{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{Lead too short|date=February 2021}} {{Speciesbox | name = Grey grasswren | image = GreyGrasswrenAmytornisbarbatus.jpg | image_caption = Grey grasswren - Narriearra (north-western New South Wales) | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Amytornis barbatus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T22703780A93936578 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22703780A93936578.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> | taxon = Amytornis barbatus | authority = Favaloro & McEvey, 1968 | subdivision_ranks = Subspecies | subdivision = See text | range_map = Amytornis barbatus map.png | range_map_caption = Distribution | synonyms = }}
The '''grey grasswren''' ('''''Amytornis barbatus''''') is a passerine bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is found on arid inland floodplains of Australia where it is endemic. The grey grasswren is a rarely seen elusive bird that was first sighted in 1921<ref name=Black2009>Black,, A., Carpenter, G., Pedler, L., Langdon, P. and Pedler, R. (2009). 'Distribution and habitats of the Grey Grasswren Amytornis barbatus in South Australia'. South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board.</ref> but not taxonomically described until 1968.<ref name=Fav1968>Favaloro, N. and McEvey, A. (1968) 'A new Species of Australian Grasswren'. ''Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria'' 28:1-9.</ref> Its greyish coloration and very long tail distinguish it from all other grasswrens.<ref name="wrena1982">''The Wrens and Warblers of Australia''. (1982). The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Angus and Robertson Publishers. London.</ref> While some recent research has been conducted, there still remain many gaps in the knowledge about the ecology of this {{birdgloss|cryptic}} bird.<ref name="tzar2013">Tzaros, C. (2013). 'A Glimpse of Grey: Tracking Down the Elusive Grey Grasswren.' ''Australian birdlife.'' 1(4):24-27.</ref>
== Taxonomy and systematics == The grey grasswren is classified in the family Maluridae which comprises five genera of birds that are found only in Australia and New Guinea.<ref name="christi1999">Christidis, L. (1999). 'Evolution and Biogeography of the Australian grasswrens, Amytornis (Aves:Maluridae): biochemical perspectives'. ''Australian Journal of Zoology''. 47,113-114.</ref>
=== Subspecies === Two subspecies are recognized:<ref>IOC v.6.3</ref> * ''A. b. barbatus'' – <small>Favaloro & McEvey, 1968</small>: found in the Bulloo River watershed (south-western Queensland and north-western New South Wales, Australia) * ''A. b. diamantina'' – <small>Schodde & Christidis, 1987</small>: found in the Diamantina River watershed (extreme south-western Queensland and north-eastern South Australia, Australia)
==Description== The grey grasswren is a small bird with a length ranging between 18 and 20 cm, a wing span of approximately 21 cm and a weight between 15 and 23 g.<ref>Slater, P., Slater, P. and Slater, R. (2013) ''The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds''. New Holland Publishers.</ref> Its general colour is ginger-brown suffused with grey and off-white striations.<ref name="Fav1968" /> Schrodde and Christidis recorded that "the face is patterned black and white with broad white {{birdgloss|superciliary}} stripe and black stripe from {{birdgloss|lores}} through eyes linked to thin black {{birdgloss|malar}} line around sides of throat; tail greatly attenuated with tapered {{birdgloss|rectrices}}, the center pair of which extend > 5mm beyond the adjacent pair; no {{birdgloss|sexual dimorphism}} in colour of flanks or belly".<ref>Schodde, R. and Christidis, L. (1987). 'Genetic Differentiation and Subspeciation in the Grey Grasswren Amytornis barbatus (Maluridae)'. ''Emu'' 47:187-192</ref> Juvenile color is duller although similar to the adults and with no distinct facial pattern.<ref name="read2010">Reader's Digest. (2010). ''Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds''. Reader's Digest. Australia</ref> Moult is poorly understood but thought to occur annually after breeding and between October and December.<ref name="har2002">Hardy, J., W. (2002). 'A Banding Study of the Grey Grasswren ''Amytornis barbatus barbatus'' in the Caryapundy Swamp of South-Western Queensland'. ''Corella'' 26(4): 106–109.</ref>
===Vocalisations=== Favaloro and McEvey described the call of the grey grasswren as a soft double-syllable note which the bird tweeted persistently.<ref name="Fav1968" /> Joseph also noted that calls were given constantly over several minutes with a series of three or four high pitched metallic notes, sounding like ''pit-choo''.<ref name="Jos1982">Joseph, L. (1982).' A further population of the Grey Grasswren'. "Sunbird",51-53.</ref> Carpenter described the call as a high pitched ''sit-sit-sit''.<ref>Carpenter, G. (2002) 'The Grey Grasswren on Cooper Creek South West Queensland'. ''Sunbird'' 32(2&3):52-55</ref>
==Distribution and habitat==
The grey grasswren occupies a restrictive area<ref name="christi1999" /> of arid inland floodplains of central Australia. Sightings have occurred at the Bulloo Overflow in the New South Wales/Queensland border area, lower Cooper Creek, along the Kallakoopah anabranch of the Diamantina River and the overflow areas of lakes Machattie, Koolivoo and Mipea on Eyre Creek in South Australia.<ref name="Black2009" /><ref name="Jos1982" /> These birds frequent mainly floodplains of the above systems which contain areas dominated by lignum and cane grass on major drainage lines between resident sand dunes. In some swampy areas, a dense understory of spike-rush, channel millet, and sedges are present.<ref name="Jan2002">Jaensch, R. and McFarland, D. (2002).'A population of Grey Grasswren Amytornis barbatus in the Diamantina Channel Country, Queensland'. ''Sunbird'' 32(2&3):56-61.</ref> The grey grasswren has also been known to occupy open vegetative areas well beyond the lignum swamps which are less subject to inundation during flood events.<ref name="Black2009" /> It appears that in drought years the grey grasswren occupies tall dense lignum as a refuge while in normal years it prefers other habitats. Hardy recorded significantly more captures in declared drought years than in normal years.<ref name="har2002" />
thumb|right|Grey grasswren habitat During 2011, an extensive grey grasswren survey was conducted at Frome Swamp in New South Wales which had recently experienced substantial rainfall and resultant lignum and cane grass growth. Despite the use of exhaustive surveys using mist netting, playback, vocal and visual methods, no grey grasswrens were located.<ref>D Watson, in Litt. 19 November 2013</ref> This result could suggest that the species may be nomadic, an observation previously made by Hardy arising from his surveys in 2002 and 2003 at another location.<ref name="har2010">Hardy, J., W. (2010). 'Distribution, Status and Options for the Future Management of the Grey Grasswren "Amytornis barbatus barbatus" in New South Wales'. "Corella",34(2):25-35.</ref>
==Behavior and ecology==
===Breeding=== The breeding behaviour of this species has not been extensively documented but it is thought that the species breeds in July/August usually after flooding or heavy rain.<ref>Beruldsen, G. (2003). ''Australian Birds their Nests and Eggs''. G. Beruldsen Publisher. Queensland.</ref> However, Hardy recorded breeding during heavy drought conditions with no local surface water in the study area for at least seven years.<ref name="har2002" /> The semi-domed nest is built in lignum or cane grass,<ref name="read2010" /> between 30 and 75 cm above ground level. Favaloro and McEvey noted that the nest was a large well camouflaged nest, very loosely constructed from grass with a large opening on the side. Clutch size is thought to be two eggs<ref name="wrena1982" /> with an average weight of 2.4 g. Egg color is dull, white speckled all over with nutmeg brown, nutmeg to reddish-brown or cinnamon brown markings. There is considerable colour variation between eggs within the nest and also between nests.<ref name="Fav1968" /> The female is solely responsible for the incubation of the eggs which is estimated at 13 to 15 days. Both parents attend to the feeding of the hatchlings and no details are known of its breeding success.<ref>Australian Government. (2012). ''Amytornis barbatus barbatus-Grey Grasswren (Bullo)''. http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/public/publicspecies.pl? id=67065.</ref>
===Feeding=== The shape of the beak suggests that the grey grasswren's diet consists mainly of seed and an analysis of the gut content of a specimen confirmed the presence of mainly small seeds of different plants, two small ants and the remains of small Coleoptera.<ref name="Fav1968" /> However, other researchers have noted that insect larvae are the dominant food source supplemented by mature insects and water snails.<ref>New South Wales Department of Environment and Heritage. (2012). 'Grey Grasswren-profile'. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10047.</ref>
===Age and population size=== Little is known about its life expectancy but research conducted at one of its prime lignum habitats found from capture/re-capture surveys that this bird reached at least three years of age in that study area.<ref name="har2010" /> The population of the grey grasswren is highly variable and subject to 'boom and bust' conditions, depending on prevailing climate within its range in the arid interior.<ref name="har2010" /> Based upon the capture/re-capture method undertaken by Hardy in drought conditions, the New South Wales population was estimated at 1600 birds or 0.2 per hectare. Extrapolation of this to reach an estimate of its Australian population should be viewed with caution due to its geographic range, seasonal and habitat variability.
==Status and conservation== The grey grasswren is listed as threatened under the national ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (''EPBC Act''); it is listed as endangered under the ''Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016'' in New South Wales and in Queensland under the ''Nature Conservation Act 1992'', while the South Australian ''National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972'' lists the species as rare.<ref name=sprat>{{cite web | title=Amytornis barbatus barbatus - Bulloo Grey Grasswren, Grey Grasswren (Bulloo) | website=Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Australian Government | date=2020 | url=https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=67065 | access-date=29 June 2020}}</ref> The IUCN Red List rates it as a species of least concern.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" />
===Future management=== Research on the grey grasswren is limited and there have been few recent studies into the ecology of this elusive bird. As it occupies specific habitats, the major threat is habitat degradation through overgrazing and trampling by cattle, rabbits, and feral pigs, predation by cats and invasive weeds. A dependence on lignum and associated plant groups also makes the species vulnerable to catastrophic events such as drought and fire. The consequences of climate change also need further consideration to ensure that the grey grasswren continues to exist in arid regions of central Australia through the preservation of suitable areas.
===New conservation area=== In June 2020 the Government of New South Wales acquired {{convert|153,415|ha|abbr=on}},<ref name=guardiannsw/> or {{convert|1,534|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name=bbcnsw>{{cite web | title=New Australia national park for rare species | website=BBC News | date=27 June 2020 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-53204951 | access-date=29 June 2020}}</ref> of private land for a new national park, when it purchased Narriearra station in the state's far north-west. The area includes "ephemeral wetlands and landscapes" that had not previously been included in the state's conservation areas. Together with the nearby Sturt National Park, there would be a nearly contiguous conservation area of about {{convert|500,000|ha|abbr=on}}, which is twice the size of the Australian Capital Territory. The new property lies next to the Pindera Downs Aboriginal area, which is rich in cultural artefacts of Aboriginal Australians.<ref name=guardiannsw>{{cite web | title=NSW makes record land purchase for new national park | website=The Guardian|first=Graham|last=Redfearn | date=27 June 2020 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/27/nsw-makes-record-land-purchase-for-new-national-park | access-date=29 June 2020}}</ref> It is the largest ever purchase of private land for conservation in the state.<ref name=bbcnsw/> The Dingo Fence on the border with Queensland forms the northern boundary of the property.<ref name=abcnsw>{{cite web | title=NSW buys outback station in state's largest single property purchase for a national park|first= Saskia |last=Mabin| website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=27 June 2020 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-27/narriearra-station-sold-to-become-national-park-in-nsw/12400344 | access-date=29 June 2020}}</ref>
Nearly 90 percent of the grey grasswren's habitat lies within Narriearra Station, so this is a significant move towards protecting the bird. The Tibooburra Local Aboriginal Land Council has been invited to suggest a name for the new park.<ref name=guardiannsw/>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Malurus}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q938414}}
grey grasswren Category:Birds of Queensland Category:Birds of South Australia Category:Endemic birds of Australia grey grasswren Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot