Bio-calendar August

Pre-Spring

(mid July to the end of August)

Pre-spring is well underway by the start of August, average temperatures are on an increasing trend across much of Victoria and average rainfall is at its highest for many areas. It is a time of growth and renewal for plants and animals.

Pre-spring is a time usually referred to as winter under the European calendar but a time when many Australian plants and animals have already responded to the change in weather patterns.

The following list provides an insight to various life stages for some of the native plants and animals in Victoria during August, of course there will be some variation across different areas of the State.  Please contact SWIFFT so we can add to the list.

Threatened Fauna

• Australian Mudfish Galaxias cleaveri; spawning over by the end of August.
• Barking Owl Ninox connivens; second month of breeding season, egg laying & incubation.
• Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis gularis - breeding most commonly from July to December. 
• Brush-tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa; nearing the end of breeding by early August.
• Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius; commencement of breeding season.
• Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata; commencement of breeding season through to January.
• Dwarf Galaxias Galaxiella pusilla; start of spawning season which lasts through to September.
• Eastern Barred Bandicoot Perameles gunnii; midway through preferred breeding season.
• Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis; commencement of breeding season.
• Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae; start of nesting in dense, wet old-growth forests, through to November.
• Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis; commencement of breeding season (calling males begin attracting females).
• Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis; commencement of breeding season along Victorian coastline.
• Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii - arrives in August after migrating from breeding areas in Japan and south-east Siberia.
• Powerful Owl Ninox strenua; owlets near fledging stage.
• Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus; start of breeding season with movement to riverine environments August to December.
• Southern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon obesulus; carrying pouched young.
• Swamp Antechinus Antechinus minimus; females giving birth July - August.
• Variegated Pygmy Perch Nannoperca variegata; second month of spawning season underway.
• White-footed Dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus; breeding season, July – August, females give birth September – October

Threatened Flora

• Spiny Rice-flower Pimelea spinescens ssp. Spinescens; last month of flowering season.

Other native flora & fauna

Fauna

• Little Penguin; start of breeding season at Port Campbell.
• Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps; main months for giving birth through August into October.
• Red-necked Stint arrives in Australia; some first-year birds may remain in Australia.
• Eastern Pobblebonk Frog breeding season begins; listen for males calling at night, particularly after rain.
• Southern Brown Tree Frog and Striped Marsh Frog peak breeding season, listen for males calling at night.

Flora

• Swamp Gum, Long-leaved Box, Blue Gum and Yellow Gum are in flower, providing a valuable food source for honeyeaters possums and gliders.
• Coastal Tea Tree flowers start appearing.
• Ironbark (Eucalyptus tricarpa) fallen flower caps may be present on forest floor.

• Contact SWIFFT and add to the list.