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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata	VU	resident (1998–2008)	40–100 pairs	A1
Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus	LC	resident (1998–2008)	uncommon	A3
Mallee Emu-wren Stipiturus mallee	EN	resident (2007)	20–100 pairs	A1, A2, A3
Purple-gaped Honeyeater Lichenostomus cratitius	LC	resident (1998–2008)	100–1,000 birds	A3
Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis	EN	resident (2007)	10–40 pairs	A1, A2, A3
Red-lored Whistler Pachycephala rufogularis	VU	resident (2007)	100–200 pairs	A1, A2, A3

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	rapid decline (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	very high

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Not assessed	Not assessed	Not assessed	not assessed

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Yarto N.F.R.	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
-	Heritage Agreement 1041	Conservation Covenant (-)	<1
1972	Scorpion Springs	Conservation Park (Ia)	3
1972	Mount Rescue	Conservation Park (Ia)	3
1972	Mount Shaugh	Conservation Park (Ia)	<1
1979	Big Desert	Wilderness Park (Ib)	15
1979	Wathe F.F.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	1
1982	Dattuck	Reference Area (Ia)	<1
1983	Red Bluff F.F.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	<1
1984	Telopea Downs	Reference Area (Ia)	<1
1990	Paradise F.F.R.	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	<1
1990	Lads Tank B.R.	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
1991	Birdcage F.F.R.	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	<1
1991	Patchewollock North B.R.	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
1992	North Wyperfeld	Wilderness Zone (Ib)	10
1992	South Wyperfeld	Wilderness Zone (Ib)	6
1992	Hopping Mouse Hill	Remote and Natural Area - Schedule 6, National Parks Act (II)	3
1992	Chinaman Flat	Wilderness Zone (Ib)	3
1992	Wimmera River	Heritage River (V)	2
1992	Broken Bucket Tank B.R.	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
1996	Rudds Rocks	Reference Area (Ia)	<1
1996	OSullivans Lookout	Reference Area (Ia)	<1
1996	Broombush	Reference Area (Ia)	<1
1997	Wyperfeld National Park	National Park (II)	12
1998	Lake Jerriwirrup	Reference Area (Ia)	<1
2002	Bronzewing B.R.	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
2003	Yarto B.R.	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
2005	Baring I253 B.R.	Natural Features Reserve (IV)	<1
2014	Bronzewing F.F.R	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	1
2016	Ngarkat	Conservation Park (Ia)	27

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	major (>10)	Callitris forests & woodlands; Eucalypt low open forests
Grassland	major (>10)	Hummock grasslands
Savanna	major (>10)	Eucalypt open woodlands
Shrubland	major (>10)	Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands; Heath; Mallee shrublands & woodlands
Desert	minor (<10)	Semi-desert (includes gibber plains)
Wetlands (inland)	minor (<10)	Ephemeral; Freshwater lakes & pools

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	minor (<10)
water management	minor (<10)

South Australian and Victorian Governments.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Wyperfeld, Big Desert and Ngarkat (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/wyperfeld-big-desert-and-ngarkat-iba-australia on 22/12/2024.