouse.

Observe Ecological Sustainable Forest Management Practices in logged areas. Control grazing herbivores which graze native grasses needed by Diamond Firetails. Promote creekside revegetation on private land.

DECC NSW undertaking post-fire research project, Forests NSW undertake pre-logging surveys. "Barkala" signed to conservation agreement with Namoi Catchment Management Authority, including fencing off of native vegetation and creek.

Numerous - see separate section.

NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, Forests NSW, R. & M. Rickert (Barkala), R. & I. Hawley "Blue Valley".

All private land owners and managers require prior notification for access.

Alan Morris, David Geering (DECC), Elizabeth Date, Stephen Naven (NPWS) and Carl Gosper contributed information. David Johnston (Pilliga Bird Watchers Group), Helen Stevens and Michael Murphy (DECC) have been monitoring birds. Owners of "Barkala" and "Blue Valley" have kindly granted access.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pilliga (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pilliga-iba-australia on 22/11/2024.