Plains-Wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus), female, family Pedionomidae, order Charadriiformes, found in QLD and NSW, Australia

ENDANGERED.

A plains-wanderer, one of the rarest birds in the world. Find out more about the fight to save the species in episode two of Guardian Australia’s Look at Me podcast

Photograph: Michael Portway, Remember The Wild/Remember The Wild

Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) - photo by Patrick Kavanaugh

Plains-Wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus), female, family Pedionomidae, order Charadriiformes, VIC, Australia

ENDANGERED.

Plains-Wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) T - male, B - female, family Pedionomidae, order Charadriiformes, NSW, Australia

ENDANGERED.

DNA metabarcoding improves understanding of the diet and foraging of a critically endangered grassland bird: the Plains-wanderer, Pedionomus torquatus

Daniel T. Nugent, Erin Hill, Nick Murphy & John W. Morgan

ABSTRACT

Effective conservation of threatened cryptic bird species is often inhibited by limited knowledge about their diet and foraging ecology. The critically endangered and taxonomically-unique Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) is a small, mostly terrestrial bird that occurs on treeless plains across parts of eastern Australia. The species is highly cryptic and rarely observed foraging. Consequently, most aspects of its diet and foraging habits are poorly understood. Here, we used DNA metabarcoding to analyse faecal samples and identify important food types and seasonal food preferences of Plains-wanderers in native grasslands of the Northern Plains of Victoria, Australia. Here, we also used miniature GPS units to track movements of birds and assess the influence of food availability on habitat selection at patch-scale. We found pronounced seasonal variation in the dietary content of Plains-wanderers, indicating differences in foraging behaviour across seasons. In spring, diet was characterised by plant groups (likely seeds) including Asteraceae, Crassula and Oxalis, and invertebrates from the genus Philobota, comprising concealer moths. In autumn, diet was characterised by material from the plant genus Atriplex (saltbush). Our tracking data suggest that Plains-wanderers displayed selectivity towards native grassland patches with a higher abundance and diversity of invertebrates and seeds. Our findings highlight the flexibility of Plains-wanderer diet, including the ability to exploit native and exotic foods. We discuss the implications of these findings for habitat management and broader conservation efforts for this species, which is of significant global concern because of its high risk of extinction and evolutionary distinctiveness.

Read more:

Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus)