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 may be small, 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 population is estimated to number 4,000-28,000 individuals, roughly equating to 2,700-19,000 mature individuals. This population is suspected to be in decline owing to habitat loss and degradation, disturbance, fires and drought (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
Trend justification
This population is suspected to be in decline owing to habitat loss and degradation, disturbance, fires and drought (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
This taxon is endemic to Australia. Nominate broadbenti occurs in near-coastal environments from Port Fairy, Victoria, to the mouth of the Murray River, South Australia. Subspecies caryochrous was thought to be largely confined to the coast between Peterborough and Point Addis east of Anglesea, Western Victoria, but is now known to occur extensively within the Otway Range. Subspecies litoralis, endemic to Western Australia, is extinct, probably as a result of fire, and was last seen in 1940 (Glauert 1944).
The species occurs in scrub, heathland and forest.
Historically, the range of the species has declined as a result of clearance for agriculture; habitat fragmentation has already resulted in the isolation of some subpopulations of broadbenti. On top of this, grazing by rabbits and modification by exotic weeds could have long-term effects for broadbenti, and concern has been expressed about its rates of infertility. Coastal urban development has also destroyed habitat, and is the greatest threat facing caryochrous, which, given its essentially linear distribution, is particularly vulnerable to fragmentation. For caryochrous, effects of fragmentation are likely to be exacerbated by periodic wildfire from which the habitat takes at least six years to become suitable again. The species may also be vulnerable to cat and fox predation (Garnett and Crowley 2000, Seymour et al. 2003).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Contributors
Garnett, S.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rufous Bristlebird Dasyornis broadbenti. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rufous-bristlebird-dasyornis-broadbenti on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.