Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 7610 IREC Farmers' Newsletter No. 195 ­ – Rice R&D 2016 Matt Herring Charles Darwin University, Darwin Neil Bull Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia, Leeton Anna Wilson Riverina Local Land Services, Coleambally W HAT might rice growers be able to do to help this globally-endangered waterbird? Fast-forward to 2016, with four rice seasons now under our belt, and the Bitterns in Rice Project has grown to become a widely recognised win–win example of the potential for wildlife-friendly farming in Australia. The total population estimate for the Australasian bittern is just 1000–2500 mature individuals, with most of those residing in south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. With the ongoing support of rice growers, we have been able to apply a random sampling approach to our bittern surveys and population modelling. In a nutshell, we now know that in most years the rice crops of the New South Wales Riverina support around 40% of the global population of the species. It is clear that rice crops play a key habitat role, together with a mosaic of natural wetlands on public and private land. Bitterns typically arrive in rice crops about two months after sowing when there is enough cover to hide them. In November 2015, there was a significant sighting of at least 30 bitterns at Fivebough Swamp near Leeton, just prior to rice crops becoming suitable for bitterns, highlighting the importance of a wetland network. Males establish territories in rice crops at the beginning of summer and their iconic booming calls, linked to the legend of the bunyip, can be heard until February. From our work, we now also know that there is widespread breeding. Pairs are common but it is not unusual for a male to attract more than one female. At a site near Griffith, three nests in adjacent rice bays, each with an attending female, were found within the booming territory of one male. We speculated that he may have a particularly resonant boom or that his rice field harboured a rich supply of tadpoles. It all began in 2012 with the simple idea of learning more about a strange waterbird — the Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) — and its use of rice crops. QUICK TAKE l Riverina rice fields support around 40% of the global population of Australasian bitterns. l  The bitterns use rice fields for breeding, nesting and raising fledglings. l Rice crops provide enough cover to hide the secretive birds, as well an ample supply of food to support a growing population. l Growers can undertake a range of actions that will benefit bitterns and most importantly foster an environment that creates abundant prey and a season with sufficient time for the chicks to fledge before harvest. l  The Bitterns in Rice Project has also shown the value of rice fields to a wide range of other waterbirds and wildlife. l Riverina rice crops support the largest known breeding population in the world of the endangered Australasian bittern. BITTERNS IN RICE PROJECT: THE FIRST FOUR YEARS