You are here: Home > Pests and weeds > Weeds > NSW weeds > Bitou bush > Animal species at risk

Native animal species threatened by bitou bush invasion

Only limited information is available on the impact of bitou bush invasion and control on native animals. An interim list is presented here as a preliminary guide. You can help us develop a final list by telling us which animals you think may be threatened by bitou bush, the reason why they are threatened, and the sites at which they are threatened.

Animals suspected of being threatened by bitou bush invasion

Animal group	Common name	Threatened status(1)	Suspected reason for threat	Possible sites for control
Birds	beach-stone curlew	E	listed in key threatening process declaration for bitou bush, NSW SC (1999)
	black-winged petrel	V	bitou bush grows in nesting sites
	coastal emu	Population
	eastern bristlebird	E	listed in key threatening process declaration for bitou bush, NSW SC (1999)
	flesh footed shearwater	V	bitou bush grows in nesting sites
	gould's petrel	E	bitou bush grows in nesting sites (Gosper 2004)	Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah Islands, as well as adjacent sites on the mainland near Hawk's Nest.
	little shearwater	V	bitou bush grows in nesting sites
	litte tern	E	bitou bush grows over or close to nesting sites, and listed in key threatening process declaration for bitou bush, NSW SC (1999)	Quibray Bay in Towra Point NR
	masked booby	V	bitou bush grows in nesting sites
	pied oystercatcher	V	bitou bush grows close to preferred habitat and nesting sites	Five Islands NR
	red-capped plover		bitou bush grows close to preferred nesting sites
	red-tailed tropic bird	V	bitou bush grows in nesting sites
	regent honeyeater	E	bitou bush competes with food sources (Gosper 2004)	swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta) - in the central coast region
	sooty tern	V	bitou bush grows in nesting sites
	swift parrot	E	bitou bush competes with food sources (Gosper 2004)	swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta) - e.g. Perkins Beach Reserve, Port Kembla
	threatened shorebirds		encroaching on nest/roost sites (Bower pers. comm.)	Belongil Spit
Mammals	black flying fox	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	common blossom bat	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	eastern bentwing bat	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	eastern long-eared bat	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	greater broad-nosed bat	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	grey-headed flying fox	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	koala (Hawks Nest & Tea Gardens)	Population		Hawks Nest & Tea Gardens
	little bentwing bat	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	squirrel glider	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
	yellow-bellied sheathtail-bat	V	loss of coastal banksia woodland may impact on food source
Invertebrates	Lord Howe Island placostylus	E

1: E = Endangered, V = Vulnerable, Population = Endangered Population, as defined under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995

2: References

Gosper CR (2004). Consequences of Weed Invasion and Control on Plant-bird Interactions and Bird Communities. PhD Thesis, University of Wollongong, Wollongong.

NSW SC (Scientific Committee) (1999). Invasion of native plant communities by bitou bush and boneseed — key threatening process declaration. Final Determination, NSW Scientific Committee, Hurstville.