This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Bush Stone-curlew | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bush Stone-curlew |
| Status | NT |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Burhinus |
| Species | B. grallarius |
| Authority | (Latham, 1801) |
Bush Stone-curlew The Bush Stone-curlew is a nocturnal Australian bird of the family Burhinidae noted for its cryptic plumage and wailing calls. It features in Australian conservation discussions involving the Australian National University, BirdLife International, New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and community groups like BirdLife Australia. The species has attracted attention from institutions such as the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, researchers at the University of Sydney, and wildlife managers from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (Queensland).
Described by John Latham in 1801, the species is placed in the genus Burhinus within the family Burhinidae, with early taxonomic work referenced by figures like George Shaw and curated in collections at the Natural History Museum, London. Nomenclatural treatments have been considered in global lists like those maintained by the International Ornithologists' Union and syntheses by the Handbook of the Birds of the World (Lynx Edicions). Regional checklists from the Atlas of Living Australia and museum catalogues at the Australian Museum document intraspecific variation and historical synonyms used by naturalists such as John Gould. Common names have appeared in field guides published by authors associated with the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales and conservation bodies including Environment Australia.
Adult birds have cryptic grey-brown plumage, long legs and yellow eyes, a morphology discussed in field guides by Peter Slater, Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight and illustrated in plates from the National Library of Australia. Diagnostic features are compared across media in resources from the National Audubon Society and identification seminars hosted by the Australian Bird Study Association. Morphometrics and vocal description data are incorporated in faunal accounts produced by the CSIRO and observational reports submitted to the eBird database and the Museum Victoria collection. Sexual dimorphism and juvenile plumage are described in academic papers from the University of Melbourne and notes published in the Emu (journal).
The species occurs across mainland Australia with regional populations recorded in territories managed by the Northern Territory Government, Queensland Government, Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, and Parks Victoria. Historical and recent distribution mapping has been compiled by the Atlas of Living Australia, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and conservation assessments by IUCN. Habitats include open woodlands, grasslands and savanna studied in ecological surveys conducted by the CSIRO and university research teams at the University of Queensland and the James Cook University. Local occurrence records are held by state agencies such as the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and community groups like the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.
Bush Stone-curlew are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, behaviors analyzed in nocturnal bird studies funded by institutions like the Australian Research Council and monitored by citizen science projects coordinated by BirdLife Australia and BirdLife International. Their vocal repertoire and night-time activity have been subjects of acoustic research at the Macquarie University wildlife acoustics lab and comparative behavior reviews in the Royal Society publishing network. Territoriality, predator avoidance and interactions with introduced species have been addressed in management plans prepared by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and studies involving collaborations with the Taronga Conservation Society Australia.
Foraging behavior targets invertebrates and small vertebrates, dietary analyses presented in papers from the Australian Journal of Zoology and field studies undertaken by researchers from the University of Adelaide. Prey items reported in stomach-content and observational studies are consistent with findings in reports commissioned by the Northern Territory Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Queensland Museum. Foraging strategies and seasonal shifts have been documented in conservation action plans developed by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service and monitoring programs associated with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority for broader ecosystem context.
Breeding ecology, clutch size and fledging periods have been described in longitudinal studies by the Australian National University and field reports archived by the Western Australian Museum. Nesting on the ground and parental care patterns are summarized in species accounts prepared by the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) and in conservation literature from the Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania. Life-history parameters used in population models are included in analyses by the IUCN SSC and demographic studies supported by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Listed as Near Threatened by assessments influenced by IUCN processes, the species faces pressures from habitat loss, introduced predators and vehicle strike; threats evaluated in recovery plans prepared by the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, the Queensland Department of Environment and Science and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Conservation responses involve captive-breeding, translocation and community engagement coordinated by organisations such as the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Taronga Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and international partners including the Zoological Society of London. Legislative protections derive from listings under instruments like the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and state-level statutes administered by agencies including the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
Category:Burhinidae Category:Birds of Australia