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DNA metabarcoding improves understanding of the diet and foraging of a critically endangered grassland bird: the Plains-wanderer, Pedionomus torquatus

Daniel T. Nugent, Erin Hill, Nick Murphy & John W. Morgan

ABSTRACT

Effective conservation of threatened cryptic bird species is often inhibited by limited knowledge about their diet and foraging ecology. The critically endangered and taxonomically-unique Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) is a small, mostly terrestrial bird that occurs on treeless plains across parts of eastern Australia. The species is highly cryptic and rarely observed foraging. Consequently, most aspects of its diet and foraging habits are poorly understood. Here, we used DNA metabarcoding to analyse faecal samples and identify important food types and seasonal food preferences of Plains-wanderers in native grasslands of the Northern Plains of Victoria, Australia. Here, we also used miniature GPS units to track movements of birds and assess the influence of food availability on habitat selection at patch-scale. We found pronounced seasonal variation in the dietary content of Plains-wanderers, indicating differences in foraging behaviour across seasons. In spring, diet was characterised by plant groups (likely seeds) including Asteraceae, Crassula and Oxalis, and invertebrates from the genus Philobota, comprising concealer moths. In autumn, diet was characterised by material from the plant genus Atriplex (saltbush). Our tracking data suggest that Plains-wanderers displayed selectivity towards native grassland patches with a higher abundance and diversity of invertebrates and seeds. Our findings highlight the flexibility of Plains-wanderer diet, including the ability to exploit native and exotic foods. We discuss the implications of these findings for habitat management and broader conservation efforts for this species, which is of significant global concern because of its high risk of extinction and evolutionary distinctiveness.

Read more:

Full article: DNA metabarcoding improves understanding of the diet and foraging of a critically endangered grassland bird: the Plains-wanderer Pedionomus torquatus

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Chimborazo Hillstar or Ecuadoran Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo), family Trochilidae, order Apodiformes, found on the slopes of Mt. Chimborazo, Ecuador

This hummingbird goes into torpor, basically going into hibernation, nightly, to deal with the cold temperatures of Andean mountain nights.

photograph by Edy Goodyear

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big fan of dragonflies this time of year bc their wings r like stained glass to me. Do you have any dragonflies with really cool wings or coloration?

I absolutely love going out this time of year to observe dragonflies (and damselflies) and find new species! Here are a few for you...

Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina), male, family Libellulidae, found in eastern North America and the Caribbean

Photograph by Josh Atkinson

Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa), male, family Libellulidae, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH, USA

photograph by R. George - NPS

Red Grasshawk (Neurothemis fluctuans), family Libellulidae, Sumatra, Indonesia

photograph by Seynazhee ID

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella), male, family Libellulidae, found in much of Canada and the U.S.

photograph by Jim Hudgins/USFWS

Crimson Marsh Glider (Trithemis aurora), male, family Libellulidae, Langkawi, Malaysia

photograph by Nick Volpe

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can I request a picture of a varied thrush? (They're my favorite birds)

Yes, yes of course. I never tire of this bird!

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius), family Turdidae, order Passeriformes, Oregon, USA

Photograph by John Hamil

photograph by Glenn Bartley

Photograph by Jim Leonard

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I moved to Japan recently and learned of the existence of brown-eared bulbuls! Could you share some pictures so others can share this joy?

Oh perfect, we havent shared this species yet!

Brown-eared Bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis), family Pycnonotidae, order Passeriformes, Osaka, Japan

photographs by Laitche & Weber Tsai

Okinawa - photograph by Ian Davies

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The Ruff (Calidris pugnax), male, in full breeding plumage, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, Norway

photograph by donini_photography

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis), HE STRUTT!!!, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, North Slope of Alaska

photograph by Stephen Dunaway

Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea), breeding plumage, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, breeds on the coast of the Bering Sea, winters in SE Asia

photographs by tareq’s photography

Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus), family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, TX Coast, USA

photograph by James Corgill

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) mating, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, Germany

photograph by Andreas Trepte

Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata), feeding in the mud, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, Bolivar Peninsula, TX, USA

photograph by Bettina Arrigoni

Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), female, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, Chicago, IL, USA

Female phalaropes are more colorful than males, and the females court the males. The drably colored males tend the eggs and nest, after the female lays them.

photograph by Tony Dvorak Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), breeding plumage, family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, FL, USA

photograph by Hans Hillewaert

(FOR @l-mop)

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End of month sale post~

Send me a message if you're interested, international shipping is extra

Sinosauropteryx: $210 each

Anchiornis pair: $550

Generic avialan: $280

Terrestrisuchus: $350

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this doesn't seem to be widespread knowledge around here yet but there's a big trend among dogshit content scraper accounts to grab a real photo (usually of ✨Aesthetic Nature™✨ or something similar, which is why it's relevant to me) somewhere, and recreate it using AI to avoid crediting the photographer. this can even trick people who are somewhat familiar with the subject matter if they're not paying attention but looks incredibly wrong upon closer inspection

here is some complete garbage as an example. because these "photos" are not completely made up by AI, people into spiders know the species and will recognize their features without looking closely, getting tricked in the process. if you know spider anatomy and look closely though, both of those look like utter abominations. the original photos these two were based on are here and here, by the way

these just so happen to be things i'm familiar with and i would probably get easily fooled by AI recreations of plants or fish or whatever. my point is that if you're not an expert on everything that exists you're not immune to these, so i would probably recommend caring about photo sources unless you actively want to look at this repulsive trash

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Slowly but surely I continue to chip away at the last remnants of the large commission for SECAC. Amongst them are the reptilian looking Rough-toothed dolphins.

The middle adult I'd finished a while back, but the juvenile and old male are new. The colour changes these dolphins go through is quite interesting! Especially the Pacific juveniles; one day I want to illustrate one of them because they just look so striking. The old man is definitely an eye-catcher too. Their faces become so heavy set, and the light grey blotching some show is very interesting too.

Rough-tooths have very particular faces and body shapes which continue to elude me. The juvenile I'm most happy with, the old male is fine too. But the adult has bugged me since I finished it, and though I reworked it a little I'm still not satisfied. One day I'll get the Stenos right... For now I hope you enjoy a slice of these beautiful oddities!

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Shelduck - Tadorna (Tadorna tadorna)

Setúbal/Portugal (23/05/2025)

[Nikon D500; AF-S Nikkor 600mm F/4E FL ED VR with Nikon AF-S TC-14E III]

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Bothering the beast

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05/19/25

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Fractal Fingers

As bizarre as the branching fractal fingers of the Saffman-Taylor instability look, they’re quite a common phenomenon. In his video, Steve Mould demonstrates how to make them by sandwiching a viscous liquid like school glue between two acrylic sheets and then pulling them apart.  (Video and image credit: S. Mould) Read the full article

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Pioneering paleontologist Mary Anning was born #OTD (21 May 1799 – 9 March 1847). Let's also take a moment to appreciate her beloved dog companion, Tray:

1. Detail from Denise Dutton's 2021 Mary Anning statue at Lyme Regis (love the little detail of the ammonite in the ear!)

2. Detail from the original portrait painting of Anning by an unknown artist, before 1842, now at Natural History Museum, London

3. Sketch by Mary! Part of her personal papers, now held by Natural History Museum, London.

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Sick World

Inostrancevia, end Permian.

Patreon • Ko-fi • BlueSky  • Instagram • Prints & Merch  

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My new best friend, a Large red damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula. I try not to post the same species twice in one season but who could say no to that beautiful little face?