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OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIET OF THE TOPKNOT PIGEON Lopholaimus antarcticus IN THE ILLAWARRA RAINFOREST, NEW SOUTH WALES


Observations were made on the feeding behaviour of Topknot Pigeons Lopholalmus antarcticus from March 1988 to December 1992 near Mt Keira, Wollongong, New South Wales. The species of plants that contributed fruit to the diet were recorded for each month of the year. The seasonality, quantity and duration of fruiting by food species varied considerably over the study period. Topknot Pigeons were found to consume the fruits of 13 rainforest species and those that contributed most to the presence of the birds in the study area were the Cabbage Tree Palm Livistona australis, Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla, Brown Beech Pennantia cunninghamii, Jackwood Cryptocarya glaucescens, White Cherry Schizomeria ovata, Peppervine Piper novaehollandiae and Lillypilly Acmena smithii. These are recommended for rainforest revegetation schemes in the Wollongong area.

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