Animals
Wetland Animals
Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that provide habitat for a diverse range of animals. In the City of Salisbury wetlands, you'll find:
- 173 species of birds, including 24 species of migratory waders
- five native fish species
- four native frog species
- seven native mammal species
- seven native reptile species
Plus 37 native aquatic invertebrate (water bug) groups. Little Wetland Critters
Birds
Within the wetlands, water birds such as ducks, spoonbills, herons, pelicans and cormorants are relatively common while migratory waders visit during the warmer seasons. Tree and shrub plantings around the wetlands attract and host a completely different range of bird species.
The proliferation of wetlands within the City of Salisbury has attracted 173 species of aquatic and terrestrial bird species, with 49 native species and five exotic species now breeding at the wetlands. It is not uncommon to find bird species such as the Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) breeding even in the smaller suburban wetlands.
The Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis) is a nationally protected bird species which has been observed at four large wetlands within the City of Salisbury and has begun breeding at the Greenfields Wetlands in 2009.
Three other birds which are breeding at the wetlands are considered rare for South Australia.
These are the:
- Australasian Shoveler (Anas rhynchotis)
- Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis)
- Baillon's Crake (Porzana pusilla)
Twenty-four migratory wading bird species protected under international agreements visit the wetlands during the larger coastal wetlands each summer. Download this PDF document for more information: Migratory Birds Table
Useful Links
Fish
Five small native fish species have been recorded for Greenfields Wetlands with four of these also present at the little Para Estuary Wetlands. Native fish found are the:
- Climbing Galaxias (Galaxias brevipinnis)
- Common Jollytail or Common Galaxia (Galaxias maculatus)
- Congolli (Pseudaphritis urvillii)
- Flathead Gudgeon (Philypnodon grandiceps)
- Swan River Goby or Blue Spot Goby (Pseudogobius olorum)
Two exotic fish species also commonly occur in the wetlands. These are:
- Eastern Gambusia or Plague Minnow (Gambusia holbrooki)
- European Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Useful Links
Frogs
Four native frog species commonly occur within the City of Salisbury with one or more species present in each wetland. They are the:
- Brown Tree Frog (Litoria ewingi)
- Common or Brown Froglet (Crinia signifera)
- Eastern Banjo or Bull Frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii)
- Spotted Grass or Marbled Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)
Useful Links
http://www.frogsaustralia.net.au
http://www.frogs.org.au
Mammals
Wetlands host two native possum species and are visited by at least four native bat species. Native mammals recorded at wetlands include:
- Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)
- Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
- Gould's Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus gouldii)
- Lesser Long-eared Bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi)
- Native Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster)
- Southern Freetail-bat (Mormopterus petersi)
- White-striped Freetail-bat (Tadarida australis)
Useful Links
http://australianmuseum.net.au/mammals
Reptiles
Wetlands such as Greenfields and Kaurna Park are populated with the following native reptile species:
- Adelaide Snake-eye Lizard (Morethia adelaidensis)
- Common Long-necked Tortoise (Chelodina longicollis)
- Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata)
- Eastern Bluetongue Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides)
- Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textiles)
- Marbled Gecko (Christinus marmoratus)
- Sleepy or Shingleback Lizard (Tiliqua rugosus)