Northern Australia & Trans-Fly Savannas - A Global Ecoregion

High numbers of migratory, resident waterfowl, wading birds

About the Area
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Cape York tropical savanna; Trans Fly savanna and grasslands; Kimberly tropical savanna; Einasleigh upland savanna; Carpentaria tropical savanna; Arnhem Land tropical savanna.

While much of Australia is covered by grassland, savanna ecosystems are far more restricted - being limited to moister areas along the coast with the Kimberley, Top End, and Cape York savannas, along the northern coast, and providing the best examples of this habitat type on the continent.

Patches of dry rainforest with high species diversity also occur throughout the ecoregion.

Local Species
The region abounds with a diversity of waterfowl, wading birds, reptiles, marsupials, rodents, and bats.

Resident mammals, many of which are endemic, include such well-known species as the Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), Agile wallaby (Macropus agilis), and the Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus). Extremely high numbers of migratory and resident waterfowl and wading birds are found here.

These include the Comb-crested jacana (Irediparra gallinacea), Great billed heron (Ardea sumatrana), Green pygmy goose (Nettapus pulchellus), Grey teal (Anas gracilis), Plumed whistling-duck (endrocygna eytoni), Wandering whistling-duck (D. arcuata), and the Magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata).

Also found are Gouldian finches (Chloebia gouldiae), Golden-shouldered parrots (Psephotus chrysopterygius), and Freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstonii).

Threats
The lack of fire management, feral animals and weeds, and grazing pose threats to the biodiversity of this ecoregion.

Resources
• NationalGeographic.com