Mortality in Pardalotes in Melbourne, 1960 to 1980
| Posted: |
05/10/2021 |
| Author(s): |
A. R. McEvey, J. C. Z. Woinarski |
Forty-six museum specimens of pardalotes were found dead in the Melbourne area
between 1960 and 1980. An additional 47 birds were reported dead in that period, but left
uncollected. An analysis of the dates of these mortality records indicated that deaths
occurred non-randomly over months and years, with two years (1974 and 1977) and four
months (May-August) accounting for the bulk of deaths. The three taxa of pardalotes represented
(
Pardalotus punctatus and
Pardalotus striatus morphs '
striatus' and '
ornatus') had
correlated mortality dates, although
punctatus deaths tended to be more evenly spaced.
There was no significant correlation of deaths with three weather variables examined. There
was little evidence that starvation or epidemic were the cause of the deaths. It is suggested
that the pattern of deaths reflects a major variation in actual density and aggregation
of pardalotes in this area during this period.
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