Davis, W.E. Jr. and Recher, H.F. 1993. Notes on the breeding biology of the Regent Honeyeater. Corella 17: 1-4. (Coll. Basic Stud., Boston Univ., 871 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA)

Two Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia nests were watched for six days before both nests disappeared. Observations on nest building, copulation, incubation, feeding, vocalization and aggressive interactions with other avian species are presented. There was frequent aggression between the Regent Honeyeaters and other species of honeyeaters. It is possible that habitat fragmentation coupled with frequent and intense interspecific aggression during breeding are contributing factors in the decline of Regent Honeyeater populations.

Frith, C.B. and Frith,W. 1993. Results of a preliminary highland bird banding study at Tari Gap, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea.Corella17: 5-21. (P.O. Box 581, Malanda, N. Qld. 4885, Australia).

Bird banding was performed in lower montane rainforest of Tari Gap, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, during eight weeks of each of three consecutive years, at seven netting sites. A total of 1 174 captures of 50 species were made, involving 895 individual birds. Of 279 recaptures, 228 were birds we banded and 51 were birds banded during previous studies. Of the 201 individual birds involved in recaptures, only seven of six species were not retrapped at their original capture point. The furthest movement of an individual was 2.7 km by a Papuan Scrubwren Sericornis papuensis. Morphometric, moult and broad patch data are presented and discussed.

We caught 50 (54%) of a potential c. 93 species in our study area. The mean capture rate was 0.56 birds per hour by 13 m of mist net, and this is compared with other New Guinea mist-netting results. Longevity records of more than a year are reported for 17 species, the longest being of 61 months. Several species are recorded at new upper altitudinal limits at Tari Gap. Breeding activity increased during September-November, and the percentage of birds moulting increased during September (38%) to January (70%). Moult was noted in 48 species, and seasonal data is presented for 30.

Neil, T. 1993. Foraging in the intertidal zone by the Australian Magpie Lark Grallina cyanoleuca, Moreton Bay, Queensland. Corella 17: 22-24. (Dep. Geogr. Sci. & Planning, Univ. Qld., St. Lucia, Qld. 4072, Australia)

Utilization of marine resources on an intertidal mudflat at Moreton Bay, Queensland, by the Australian Magpie Lark is reported. Magpie Larks represented 17 per cent of the individual birds observed in the study area at low tide and, for 90 per cent of observations, they foraged on seagrass beds, rather than bare mud or rocky areas. Magpie Larks observed on the intertidal flat spent about 98 per cent of their time actively foraging.

Davis, W.E. Jr., and Recher, H.F. 1993. Aggression by honeyeaters and its consequences for nesting Striated Thornbills Acanthiza lineata. Corella17: 25-27. (Coll. Basic Stud., Boston Univ., 871 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA).

Anthochaera carunculata, Meliphaga chrysops and Melithreptus lunatus probably reduce reproductive success of smaller species.

Healey, C. 1993. Parent-Offspring attachment in the Hooded Mannikin Lonchura spectabilis of New Guinea. Corella 17: 27. (Anthropol., NT Univ., P.O. Box 40146, Casuarina, NT 0811, Australia).

Adults relocated nest containing young that had been moved 600 m.

Farrell, J.R. and Hardy, J.W. 1993. Survival, seasonal abundance, sex ratio and diet of Eastern Spinebills Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. Corella 17: 33-40. (73 Ellison Rd., Springwood, NSW 2777, Australia)

Over 13 years (1 977-1989) a total of 679 Eastern Spinebills was banded in a eucalypt forest at Blue Gum Swamp Creek, Winmalee, New South Wales. Compared with another population of Eastern Spinebills in the New England National Park, the one at Blue Gum Swamp Creek appeared to have a higher proportion of sedentary birds, had a higher survival rate and the birds that arrived during the 'winter influx' were less regular in their return to the site. There was a skewing of the sex ratio in favour of males, which was instigated during the birds‚ first year of life. The effect of fires in the surrounding area is examined in light of the yearly variations in capture rates. Major food sources during autumn, winter and spring, were determined from foraging observations and identification of pollen on the birds. The major food plants included Banksia oblongifolia, B. spinulosa, Lambertia formosa, Grevillea mucronulata, Callistemon citrinus, Correa sp., Styphelia sp., Woollsia pungens and Amyema sp. Capture rates showed a substantial rise during May, June and July. This influx is more likely a passage of birds through the site and not a response to the flowering of food plants at the site. Morphometrics for both males and females are also presented.

Chan, K. and Sutton, P. 1993. Migratory behaviour of Silvereyes returning to Tasmania from Southern Victoria. Corella17: 41-42. (Dep. Zool., Univ. Qld., Qld. 4072, Australia).

Collective calling before diurnal departure.

PYKE, G.H. and ARMSTRONG, D.P 1993. Estimating sexes of New Holland and White-cheeked Honeyeaters from head-bill measurements. Corella17: 43-46. (Div. Environ. Sci., Australian Mus., P.O. Box A285, Sydney S., NSW 2001, Australia)

We tested the degree to which New Holland and White-cheeked Honeyeaters could be sexed on the basis of head-bill measurements. Both species showed bimodal distributions of head-bill measurements, with inter-modal troughs at 41.25 mm in New Holland Honeyeaters and at 40.75 mm in White- cheeked Honeyeaters. We proposed that birds with head-bill measurements greater than the inter-modal trough were probably males, and tested this method on birds whose sexes were known from brood patches or observations of nesting behaviour. Of 77 New Holland Honeyeaters (22 male, 55 female) and 47 White-cheeked Honeyeaters (11 males, 36 females), 91 per cent of birds were correctly sexed from their head-bill measurements. We investigated the possibility of using this technique on Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, but found this species to have a unimodal distribution of head-bill lengths.

Geering, D.J. 1993. The effect of drought-breaking rain on the re-establishment of Egret colonies in North Coastal New South Wales. Corella17: 47-51. (The Wetlands Ctr., Shortland, P.O. Box 130, Wallsend, NSW 2328, Australia).

The re-establishment of five breeding colonies of egrets on the north coast of New South Wales was monitored over a period during which drought-breaking rain fell. Colonisation was affected by the water level of the colony site prior to this rainfall event. Dry sites were not colonised until flooding of the site occurred whilst those with water were only colonised by Cattle Egrets. Great, Intermediate and Little Egrets commenced nesting in significant numbers only after this rainfall event. Where nesting of all four species commenced at the same time, Cattle Egrets were able to respond more quickly and were more synchronised. Availability of water seemed to be the major limiting factor for Cattle Egrets but the case is less certain for the other egret species.

Dann, P. 1993. Abundance, diet and feeding behaviour of the Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus variegatus in Rhyll Inlet, Victoria. Corella17: 52-57. (Penguin Reserve Comittee Manage., P.O. Box 97, Cowes, Vic. 3922, Australia).

Information is presented on the numbers, diet and behaviour of Whimbrels feeding in the Rhyll Inlet in Western Port, Victoria in 1977-78. Monthly mean numbers increased gradually throughout spring to a maximum of 22 in 1977 in summer and 28 in 1978 in autumn. Crabs comprised 93 per cent of the prey items and shrimps made up the remaining 7 per cent of the diet. The most numerous prey species found in an analysis of regurgitated pellets was the Tasselled Crab Pilumnus fissifrons. Whimbrel preferred to feed out of the water in mudflat areas with a 10 per cent to 50 per cent covering of eelgrass and the majority of feeding actions observed (199) were pecks (39%) or jabs (38%) and the rest were probes (23%). Pecks were never seen to result in prey capture, whereas 12 per cent of jabs and 24 per cent of probes were followed by obvious handling and swallowing of food. The mean duration of six feeding periods in September and October 1978 was 240 minutes per diurnal tidal cycle (s.d. ± 56.0) and ranged from 170 to 300 minutes. The mean rate of feeding actions was 0.15 per second (s.d. ± 0.07) [or one feeding action every 6.7 seconds] and ranged from 0.08 to 0.33 during 62 minutes of observations. Their success rate was 0.02 prey items per second (s.d. ± 0.02) [or one prey capture every 50 seconds] and ranged from 0.004 to 0.06 prey per second. Crustaceans have been the only type of food from intertidal areas found in the diet of variegatus in Australia and New Zealand although molluscs have been recorded in the diet in India and Vanuatu.

Dann, P. 1993. Sexual dimorphism in bill lengths of Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus variegatus. Corella 17: 57. (Penguin Reserve Committee Manage., P.O. Box 97, Cowes, Vic. 3922, Australia)

Statistically significant difference from 26 museum specimens

Lawler, W., Kingsford, R., Briggs, S.V. and Milkovits, G. 1993. Movements of Grey Teal Anas gracilis from a drying, arid zone wetland. Corella17: 58-60. (Div. Wildl. Ecol., CSIRO, P.O. Box 84, Lyneham, ACT 2602, Australia.

Grey Teal (746) were banded on Lake Salisbury, an ephemeral lake in north-western New South Wales in June 1987, before the lake dried. By June 1991, 19 of these birds had been shot by hunters in south-eastern Australia, and their bands recovered. Such recoveries show that Grey Teal, including juveniles, travel to wetlands in south-eastern Australia from drying, ephemeral wetlands in north- western New South Wales.

Joseph, L. 1993. Predation by Boyd's Forest Dragon on birds caught in mist nets. Corella 17: 60-61. (Dep. Zool. & Ctr. Conserv. Biol., Univ. Qld., Qld. 4072, Australia).

Three records of Acanthiza katherina and one of Oreoscopus gutturalis as prey.

Poiani, A. 1993. A possible case of intra-specific brood parasitism in the Bell Miner. Corella 17: 61-62. (Dep. Zool., La Trobe Univ., Bundoora, Vic. 3083, Australia).

Differing egg size and colour within clutch suggests parasitism.

King, B.R. 1993. The status of Queensland Seabirds. Corella17: 65-92. (dec., formerly Qld. Mus., Flinders St., Townsville, Qld. 4810, Australia).

A survey was made of seabird populations and breeding islands from Cape York south to off Mackay between 1979 and 1990. These data are supplemented with that of others from the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Torres Strait, and other islands of the Great Barrier Reef and south of Mackay to the Queensland/ New South Wales border. Twenty-four species of seabirds breed principally on some 75 islands of the more than 1 000 in this vast area. These islands may be largely sand, mangrove, low wooded, continental or cays, vegetated or unvegetated. The influence of the vegetation of an island on the breeding of seabirds is discussed as are other factors influencing breeding success. Queensland, and in particular the Great Barrier Reef, has the largest and most diverse population of tropical seabirds in Australia, some of which is still relatively undisturbed. There is an international obligation to preserve and maintain this faunal resource.

Maddock, M. 1993. Cycle of Colour Changes in Cattle Egrets Ardeola ibis coromandus in Australia determined from field observations of marked birds. Corella 17: 93-99. (Dep. Education, Univ. Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia).

Colour changes in nestlings and the timing and nature of changes in colour which take place in adults before, during and after the nesting season, as determined from field observations of marked birds, are described for the Cattle Egret Ardeola ibis coromandus at two Australian breeding colonies. Nestlings have a yellow beak at hatching, which changes to yellow-tipped grey or black by about ten days and by fledging at about 45 days, to diffuse yellow and grey. By time of independence the beak has changed to yellow, but some retain the grey or black for up to two months after fledging. All birds two years of age or older attained full orange-coloured breeding plumage and during courting gained magenta face colour. First-year birds of each sex included some with typical full orange-coloured breeding plumage (22%), some with varying degrees of pale colouration (29%), some with complete but pale colouration (9%), while others remained white (40%). First-year birds of each pattern gained magenta courting colour on the face, attempted to attract a mate, or mated and successfully reared young. Wide variation occurred in the dates of onset and time for completion for both pre-breeding and post-breeding moults. Significant variation was found in the timing of onset of magenta facial colours and return to normal non-breeding yellow.

Lill, A. 1993. Breeding of Rainbow Bee-Eaters in Southern Victoria.Corella17: 100-106. (Dep. Ecol. Evol. Biol., Monash Univ., Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia).

Rainbow Bee-eaters Merops ornatus studied over a six-year period in southern Victoria excavated nesting burrows in creek banks and nearby flat or sloping terrain; sites, but not burrows, were commonly used in more than one season. Nesting dispersion varied from solitary to loosely clustered. Egg-laying commenced in early November and hatching and fledging peaked in December and January, respectively. Mean clutch size was 4.5 and the incubation and nestling periods averaged 25 and 28 days, respectively. Mean egg success was 40 per cent. Nesting mortality was mainly due to hatching failure, heavy precipitation and disease or malnutrition; only 12 per cent was caused by predators, mainly the exotic Red Fox. The results are compared with the limited breeding data available for other locations and bee-eater species.

Robinson, D. 1993. Interspecific aggressive behaviour between Robins and other birds in Eucalypt Forest. Corella17: 107-110. (Dep. Ecol. Evol. Biol., Monash Univ., Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia).

Records were kept for 328 interactions between Scarlet/Flame Robins and other landbirds at a site in south-eastern New South Wales. Fifty-seven per cent of interactions were between robins and other ground-foragers, particularly with Jacky Winter (41 %). Bark-foragers, foliage-foragers and honey- eaters were rarely, if over, attacked, except when they came near nests of robins. Honeyeaters were responsible for 57per cent of the attacks directed at robins.

Davis, W.E. Jr & Beehler, B.M. 1993 Dual singing between an Adult and Fledgling Marbled Frogmouth. Corella 17: 111-113. (Coll. Gen. Stud., Boston Univ., 871 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA).

Possible contact call for Podargus ocellatus.

Woodall, P.F. 1993. Measurements of the Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor in Australia. Corella 17: 114-116. (Dep. Anat. Sci., Univ. Qld., Brisbane, Qld. 4072, Australia).

Measurements of the wing, tail, tarsus and culmen of the Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor show no sexual dimorphism but significant latitudinal increases, southwards from Cape York Peninsula. This follows Bergmann's Rule. These geographic differences, and the lack of any seasonal differences, suggest that there is no extensive north-south movement of Noisy Pittas in the southern parts of their range.

White, J.M. 1993. Changes in the numbers of Waterbirds on Llangothlin Lagoon, NSW, in relation to the water level and distant flooding, 1981-84.Corella17: 117-121. (Dep. Ecosystem Manage., Univ. New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia)

Waterbirds on Llangothlin Lagoon, New South Wales were counted regularly between 1981 and 1984 and their numbers related to water level and to the occurrence of floods on inland rivers. Some species responded differently to local conditions in a period of widespread drought than they did in times of average or above rainfall. The implications of these findings for future studies of the movements of waterbirds are discussed.

Frith, C.B. 1993. Immature bare part colours in the Pied Monarch Arses kaupi. Corella: 17: 122-123. (P.O. Box 581, Malanda, Qld. 4885, Australia)

Includes previously unpublished description of soft parts.

Smith, G.C. 1993. Food and feeding ecology of seabirds off the North- east Australian Coast. Corella 17: 131-134. (DPI For. Serv., 80 Meiers Rd., Indooroopilly, Qld. 4068, Australia)

Foraging strategies and diet of 22 species

Burrage, B.M. 1993. Coral Sea Currents. Corella17: 135-145. (Aust. Inst. Mar. Sci., PMB 3, Townsville M.C., Qld. 4810, Australia)

The South Equatorial Current brings tropical water westward into the Coral Sea between the Solomon islands and New Caledonia, then branches near the Queensland Plateau. The East Australian Current branch flows southward along the Great Barrier Reef to enter the Tasman Sea, while the northward-flowing branch forms a clockwise coastal current and partially-closed gyre in the Gulf of Papua, with an exit into the Solomon Sea. These currents strongly influence drift on the outer continental shelf and barrier reef.

Walker, T.A. 1993. Seabird Islands No. 218: Purtaboi Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Corella 17: 146-146. (Dep. Environ. Heritage, P.O. Box 5391, Townsville, Qld. 4810, Australia)
 
 

Walker, T.A., Domm, S.B., Limpus, C.J. and Birtles, R.A. 1993. Seabird Islands No. 219: Pelican Rock, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Corella17: 149-151. (Dep. Environ. Heritage, P.O. Box 5391, Townsville, Qld. 4810, Australia.)
 
 

Hulsman, K., Walker, T.A. and Domm, S. 1993. Seabird Islands No. 220: Tryon Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Corella 17: 152-154. (Faculty Environ. Sci., Griffith Univ., Nathan, Qld. 4111, Australia).
 
 

Walker, T.A. & Hulsman, K 1993. Seabird Islands No. 221: Wilson Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Corella17: 155-157. (Dep. Environ. Heritage, P.O. Box 5391, Townsville, Qld. 4810, Australia).
 
 

Walker, T.A., Hulsman, K. and Domm, S. 1993. Seabird Islands No. 222: Fairfax Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Corella17: 158-161. (Dep. Environ. Heritage, P.O. Box 5391, Townsville, Qld. 4810, Australia).

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