A collection of threatened and migratory species of the Murrumbidgee Valley
Image: Glossy ibis in flight (Plegadis falcinellus). Photo credit, Warren Chad
A range of threatened species make their home in and around the Murrumbidgee. These include brolgas, Australasian bitterns, southern bell frogs, and many other species. Knowing where these animals live is important. This information guides decisions about where and when to use water for the environment to help animals thrive.
As part of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s Flow-MER Program and through a joint effort from Charles Sturt University, project partners and the community since 2014, we've monitored these species. This information helps water managers, alongside communities and scientists, care for waterways and wetlands and the threatened species living there.
The maps below use open-source data from the Atlas of Living Australia. They show where each species has been seen in the Murrumbidgee valley between 2000 and 2024. Darker areas on the maps mean more animals were seen there.
Species:
- Brolga (Antigone rubicunda)
- Australasian bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus)
- Murray crayfish (Euastacus armatus)
- Latham's snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)
- White-bellied sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
- Grey snake (Hemiaspis damelii)
- Southern bell frog (Litoria raniformis)
- Southern myotis (Myotis macropus)
- Blue-billed duck (Oxyura australis)
- Australian painted-snipe (Rostratula australis)
- Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
- Freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa)
- Silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)
Brolga
Antigone rubicunda
In Victoria and New South Wales, brolgas gather in inland areas like upland marshes, lake edges, pastures, and farmland. With the arrival of winter rains in June and July, they move to coastal freshwater marshes, shallow lakes, and wet meadows to breed.
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Australasian bittern
Botaurus poiciloptilus
Thrives in freshwater wetlands with stable water levels and abundant food sources. It prefers densely vegetated habitats, including rushes, reeds, and sedges, which provide shelter and foraging opportunities.
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Murray crayfish
Euastacus armatus
Prefer cool, fast-flowing waters with deep pools and boulder-rich streambeds. They are often found in areas with extensive riparian vegetation—plants like reeds, rushes, and low trees or bushes that grow along the edges of streams and rivers. These habitats provide shelter and abundant food sources.
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Latham's snipe
Gallinago hardwickii
Lives in shallow freshwater wetlands, including marshes, swamps, and flooded grasslands. These areas are often covered with water and have lots of plants. It prefers to rest during the day in thick vegetation, which provides shelter and safety.
More info: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
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White-bellied sea-eagle
Haliaeetus leucogaster
Prefer large bodies of open water for feeding, including rivers, freshwater swamps, lakes, reservoirs, billabongs, and the sea. They breed nearby in mature forests and woodlands, such as open forests, tall woodlands, and swamp sclerophyll forests. These areas provide shelter and resources for raising their young.
More info: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
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Grey snake
Hemiaspis damelii
Prefer dry sclerophyll forests and woodlands on clay soils, especially where water bodies or gullies are present. They shelter under rocks, logs, and other debris, as well as in soil cracks which provide safety.
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Southern bell frog
Litoria raniformis
Prefer dense, reedy areas in large swamps and swampy grasslands, as well as in permanent dams, ponds, and lakes found in woodlands, shrublands, grassy, and coastal regions. These areas offer abundant food and shelter, and suitable breeding sites, making them ideal environments.
More info: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
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Southern myotis
Myotis macropus
Prefer to forage in streams and pools, where they catch insects and small fish from the water's surface. They roost close to water in caves, mine shafts, hollow trees, stormwater channels, buildings, wharves, bridges, and dense foliage, providing shelter and safety during rest periods.
More info: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
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Blue-billed duck
Oxyura australis
To breed, these ducks prefer deep freshwater swamps with dense vegetation, including broadleaf and narrow-leaved cumbungi. They can also be found in coastal lignum swamps, open lakes, dams, and large rivers, as well as saline water bodies like billabongs. These habitats provide shelter and plenty of food for nesting and raising ducklings.
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Australian painted-snipe
Rostratula australis
Lives in shallow freshwater wetlands, including marshes, swamps, and flooded grasslands. These areas are often covered with water and have lots of plants. It prefers to rest during the day in thick vegetation, which provides shelter and safety.
More info: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
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Glossy ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
Prefer marshes along lake and river edges but can also be found in lagoons, floodplains, wet meadows, swamps, reservoirs, sewage ponds, paddies, and irrigated farmland. They feed in very shallow water and nest in freshwater or brackish wetlands with tall, dense vegetation like reeds, rushes, and low trees or bushes. They typically roost in large trees, sometimes far from where they feed.
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Freckled duck
Stictonetta naevosa
Prefers to breed in large freshwater areas with thick vegetation, such as recently flooded wetlands and swamps. After breeding, it moves to coastal regions with more permanent bodies of water like lakes, reservoirs, and ponds. These areas tend to be more open, with little vegetation.
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Silver perch
Bidyanus bidyanus
This species likes clean, flowing rivers and can live in many types of river environments, from slow lowland streams to fast, rocky ones. Fallen trees and branches in the water help shape the river and support food and shelter, which are important for the species over larger areas.
More info: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
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Our work in the Murrumbidgee River System
The Murrumbidgee is a lowland river system with large meandering channels, wetlands, lakes, swamps and creek lines. Our work here focuses on understanding how native fish, waterbirds, reptiles and amphibians, as well as wetland vegetation communities, benefit from these targeted environmental watering actions.