Skip to main content
You are viewing this website as a Domestic Student You are viewing this website as an International Student

You are viewing this website as a Domestic Student

You are viewing this website as an International Student

Domestic Student

I am an Australian or New Zealand citizen.

I am an Australian Permanent Resident (including Humanitarian Visa holders).

International Student

I am not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand.

I am not an Australian permanent resident or Humanitarian Visa holders.

Start of main content

RIEL seminar series

The habitat requirements and potential threats of the endangered Alligator Rivers Yellow Chat Epthianura rocea tunneyi

Presenter Robin Leppitt
Date/Time
to
Contact person
RIEL outreach
E: RIEL.outreach@cdu.edu.au
Location Yellow 1.1.39 and Zoom
Open to Public
Robin Leppitt holding small yellow bird in open grassy landscape

When I began this PhD way back in 2016, we knew that the Alligator Rivers Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea tunneyi was rare, with a couple of dedicated surveys failing to find many birds and incidental sightings all but drying up. The chat had been classified as endangered in 2006 due to low population and small area of occupancy, but there was precious little hard data on the population size, major threats, and habitat associations. 5 years later, the PhD has been submitted and we know a little more about chats and how we might conserve them, with plenty more still to discover.

This seminar will present my PhD, which was moderately successful in improving our knowledge of the Alligator Rivers Yellow Chat. It will take an in-depth look at the four data chapters (on chat habitat, chat genetics, floodplain fire, and floodplain bird communities), and also detail some of the problems and failures that come with studying rare and elusive animals in challenging environments.

Robin Leppitt is PhD candidate at Charles Darwin University studying the conservation ecology of the Alligator Rivers Yellow Chat. Originally from Melbourne, Robin has a keen interest in the conservation of Australia’s birds and their habitats. On the cusp of completing his PhD, he is beginning a career in science communication, hoping to get as many people as possible passionate about the natural world and it’s ongoing prosperity.

YouTube video

Related Events

  • Dr Bilawara Lee
    Danala | Education and Community Precinct

    The Dr Bilawara Lee OAM (Aunty B), Faculty of Health Public Lecture

    Bernard Salt explores how the aging baby boomer generation and a post-pandemic shift toward wellness will drive unprecedented demand and consumer expectations within Australia’s healthcare sector and "care economy" through 2036.

    Seminar/lecture/forum
    Read more about The Dr Bilawara Lee OAM (Aunty B), Faculty of Health Public Lecture
  • The Hon. Justice Marcus Solomon SC
    Danala | Education and Community Precinct

    Freedom of Political Communication and Social Cohesion

    The 15th Austin Asche Oration features The Hon. Justice Marcus Solomon SC, who will examine how debates surrounding free speech, rising prejudice, and declining social cohesion are reshaping Australia's legal and political landscapes.

    Seminar/lecture/forum
    Read more about Freedom of Political Communication and Social Cohesion
  • dazzle
    Casuarina campus

    Razzle Dazzle Your Research!

    Want to improve the way your research is seen, cited, and funded? Increase the visibility and discoverability of your research without adding to your workload?

    In this 45 minute workshop, learn how small, strategic tweaks to keywords, research profile details and even Field of Research (FoR) —taking only minutes—that can significantly boost how your research is discovered and valued 

    You will walk away with a clearer understanding of how your research is picked up by and 'seen' and counted in various systems like Scival, search engines and more.

    This isn’t about compliance—it’s about visibility, impact, and career advantage and how just a few minutes can make your research count in a much bigger way.

    Workshop
    Read more about Razzle Dazzle Your Research!
Back to top