Plains wanderer

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Plains-wanderer
Plains-wanderer
Plains-wanderer
Plains-wanderer
Plains-wanderer

Plains wanderer

Pedionomus torquatus


Breeds early spring and late summer in southern Australia. Nests in hollows amongst clumps of grasses. Clutch size from 2 to 5. Male incubates the eggs for 23 days and carries out all of the brooding and guarding of the chicks.


Details Description
Type
Bird
Group
Plains-wanderer
Identifying Characteristics

Small, quail-like ground dwelling bird (10 cm). Long, straw-yellow legs and bill. Plumage mainly fawn with fine, black rosettes.

Distinctive Markings

Distinctive spotted neck and wing pattern. Female has prominent white-spotted, black collar above a rufous breast patch.

Diet

Omnivore. Forage during the day for a wide variety of seeds including those from grasses and saltbushes. Also feed on ground-dwelling insects including beetles, ants, sucking bugs and caterpillars.

Habitat

Hard, red-brown earth with a sparse covering of native herbs and grasses. Predominantly natural open grassland, treeless but with shrubs high enough for concealment from predators.

Native Status
Native to Australia
Sounds
Repetitive, hollow "Coo" only in spring. Contacts chicks using a soft "tchuk".
Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Peramelidae
Genus
Pedionomus
Species
torquatus
Plains-wanderer
Predominantly the Riverina district of south-western New South Wales. Also found in sparse, patchy populations in north-western Victoria.

Distribution maps indicate current and historic locations where species have been sighted.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Conservation Status
DEPI Advisory List
Critically endangered
FFG Act
Listed as threatened
EPBC Act
Vulnerable
FFG Action Statement

The conservation status of species is listed within Victoria and Australia.

The Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) Advisory List consists of non-statutory advisory lists of rare or threatened flora and fauna within Victoria.

The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) lists threatened species in Victoria. Under the Act, an Action Statement is produced for each listed species.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s key piece of environmental legislation, listing nationally threatened native species and ecological communities.

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