Landcare working to save the Regent Honeyeater
Community coming together to help the Embroidered Flower Fancier
What is an Embroidered Flower Fancier I hear you ask?
Most people know them as regent honeyeater, but the literal translation of their scientific name is the embroidered flower fancier! So, of course it was largely flowering trees and shrubs that we planted, with some ground cover plants to ensure we recreated as natural an environment as possible to try and encourage and support these enigmatic and critically endangered birds. Ali Bigg from Northern Slopes Landcare said “The great thing about plantings like these is that they provide habitat for many species not just our target – ultimately even koalas, who are known to enjoy mugga ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) of which we have planted two. Additionally, all these plants in the ground will ultimately help to reduce temperature fluctuations and improve soil health”.
Northern Slopes and Barraba Landcare hosted the day (on Wed 16th November), with support from Local Land Services (LLS). Twenty-three people came along from near and far, the young and not-so-young, got their hands dirty and learnt some interesting facts about this gorgeous little bird (and it is quite little – Craig Pullman from LLS had a 3D printed replica of a regent honeyeater, so we all got to see one up close and personal!) Dr Steve Debus from UNE was there to enlighten us on the ways we can help ensure this species does not become extinct. The take-home message is to plant food and habitat – in urban gardens flowering shrubs like bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.) and grevillea (Grevillea spp.) are great options. If you have more space, larger trees like mugga ironbark, yellow box (E. melliodora), white box (E. albens) and river she-oak (Casuarina cunninghamiana) are all good options. The mistletoe that are likely to occur on these trees are key nectar sources for a range of threatened woodland birds, and regent honeyeaters are known to use them for food and nest sites.
We could not achieve days like these without the support of our wonderful community. The project also received funding from Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare program.