DENSITY OF BIRDS IN EUCALYPT WOODLAND NEAR ARMIDALE, NORTH-EASTERN NEW SOUTH WALES
| Posted: |
26/09/2021 |
| Author(s): |
Hugh A. Ford, Lynda Bridges, Susan Noske |
Birds were counted along four 8-9 ha transects 50 m wide throughout 1981. Densities
averaged 8.3-11.1 birds/ha. with numbers tending to be highest in winter and lowest
in spring. About 50% of individuals belonged to species that are insectivorous, 35%
were honeyeaters (eating nectar and insects) and about 13% were of graminivorous
species. Frugivores and vertebrate-feeders were scarce. A total of 67 species were seen
of which 40 were resident in one or more sites and 11 were breeding summer visitors.
Numbers of several species, especially pardalotes and honeyeaters. increased in early
autumn and declined in late winter. Home ranges of seven species were mapped and
these more accurate estimates of density were compared with those from the transect
censuses. On average, density was underestimated by the transect censuses by 15%,
and by up to 50% for individual species. Estimates of density at one site were about
50% of those made nearby in 1978 and 1979. A severe drought had probably contributed
to this decline.
Results are compared with those from three other locations in south-eastern Australia.
Although they span nearly 8° of latitude the composition of the avifauna and its seasonality
are very similar in all four locations.
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