2 Fauna

TARDUN FLORA & FAUNA

Part 2

FAUNA

Brown Goshawk (Family ACCIPITRIDAE, Accipiter fasciatus)

The Aboriginal name of the Brown Goshawk is wiraju. The Brown Goshawk sometimes nests here in Tardun, but it is a bird that you do not see very often.
Other names for this bird are; Australian Goshawk and Chicken-hawk.
This fierce hunter’s diet includes among other things the introduced rabbits.

Common Dunnart (Family DASYURIDAE, Sminthopsis dolichura)

The Aboriginal name of the Common Dunnart is (miyurtu). The first time I have seen this marsupial mouse here was in 1969. I mention it because the Dunnarts are still here even though the fox and feral cats have hunted them.
The Common Dunnart lives and breeds here. Most are living in fallen hollow logs.

Ringed Brown Snake (Family ELAPIDAE, Pseudonaja modesta)

The Aboriginal name of the Ringed Brown Snake is jidu. These snakes have various shades of brown to rich reddish-brown colours above and a black head.
It has 4 to 7 narrow black cross-bands evenly spaced along the body and tail. In adults these bands may fade or disappear. The snake can grow up to 45cm in length, and is not regarded as dangerous.

Tree Dtella (Family GEKKONIDAE, Gehyra variegata)

The Tree Dtella is highly variable in colour with a grey or grey-brown above and with numerous scattered irregular blackish and pale flecks. It is quit common here. The name ‘gecko’ is a human imitation of the sound made by a European member of the family. None of the Australian geckos say ‘gecko’, but some make noises like ‘click’ or ‘cluck’.

Golden orb-weaving spider *(Family ARANEIDAE, Araneomorpha Nephila)*
The golden-coloured silk of the Golden orb-weaving spider is remarkably strong. The family of this spider is one of the largest, and in Australia more than 260 species have been reported in 1972.

Thorny Devil or Moloch (Family AGAMIDAE, Moloch horridus)

The Aboriginal name of the Thorny Devil is minjiny, minjinh? This is a slow-moving diurnal lizard that feeds only on ants and is immediately identifiable by the large, conical spines covering the fat, depressed body. The distinctive monotypic is an endemic Australian genus. It is not common here.

Burton’s legless Lizard (Family PYGOPODIDAE, Lialis burtonis)

It is highly variable in colour, but here it is mostly pale grey in colour. It has poorly-developed hind limb flaps and conspicuous external ear-openings. The lizard is found in low vegetation and is active both by day and night. It feeds largely on small lizards, especially skinks.

Nankeen Kestrel (Family FALCONINE, Falcon cenchroides)

The Nankeen Kestrel is resident on our property and breeds here from August to November. In the picture you can see four young Kestrels in a nesting hole of a two hundred year old York Gum (Eucalyptus loxophleba).

Spinifex Hopping-mouse (Family MURIDAE, Notomys alexis)

Its Wadjarri* name is gurlganyindinyindi, and it is a mysterious creature not many people will ever see. This native rodent avoids the heat of the day by sheltering in a deep humid burrow system, often one metre or so below the surface. The rodents emerge at dusk and are active throughout much of the night. Like many other rodents, the Spinifex Hopping-mouse can survive without drinking.

* Wadjarri is the name of the Aboriginal Tribe of the Murchison District of Western Australia.

Western Spotted Frog (Family MYOBATRAXHIDAE, Heleioporus albopunctatus)

Of the seven species of frogs I have observed at Tardun, this White-Spotted Marsh-Dweller is the most difficult to find. It belongs to the Genus Heleioporus, a group of moderate to large, fat globular burrowing frogs.

Desert Banded Snake (Family ELAPIDAE, Simoselaps bertholdi)

The Wadjarri name of the Desert Banded Snake is tjirtu. Of the nine species of snakes on the property, it is one of the smallest. It is about l7cm long and regarded as harmless to humans and domestic animals. Although it is venomous it does not normally bite

Short-beaked Echidna (Family TACHYGLOSSIDAE, Tachyglossus aculeatus)

The Wadjarri name of the echidna is gunduwa. It feeds mainly on termites and ants but probably also eats the larvae of some moths and other small insects. The echidna is a solitary animal and you do not see it often because it avoids extreme temperatures by sheltering in burrows or hollow logs.

Western Blue-Tongued Lizard (Family SCINCIDAE, Tiliqua occipitalis)

The Wadjarri name of this lizard is julirri. Among the nineteen species on our property this heavily built lizard is one of the most common. Here in Tardun it is called "pencil-tail". The photograph shows a young lizard.

Scorpion (Family ISOMETROIDAE, Isometroides vescus)

The Wadjarri name of this scorpion is wana. Scorpions are some of the oldest existing types of animal. Fossil remains date back some 135 million years. The Australian genus Isometroides has evolved an interesting specialisation in their diet. They appear to live entirely on trapdoor spiders.

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Desert Banded Snake (Family ELAPIDAE, Simoselaps bertholdi)
The Wadjarri name of the Desert Banded Snake is tjirtu. Of the nine species of snakes on the property, it is one of the smallest. It is about l7cm long and regarded as harmless to humans and domestic animals. Although it is venomous it does not normally bite

Short-beaked Echidna *(Family TACHYGLOSSIDAE, Tachyglossus aculeatus)*
		The Wadjarri name of the echidna is gunduwa. It feeds mainly on termites and ants but probably also eats the larvae of some moths and other small insects. The echidna is a solitary animal and you do not see it often because it avoids extreme temperatures by sheltering in burrows or hollow logs.

Western Blue-Tongued Lizard *(Family SCINCIDAE, Tiliqua* occipitalis)**
The Wadjarri name of this lizard is julirri. Among the nineteen species on our property this heavily built lizard is one of the most common. Here in Tardun it is called "pencil-tail". The photograph shows a young lizard.