Nature Notes - Bilby

Features

The Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is a nocturnal marsupial and has long, silky blue-grey fur, ears like a rabbit and a beautiful, bushy black tail with a white tip.

Adaptations

Bilbies are nocturnal and have powerful forelimbs and strong claws for digging. Their vision is poor, but their sense of smell and hearing are acute. They rarely need to drink.

Habitat

Bilbies live in the sand country; they prefer open country with a mixture of bare soil and grass clumps. Traditional patch burning by Aboriginal people helped the Bilby because it reduced the amount of shrub cover and stimulated the growth of its food supplies.

Range

Until the turn of the century the Bilby was one of  Australia’s most widespread marsupials, inhabiting 70% of the Australian mainland. It lived in a variety of habitats, such as along rivers, in mulga shrubland and spinifex sand plains. Today it is mostly restricted to scattered colonies in the desert country northwest of Alice Springs. There is also an isolated colony near Boulia in Queensland.

Wild Status

The Bilby is classified as vulnerable as it has disappeared from much of its former range. Many factors have contributed to their decline including competition from feral cats and foxes, land clearing and the reduction of Aboriginal burning practices.

Diet

Bilbies are omnivores; they scratch around at night for seeds, grubs, bulbs, fruit and insects. When looking for food they dig with their front legs and then sniff in the hole with their long nose.

Predators

Predators of the Bilby include dingoes, Wedge-tailed Eagles and feral cats and red foxes.

Home

The Bilby remains in its deep burrow (sometimes up to 2m deep and 3 metres long) during the day and comes out at night to feed.

Life Span

Up to 6 years

Size

Males grow up to 2.5kg and are larger than females which gown up to 1.3kg.

Reproduction

Bilby births usually occur March to May but can occur any time after rain. Litters of 1 or 2 stay in the pouch for 80 days. The female’s pouch opens backwards so that the young do not get covered in dirt as the female scratches for food.

Extra Fun Facts

Bilbies have back legs that look like those of a kangaroo, but bilbies don’t hop. They gallop like a horse when they need some speed.

The sound they make is a cross between a grunt and a squeak.