31 – The national malleefowl monitoring effort^389declines were due primarily to land clearing for agriculture, which removed much
of the species preferred habitat in the wheat belts of southern Australia
(Benshemesh 2007) and has resulted in the species being listed as threatened.
Throughout their current range, malleefowl are preyed upon by introduced foxes
and cats, and populations are under strain from fragmentation, changed fire
regimes, and habitat degradation by feral goats, sheep, rabbits and/or cattle.
Whether these threats continue to cause ongoing declines in malleefowl abundance
is uncertain, but of major concern. A recent long-term trend analysis of monitoring
data collected between 1985 and 2005 revealed a decline in populations at a
continental scale, although trends at a local scale were variable (Benshemesh et al.
2007); a re-analysis including the latest data is currently underway.
Malleefowl monitoring
Monitoring the population trends of malleefowl has been given a high priority in
the national recovery plan for this species (Benshemesh 2007). As shy, elusive birds,
Fig. 31.2. The historic distribution of malleefowl (dark shading) and the location of the malleefowl adaptive
management (green circles) and long-term monitoring sites (blue circles).