Dr Victoria (Flossy) Sperring
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Avian Ecology and Conservation, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University
- Research umbrella: Ecology and conservation of the Christmas Island goshawk and hawk-owl
- Contact: Flossy Sperring
Bio
I am passionate about ecological research for conservation of small and isolated populations. I completed a Bachelor of Science through Monash University in 2016. In 2018 I completed an honours project investigating the foraging ecology of Little Penguins in response to ocean stratification. After honours, I took over coordination of the Little Penguin monitoring program in St Kilda and worked as an environmental consultant. Between 2019-2023, I undertook a PhD with Assoc. Professor Rohan Clarke at Monash University, working on the Critically Endangered Norfolk Island Morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata).
The Norfolk Island Morepork is restricted to Norfolk Island in the South Pacific Ocean (34km2) with a population size of just 25 individuals. My PhD investigated habitat suitability using GPS tracking devices and LiDAR-derived habitat variables to recommend management actions for strategic habitat restoration. I studied their diet using visual and eDNA techniques, identifying a management conundrum where the control of invasive Black Rats is essential for threatened song-bird conservation on Norfolk Island, but simultaneously puts moreporks at risk of secondary poisoning. I trialed monitoring programs involving citizen scientists, acoustic recording units, and call-broadcast surveys to establish a robust population monitoring program. I also investigated the biogeography of closely related species, identifying the most suitable source population for genetic rescue onto Norfolk Island. This research also provides new evidence to help resolve the taxonomy of Australian Boobooks, New Zealand Moreporks, and Tasmanian Moreporks.
The Norfolk Island Morepork is restricted to Norfolk Island in the South Pacific Ocean (34km2) with a population size of just 25 individuals. My PhD investigated habitat suitability using GPS tracking devices and LiDAR-derived habitat variables to recommend management actions for strategic habitat restoration. I studied their diet using visual and eDNA techniques, identifying a management conundrum where the control of invasive Black Rats is essential for threatened song-bird conservation on Norfolk Island, but simultaneously puts moreporks at risk of secondary poisoning. I trialed monitoring programs involving citizen scientists, acoustic recording units, and call-broadcast surveys to establish a robust population monitoring program. I also investigated the biogeography of closely related species, identifying the most suitable source population for genetic rescue onto Norfolk Island. This research also provides new evidence to help resolve the taxonomy of Australian Boobooks, New Zealand Moreporks, and Tasmanian Moreporks.
Research
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The Christmas Island Hawk-owl and Christmas Island Goshawk are threatened species endemic to Christmas Island. Little is currently known about the ecology of these species, impeding effective conservation management. The main objectives of my current research are to determine the status, health, diet, habitat requirements, and genetic diversity of the species, and develop a robust population monitoring design. To inform habitat management and conservation actions on Christmas Island, this project is:
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Publications
- Sperring VF, Weeks AR, Webster W, Macgregor NA, Wilson M, Isaac B, Clarke RH (2024). Diet breadth of a critically endangered owl presents challenges for invasive rodent management: a conservation conundrum. Emu-Austral Ornithology 124, 187-198
- Sperring VF, Bradsworth N, Isaac B, Brown S, Wilson M, Macgregor N, Clarke RH (2024). Habitat requirements of a Critically Endangered Ninox hawk-owl: implications for island-wide restoration. Restoration Ecology. Accepted for publication.
- Sperring VF, Wilson M, Isaac B, Macgregor NA, Clarke RH (2024). Call broadcast surveys monitor owls with more precision than passive citizen scientists and acoustic recoding units. Wildlife Research. In review.
- Sperring V, Brown S, Macgregor N, Olsen P, Clarke R, Wilson M, Greenup N, Weeks A, Ward R, Greenwood D, Christian M, Garnett S (2021). Norfolk Island Morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata. In 'The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020. Vol. 1'. (Eds S. Garnett,G. Baker.) pp. 360-363. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.) doi: 10.1071/9781486311910
- Sperring V, Webster W, Isaac B, Clarke R, Gautschi D, Heinsohn R, Olsen P, Weeks A, Macgregor NA, Wilson M, Greenup N (2021). 'Ecology, genetics and conservation management of the Norfolk Island Morepork and Green Parrot'. NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub Project 4.1.9 Brisbane.