A colony of Little Pied Cormorants (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos) has continued breeding with some chicks ready to leave their nests thanks to the delivery of an additional 500 million litres of environmental water to Gunbower Forest.   The water was delivered to the Little Gunbower Wetland Complex in Gunbower Forest during October through a North Central Catchment Management Authority project.

The environmental water was released to help keep the baby birds alive in Gunbower Forest in the north of Victoria after a colony of Little Pied Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Melanoleucos) started breeding in Gunbower Forest during August.

North Central CMA Chief Executive Officer Damian Wells said that the breeding of the Little Pied Cormorants is one of several good results from the recent watering and has injected new life into the precious wetlands, helping to provide a sustainable food source for the Little Pied Cormorant Colony.

”The environmental water delivered in October was specifically for the bird breeding season and complements previous autumn watering undertaken as part of the Victorian Government’s environmental watering program.

“The Little Pied Cormorants needed this water because, if water levels had continued to drop, their ecological response is to abandon their nests,” Mr Wells said.

Kathryn Stanislawski, North Central CMA Gunbower Forest Project Officer, and her team have been to Gunbower Forest in November to monitor activity and are pleased with the results so far.

“We have recorded approximately 100 active nests, with young ranging from newly hatched to near fledging (flying away).  Little Black Cormorants have also joined the colony and had young chicks, as well as Australian White Ibis which had initiated nest construction and some egg laying.  Great Egrets, protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and considered threatened in Victoria have also been confirmed nesting at the site.    A pair of Peregrine Falcons that successfully raised young the previous year also remain at the site, presumably taking advantage of the food supply.

“The environmental water delivery has clearly maintained the water level so as the Cormorants and other species felt confident to initiate or continue nesting and raising their young, as well as providing excellent habitat for the food they rely on including macro-invertebrates (water-bugs) and small-bodied fish” said Kathryn.

“Vegetation immediately surrounding the wetland is also in good condition and, with the commencement of warmer weather, aquatic vegetation is also positively responding with rushes seeding and Nardoo emerging.

“Environmental water will continue to be delivered to the wetland during November and early December to support the birds that have begun nesting later in the season,” Kathryn concluded.

The environmental watering in Gunbower Forest has been managed by the North Central CMA in partnership with Goulburn-Murray Water. Environmental water is water legally set aside for protecting important sites and does not affect farmer’s water allocations or town supplies.

For further information please contact: 

Communications Officer, North Central CMA
PO Box 18, Huntly VIC 3551
t: 03 5448 7124
e: info@nccma.vic.gov.au