New research from The Australian National University (ANU) shows unless conservation actions are urgently stepped up, one of our most beautiful songbirds, the regent honeyeater, will be extinct within 20 years.
The new study reveals current, already intensive, conservation efforts are not sufficient, and a huge redoubling of effort is needed if we are to save these birds from extinction. "The regent honeyeater population has been decimated by the loss of over 90 per cent of their preferred woodland habitats," lead author Professor Rob Heinsohn from ANU said. "Less than 80 years ago, it was one of the most commonly encountered species, ranging from Adelaide to Rockhampton. Now it is on track to follow the Dodo into extinction."
Today there are fewer than 300 regent honeyeaters left, making it one of our rarest bird species. Habitat loss has forced them to compete with larger species for remaining habitat.
The ANU team commenced a large-scale project in 2015 to better understand the regent honeyeater population decline, but found they are an exceptionally difficult bird to study in the wild. As nomads, they wander long distances in search of nectar. After 6 years of intensive fieldwork, the team discovered that the birds' breeding success has declined due to predation at the nest by species such as pied currawongs, noisy miners and possums.
Which of the following statements about the regent honeyeater is correct?