Understanding nest site selection is critical to developing effective conservation management actions. The Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) is one of many endemic species extensively impacted by Australia's unprecedented 2019–2020 megafires. Over a period of 5 months, an estimated 43% of the entire range of this slow-breeding species was burnt, with the biggest impact on the central subspecies M. n. novaehollandiae (55%). Four months prior to these megafires, we conducted a field study of nest site habitat selection in the Superb Lyrebird within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (15,400 km2): a key stronghold of the central subspecies of the Superb Lyrebird. We found that at the local scale, lyrebird nest sites were more likely to be found in habitats characterized by dense canopy trees and rich in rainforest elements such as vines and treeferns. At the landscape scale, lyrebird nests were most likely to be constructed in rainforest; this fire-sensitive habitat type made up only 1% of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The probability of nest occurrence also increased with slope. We also found that >74% of all nesting habitat within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area burned in the 2019–2020 megafires, including 80% of areas of high suitability for nesting. These results suggest that the impact of these megafires on Superb Lyrebirds may be greater than currently thought. Given the importance of rainforest as nesting habitat for the Superb Lyrebird, managers should prioritize its restoration and protect it from future fire events. More broadly, our results illustrate how large-scale catastrophic events—such as megafires—can disproportionately affect habitats critical to specific points within an organism's life cycle.
How to Cite
Hughes, E. J., V. I. Austin, F. Backhouse, A. C. Maisey, K. A. Lopez, C. S. Mikles, K. J. Odom, J. A. Welbergen, and A. H. Dalziell (2023). Preferred nesting habitat of the slow-breeding Superb Lyrebird is rare and was disproportionately impacted by Australia's “Black Summer” megafires (2019–2020) within a World Heritage Area. Ornithological Applications 125:duad027.
LAY SUMMARY
The Australian Superb Lyrebird is an iconic and ecologically important songbird.
Its habitat was extensively burned by the 2019–2020 megafires.
Before the fires, we combined a field study with an analysis of remotely sensed data to identify where Superb Lyrebirds built their nests within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
Lyrebird nests were most likely to be found in rainforest habitats; however, rainforest is sensitive to fire and rare, comprising only 1% of the Greater Blue Mountains.
Concerningly, 75% of all nesting habitat burned in the 2019–2020 megafires with more than half of all rainforest habitat burned at moderate or greater severity.
Hence, the impact of these megafires on Superb Lyrebirds appears greater than currently thought.
We suggest that lyrebirds are now at greater risk of extinction than their current IUCN classification of “Least Concern.”
We recommended land managers prioritize the protection of lyrebird nesting habitats, especially rainforest.
Comprender la selección del sitio de anidación es fundamental para desarrollar acciones efectivas de manejo para la conservación. Menura novaehollandiae es una de las muchas especies endémicas afectadas de manera extensa por los mega-incendios sin precedentes de Australia en 2019-2020. Durante un período de 5 meses, se estima que se quemó un 43% de todo el rango de esta especie de reproducción lenta, con el mayor impacto en la subespecie central M. n. novaehollandiae (55%). Cuatro meses antes de estos mega-incendios, realizamos un estudio de campo sobre la selección de hábitat de sitios de anidación en M. novaehollandiae dentro del Área de Patrimonio Mundial de Greater Blue Mountains (15.400 km2): un bastión clave de M. n. novaehollandiae. Encontramos que, a nivel local, los sitios de anidación de M. novaehollandiae fueron más propensos a encontrarse en hábitats caracterizados por árboles de dosel densos y ricos en elementos de bosques lluviosos como enredaderas y helechos arbóreos. A la escala de paisaje, los nidos de M. novaehollandiae fueron construidos principalmente en bosques lluviosos; este tipo de hábitat sensible al fuego representó solo el 1% del Área de Patrimonio Mundial de Greater Blue Mountains. La probabilidad de que existiera un nido también aumentó con la pendiente.También descubrimos que más del 74% de todo el hábitat de anidación dentro del Área de Patrimonio Mundial de Greater Blue Mountains se quemó en los mega-incendios de 2019-2020, incluido el 80% de las áreas de alta aptitud para anidar. Estos resultados sugieren que el impacto de estos mega-incendios en M. novaehollandiae puede ser mayor de lo que se cree actualmente. Dada la importancia de los bosques lluviosos como hábitat de anidación para M. novaehollandiae, los gestores deberían priorizar su restauración y protegerlo de futuros eventos de incendios. De modo más amplio, nuestros resultados ilustran cómo eventos catastróficos a gran escala, como los mega-incendios, pueden afectar desproporcionadamente hábitats críticos vinculados a aspectos específicos del ciclo de vida de un organismo.
