What is a Threatened Species?

Plants and animals are assessed if they are considered at risk of extinction. If the risk is high, they are listed in legislation and conservation actions are developed for their protection.

A species is considered threatened if there is a reduction in its population size, it has restricted geographical distribution or there are few mature individuals. A threatened species may be listed as vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered, or extinct, depending on its status.

What Legislation Protects Threatened Species?

The NSW Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, is responsible for protecting species and habitats listed as threatened.

The key pieces of legislation that identify and protect threatened species, populations and ecological communities in NSW is the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and its regulations. 

Key elements of land management and biodiversity conservation are also legislated under amendments to the Local Land Services Act 2013.

The NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee is established under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. It is responsible for determining the listing of species and ecological communities. Currently in the Tamworth Local Government Area there are 27 native bird species listed as threatened. Refer to the list below.

Endangered Local Species

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

Regent Honeyeater

Anthochaera phrygia

nomadic

ENDANGERED

Bush Stone-curlew	Burhinus grallarius	nomadic
Swift Parrot	Lathamus discolour	nomadic
Hooded Robin	Melanodryas cucullata	nomadic

VULNERABLE

Magpie Goose	Anseranas semipalmata	nomadic
Freckled Duck	Stictonetta naevosa	nomadic
Blue-billed Duck	Oxyura australis	nomadic
Eastern Osprey	Pandion cristatus	resident
Square-tailed Kite	Lophoictinia isura	resident
White-bellied Sea-Eagle	Haliacetus leucogaster	resident
Spotted Harrier	Circus assimilis	resident
Little Eagle	Hieraaetus orphnoides	resident
Black Falcon	Falco subniger	resident
Glossy Black-Cockatoo	Calyptorhynchus lathami	nomadic
Little Lorikeet	Glossopsitta pusilla	nomadic
Turquoise Parrot	Neophema pulchella	resident
Barking Owl	Ninox connivens	resident
Brown Treecreeper	Climacteris picumnus	resident
Speckled Warbler	Pyrrholaemus sagittatus	resident
Southern Whiteface	Aphelocephala leucopsis	resident
Black-chinned Honeyeater	Melithreptus gularis	resident
Grey-crowned Babbler	Pomatostomus temporalis	resident
Varied Sittella	Daphoenositta chrysoptera	resident
Dusky Woodswallow	Artamus cyanopterus	migratory
Scarlet Robin	Petroica boodang	resident
Flame Robin	Petroica phoenicea	resident
Diamond Firetail	Stagonopleura guttata	resident