Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence under 20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. The status of this species was recently reassessed against the IUCN Red List criteria at national level for the Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020 (Garnet and Baker 2021), and not found to approach or meet the thresholds for threatened status, thereby supporting its continuing treatment as globally Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be rare in Queensland and South Australia and vulnerable in New South Wales (Higgins et al. 2001). The nominate barbatus may number c.15,000 individuals. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat degradation (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
Trend justification
This population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat degradation (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
This species is found in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, Australia. Nominate barbatus has a restricted distribution of c.100 km2 on the floodplain of the Bulloo River on the New South Wales-Queensland border. Subspecies diamantina is found in the Lake Eyre Basin, south-western Queensland and north-eastern South Australia.
Cattle grazing is considered a threat, particularly in dry years, but stock numbers have probably been higher in the past. Diversion of water from the Bulloo River may be a threat in the future but is not currently planned (Garnett and Crowley 2000). Though subspecies diamantina's habitat of swampy shrubland is fragmented, it is extensive, and does not appear to have been degraded by pastoralism, the primary land-use (Garnett 1992).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Contributors
Garnett, S.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Grey Grasswren Amytornis barbatus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/grey-grasswren-amytornis-barbatus on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.