Biodiversity

Threatened species

National recovery plan for the Christmas Island Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus natalis

Prepared by Richard Hill
Birds Australia
Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2004
ISBN 0 642 55009 3

Guide for decision-makers

The following management actions are required to aid the Christmas Island Goshawk viability and recovery:

  1. Adequate resourcing of the identified management activities for the species, in particular, the crazy ant action plan;
  2. Prevention of illegal destruction of goshawks by Christmas Island residents;
  3. Quarantine prevention of the introduction of new avian pathogens;
  4. Quarantine prevention of the introduction of new invasive weeds; and
  5. Quarantine prevention of the introduction of new predators.

This taxon is dependent on active conservation management.

Any action which would remove nesting sites, potential nesting sites or feeding habitat could result in a significant impact on the species and requires referral to the Commonwealth Environment Minister under the EPBC Act.

Community participation

This recovery plan aims to involve the community in a significant way in monitoring Christmas Island Goshawks. They will be encouraged to report all sightings or suspected sightings of goshawks to PANCI. In addition, goshawks will be colour-banded with an easily legible code or colour-combination that the community will be encourage to report. Validated reports will provide important population monitoring data.

Tools to assist implementation

Costs

Action Likely expenses Cost estimate Responsibility Timeframe
Investigate taxonomic status Museum Victoria $6000 PANC Yr 1'1-2
Detailed population survey PANCI staff, training consultant, and local staff/contractor/ARA volunteers $73,800# PANCI Yr 1-2
On-going population monitoring PAN staff time ARA volunteers $11,000 pa, + $7,000 /5 year^ PANCI Ongoing
Develop and implement wildlife management plan for habitat outside national park PANCI staff time $10,000 then $5000pa PAN Ongoing
Ensure protection of habitat critical outside the national park* PANCI staff time $2,000 pa PANCI Ongoing
Continue effective and long-term rainforest rehabilitation program managed by DOTAR and supported by other government departments, PAN and the mining company. DOTARS staff time, PANCI supervision and monitoring, contractors. $750,000** pa DOTARS Until mine ceases operation
Implement the Invasive Ants on Christmas Island Action Plan. * PANCI staff, ant bait, contractors, research $475,000 in 2002/3) approx $100,000 pa PANCI Ongoing
Maintenance [and regular review] of a quarantine barrier between Christmas Island and all other lands to minimise risks of new avian disease establishing* AQIS staff time, PANCI assistance to AQIS $2000 pa (PANCI) AQIS Ongoing
A community education program to raise awareness and interest in the conservation of Christmas Island Goshawks. * PANCI $2000 pa PANCI Ongoing
Establish a recovery team which meets regularly * PANCI $2000 pa PANCI Ongoing
Carry out a major review of the recovery plan Recovery Team $2500 PANCI Yr 5

Notes: PAN: Parks Australia North; PANCI: PAN Christmas Island staff.
* Actions that are wholly or partly shared with other Christmas Island recovery plans.
# MSc student on island for 18 months with stipend paid- savings may be made if offer to support a student with a scholarship; Assumes involvement of ARA volunteers rather than dedicated researchers in trapping, marking birds and training local staff
^ Local trained staff est. 30 nights work @$250/night + $1500 mileage: $9000/year, Staff time to analyse data: $2000/year; 2 ARA volunteers visit every 5 years (airfares + accom. and transport Total $7000 /5 yr);
** Funds provided by conservation levy, with total dependant on phosphate production levels

Summary table of costs

Year 1 2 3 4 5
Total Costs $1,015,800 $924,000 $924,000 $924,000 $926,500

Landholder incentives

Opportunities exist for the Natural Heritage Trust to be used to protect remnant vegetation on private land. Management agreements can be put in place with landholders' permission to protect and enhance native vegetation on the island.

Role and interests of indigenous people

Not relevant.

Interests that will be affected by the plan's implementation or adoption

Parks Australia North, Shire of Christmas Island, Union of Christmas Island Workers, Asia Pacific Space Centre Pty. Ltd., Department of Transport and Regional Services, the Department of Immigration and Indigenous Affairs, Christmas Island Phosphates.

Consultation with, and advice considered from relevant State and Territory Governments and the general public

There are no relevant State or Territory governments to consult with. Whilst Christmas Island is a Commonwealth non-self governing Territory, Western Australian laws are applied to the island as Commonwealth applied laws. A number of Western Australian agencies have roles on Christmas Island through agreements with the Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS). DOTARS has contributed to the development of this plan.

This plan was originally written in 1996. The current version was completed by Birds Australia in consultation with PAN, staff of Christmas Island National Park, and the Department of Environment and Heritage, Canberra. Both Christmas Island Phosphates and Shire of Christmas Island were consulted during the preparation of this current plan.

As part of the requirements for the EPBC Act, a three month public consultation phase is undertaken whereby the public are able to contribute comments on draft plans, and where relevant these comments are then incorporated.

Community participation

Regular press articles in Christmas Island newspapers. Participation by community and visitors in reporting sightings of colour-banded goshawks will be an important part of the proposed goshawk monitoring program. Also see action 9 - includes production of a multi-lingual pamphlet on Christmas Island seabirds and a potential curriculum unit on endemic seabirds for both primary and secondary school students.

References

Burton, A.M. 1991. Resource partitioning between two sympatric goshawks in the Australian wet tropics. PhD thesis, James Cook University of North Queensland.

Burton A.M., Alford, R.A. and J. Young. 1994 Reproductive parameters of the Grey Goshawk (Accipiter novaehollandiae) and Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) at Albergowrie, northern Queensland, Australia. J. Zool. London 232:347-363.

Carew-Reid, J. 1987. Rehabilitation of mined clearings on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Unpublished report to the Director of the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Canberra.

Carter, M. 1994. Christmas Island Birds. Wingspan: 1994, Summer.

Caughley, G. and A.R.E. Sinclair. 1994. Wildlife Ecology and Management. Blackwell Science, Cambridge.

Chasen, F.N. 1933. Notes on the birds of Christmas Island. Bull. Raff. Mus.: 55-87.

Dexter, N. 2000. A Draft Conservation Management Plan for Terrestrial Wildlife on Christmas Island outside the National Park. Environment Australia, Canberra.

Diamond, J.M. 1985. Population processes in island birds: immigration, extinction and fluctuations. In Conservation of Island Birds. ICBP Tech. Pub. 3.

Du Puy. 1993. Flora of Australia, Volume 50. Oceanic Islands 2. Australian Biological Resource Study, Canberra.

Environment Australia. 1994. Christmas Island National Park Management Plan. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.

Environment Australia. 2002. Christmas Island National Park Management Plan. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.

Garnett, S. and G. Crowley. 2002. Threatened and extinct birds of Australia. Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, RAOU Report 82. Melbourne.

Gibson-Hill, C.A. 1947. Notes on the Birds of Christmas Island. Bull. Raffles Mus. XVIII 1947: 87-169

Gray, H.S. 1981. Christmas Island Naturally. Geraldton, H. Gray.

Hay, R. 1986. Bird Conservation in the Pacific Islands. ICBP Study Rep. 7. Cambridge, England.

King, W.B. 1985. Island Birds: will the future repeat the past. In Conservation of Island Birds. ICBP Tech. Pub. 3.

Lacy, R.C. 1987 Loss of Genetic Diversity from Managed Populations: Interacting effects of drift, mutation, immigration, selection, and population subdivision. Conserv. Biol. 1(2): 143-58.

Lister, J.J. 1888. On the natural history of Christmas Island. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1888: 512-31.

Marchant, S. and P.J. Higgins. 1993. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Vol II Raptors to Lapwings. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Newton, I. 1986. The Sparrowhawk. Poyser, Staffordshire, UK.

Orchard, M., Comport, S. and P. Green. 2002. Control of the Invasive Yellow Crazy Ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean; progress, problems, and future scenarios. Unpublished Discussion Paper 1 February 2002

Reville, B.J., J.D. Tranter and H.D. Yorkston. 1990. Conservation of the Endangered Seabird Abbott's Booby on Christmas Island. 1983-1989. ANPWS Occ. Paper No. 20.

Stokes, T. 1988. A review of the birds of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service Occ. Pap. No. 16

Thiollay J.M. 1993. Habitat segregation and the insular syndrome in two congeneric raptors in New Caledonia, the White-bellied Goshawk Accipiter haplochrous and the Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus. Ibis 135 : 237-246.

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