STOKES, T. ET AL. 1996 Management of Human visitation to Seabird Islands of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park region.Corella20: 1--13. (GBRMPA, P.O. Box 1379, Townsville, Qld. 4810, Australia).

Millions of seabirds of 22 species breed on over 78 islands surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) of Australia. Although many of the islands are Queensland national parks, some are part of the GBRMP, are vacant crown land or are under a lease arrangement. The importance of the islands to the breeding of each seabird species varies from those that provide for significant numbers with predictable, regular breeding to those with insignificant numbers and/or unpredictable sporadic breeding. The number of tourists visiting the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has increased enormously in recent years and the trend is expected to continue. During the past decade, park management agencies have been hard put to respond adequately to the large increases that are occurring in tourist and private recreational use on the Reef. Many places previously considered to be remote are now within one-day cruising range of major urban centres due to advances in vessel technology. increasing tourism is bringing increasing demand to allow visitation to previously unvisited places and to vary the nature of existing visitation. Currently about 20 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef region and more than 30 per cent of seabird islands are within one-day operational range of major mainland departure points. By 2001 it is possible that over three-quarters of the region and its seabird islands will be within one-day range. Such advances in vessel technology are expected to exacerbate the demand on park management to 'cater for' visitors and to 'open up' new areas. The current growth in 'ecotourism' may also foster an increasing demand for tourist visitation to seabird islands. This paper examines access to GBR seabird islands for commercial and private recreational, research and other purposes in the light of increasing visitation to the Reef. The current management of human visitation to the islands is outlined. The paper concludes that human visitation to certain tropical seabird islands on the GBR is sustainable and justifiable provided that it is well regulated and that adequate monitoring occurs. A code of conduct for people visiting seabird islands is proposed. A project to prepare Australian national guidelines for the management of human visitation to marine islands with breeding seabirds is now underway.

DUNLOP, J.N. 1996. Habituation to Human disturbance by breeding Bridled Terns Sterna anaethetus. Corella20: 13--16. (162 Swansea St. E., E. Victoria Pk, WA 6101, Australia).

Bridled Terns Sterna anaethetus breeding on Penguin Island in south-western Australia allow much closer human approach than they do on remote Bridled Island off the Pilbara coast. This difference in behaviour is attributed to the gradual habituation of Penguin Island terns to the regular presence, and relatively predictable activity, of people at that colony. The management implications for planning human visitation to seabird colonies are discussed.

FRENCH, K. 1996. The gut passage rate of Silvereyes and its effect on seed viability.Corella20: 16--19. ( Dep. Biol. Sci., Univ. Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia).

The gut passage rate of Silvereyes Zosterops lateralis, was measured with fruits of Coprosma quadrifida. The rate of passage of seeds was measured when fed to birds whose guts were empty and compared to the rate when fed to birds that had eaten previously. Gut passage rates ranged from six to 28 minutes but was significantly slower when birds had consumed food.

The viability of the ingested seeds was measured using tetrazolium. There was no significant difference in the viability of seeds that had passed through an empty gut versus a gut with food. However, the viability of seeds that had passed through Silvereyes was significantly lower than the viability of fresh seeds.

This study has shown that food availability will influence the speed of passage through the gut and therefore the distance seeds are dispersed. It also suggests that laboratory trials that use starved birds can give erroneous speeds. Although there was little evidence that time spent in the gut affected viability, passage through the gut was clearly disadvantageous for seed viability. However, this may be counteracted by advantages in dispersal distance.

SMITH, S. 1996. A report on eight years of banding rehabilitated birds. Corella20: 20--25. (WA Native Bird Hospital Inc., P.O. Box 232, Mundaring, WA 6073, Australia).

The WA Rehabilitation Banding Group was formed to evaluate the success of returning sick, injured and orphaned birds to the wild. Over eight years 3 578 birds of 123 species were banded and during this time 132 recoveries were made. Time between release and recovery was more than three months in over 50 per cent of recoveries. Some individual recoveries showed long periods of survival and a few had travelled quite extensive distances. An analysis of encounter method and recovery method showed injury to be the common cause in both cases. Whilst many questions remain unanswered, continuation of the banding programme will permit longer recovery periods, possibly more recoveries and hopefully more interesting and significant results.

STOKES, T. 1996 Helicopter effects upon nesting White-bellied Sea- Eagles and upon smaller birds at an isolated protected location (Eshelby Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.Corella20: 25--28. (GBRMPA, P.O. Box 1379, Townsville, Qld. 4810, Australia).

The results are reported of a three-day study of helicopter effects upon small birds and breeding White-bellied Sea-eagles on a remote, rarely-visited Queensland island. Regular close passes by the helicopter above a sea-eagle nest, compounded by the presence of people and rain, probably caused breeding failure. Habituation to such activity is most unlikely to occur because it represents an intense short-term exposure to piercing sound and wind. In all such cases the birds could be expected to leave the nest and remain away during operation of the helicopter. If helicopters must be used near eagle nests, authorities must choose more appropriate times in the breeding cycles of the birds. No lasting impacts on small non-breeding birds were detected.

NICHOLLS, D.A., M.D. MURRAY, G.P.ELLIOT & K.J. WALKER 1996. Satellite tracking of a Wandering Albatross from the Antipodes Islands, New Zealand to South America. Corella20: 28. (Peninsula Inst. TAFE, Breeze St., Carrum Vic. 3197, Australia).

Post-breeding flight of male Diomedea exulans antipodensis.

McLEAN, J.A. 1996. Seabird Islands No. 229: Three Isles, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.Corella20: 29--31. (Box 203, Cooktown, Qld. 4871, Australia).
 
 

MAGRATH, R.D. & C.E. CROWLEY. 1996. A design for a portable, safe trap for birds.Corella20: 34. (Div. Bot. Zool., Australian Natl. Univ., Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia).

Tent of fish netting over fibreglass hoops.

WOOD, K.A. 1996. Experiments to determine the fate of dead seabirds off Wollongong, New South Wales.Corella20: 35-41. (7 Eastern Ave., Mangerton, NSW 2500, Australia).

To simulate a seabird mortality incident, marked floats (total 375) were dropped in batches of five at 9 km, 35-45 km and 50-90 km east of Wollongong, New South Wales during each of 25 cruises from June 1985 to October 1987. Overall, 85 (22.7%) were recovered between Budgewoi (1 10 km N) and Bermagui (198 km S). Recovery rates for near-shore, mid-distance and furthest dropped batches were 29.6, 28 and 10.4 per cent respectively and the corresponding median recovery intervals were 4, 7 and 7 days. The reporting rates for floats presumed to have come ashore were 25.7 per cent from April to September (cool months) and 49.6 per cent from October to March (warm months). In a supplementary speed test, floats and Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris corpses moved at five per cent and 3.1 per cent of wind speed respectively. It was concluded that the East Australian Current generally controls movement of floats parallel to the coast whereas wind controls east-west movement.

FRITH, C.B., D.W. FRITH & J. WEINEKE. 1996. Dispersion, size and orientation of bowers of the Great Bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis (Ptilonorhynchidae) in Townsville City, Tropical Queensland. Corella20: 45--55. (P.O. Box 581, Malanda, Qld. 4885, Australia).

Eighty active Great Bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis bowers were examined of which 54 were measured and 61 plotted in the suburbs of Townsville City, tropical E. Queensland, where the species was reported by earlier authors to be absent or uncommon. The average number of years a bower was known to have been in use at 54 sites was 4.4 (range 1-13, SD = 3.3) and seven of them were known to be so for more than a decade. Mean nearest neighbour distance of 45 bowers was 790 m (range 300-1 875, SD = 378.4). Of 54 bowers examined only four had a structure(s) additional to the two parallel walls that constitute the avenue bower typical of this species. Bower shape, quality and size are described and discussed. Compass orientation of the bower avenue was strongly biased toward a NNW-SSE alignment, and 76% of bowers were orientated within 45' either side of the N-S axis. While only 32% were within 45' either side of the E-W axis. The main display platform was to the E half of the compass in 60% of 54 bowers. Sixty-three per cent of bowers had their main display platform orientated within the quarter of the compass centred on the NNW-SSE axis. Compass orientation of bower avenue and main display platform are discussed with respect to previously observed biases and these findings are compared with data for other avenue bower-building bowerbird species. A plausible explanation for observed orientations is that males orientate their bowers to maximise advantageous illumination of their display decorations and postures during mornings of the annual peak courtship season, but further studies are required.

ROSE, A.M. 1996. Territorial and breeding behaviour of the Rufous Treecreeper (Climacteris rufa) in the Stirling Ranges, Western Australia.Corella 20: 55--61. (Dept. Conserv. Land Manage., Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Ctr., Bentley, WA 6983, Australia).

A population of colour-banded Rufous Treecreepers Climacteris rufa was studied in wandoo woodland in the Stirling Range National Park, 89 kilometres north of Albany, Western Australia, from June 1990 to January 1994. Five territories were studied and consisted of at least one adult female, one, two or three adult males and one to two juvenile birds. Breeding commenced in August and finished in February. Females layed up to two eggs per clutch and were capable of three broods per breeding season. Juveniles assisted in feeding young of the next brood. Only two of the juveniles banded in 93194 stayed in the study area. Tree hollows only were used for nesting, while hollows in logs and trees were important sheltering areas for fledglings.

BURTON, T.C. 1996. Changes in the abundance of Silvereyes in a central Victorian vineyard during the grape ripening period.Corella20: 61--66. (Div. Biol. Chemical Sci., La Trobe Univ., P.O. Box 199, Bendigo, Vic. 3550, Australia).

Population parameters of Silvereyes in Chateau Leamon, a vineyard in central Victoria, were estimated on the basis of capture-recapture methods employed during the grape ripening seasons 1988-1993, using the Jolly-Seber model, the Peterson model and a model of Seber. In the context of low survival rates, results from the Jolly-Seber model were erratic, and as short seasons yielded few data, the Jolly-Seber model was too wasteful. Populations generally rose during a season, despite the loss of many Silvereyes from the population, indicating that birds moved into the vineyard during the season. Annual survival rates were very low (mean 25% p.a.). The Tasmanian subspecies typically arrived between late March and early April, and formed up to 26% of the total Silvereye population. Few Silvereyes banded in the vineyard were recovered elsewhere.

GIESE, M.A. & D.N. JONES*. 1996. Timing and success of breeding in subtropical Masked Lapwings. Corella20: 69--74. (* Fac. Environ. Sci., Griffith Univ., Nathan, Qld. 4111, Australia).

The breeding activities of Masked Lapwings Vanellus miles were studied over two breeding seasons in a subtropical location near Brisbane, Queensland. Breeding parameters including timing, hatching and fledging success are presented. Although most pairs commenced breeding in May-June, renesting following high rates of nest failure (probably due to predation) continued over several months. Clutch size was very similar (3.5±0.7 and 3.6±0.6) while fledging success was 1.4±1.1 per pair and 0.3±0.4 per pair for the two years respectively. Rates of renesting were high with 80% of pairs in 1989 laying replacement clutches and three of eight pairs laying three clutches.

LILL, A. 1996. Foraging behavioural ecology of the Superb Lyrebird. Corella20: 77--87. (Dept. Ecol. Environ. Biol., Monash Univ., Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia).

Foraging was investigated in a Superb Lyrebird population in southern Victoria. Soil invertebrate food resources were moderately patchily distributed and the fact that foraging effort and success varied greatly spatially suggested that the birds located patches mainly by trial-and-error. The similarity of the nestling's diet, the soil invertebrate fauna and probably the adult's diet, plus the high mean capture rate of 14-18 prey per min foraging, indicated relatively unselective prey consumption by adult lyrebirds. Soil invertebrate abundance exhibited no highly consistent seasonal pattern; however, it showed some tendency to increase in summer and autumn when fledglings were being reared rather than in spring during the period of nestling care. Foraging was probably energetically expensive because >80% of foraging time was spent digging in soil at a mean rate of 78-84 foot movements per min; only 5-8% of foraging time was spent walking or running at a low speed between excavation sites which averaged < 2 m apart. Foraging lyrebirds followed both fairly straight and quite circuitous routes, the latter being more common in the non-breeding season and resulting in intensive exploitation of a localized area. The mean daytime defecation rate (approx. 3 per h) and faecal energy density (8.54-9.28 kJ per g dry mass) indicated that the species probably has a slow gut passage rate, but is highly efficient at assimilating energy from its diet. Lyrebirds' foraging ecology could make them particularly susceptible to habitat fragmentation and to disturbance that increases the cost of digging.

LEY, A.J., D.L. OLIVER & B. WILLIAMS. 1996. Observations on colour- banded Regent Honeyeaters Xanthomyza phrygia. Corella20: 88--92. (19 Lynches Rd., Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia).

Forty-six Regent Honeyeaters were colour-banded between 1991 and 1995. One bird nested at the same site after a probable absence of two years; two pairs re-nested in the same year after fledging young; one bird, banded in April, bred at a site 42 km away in the following spring. Comparison of measurements of birds of known sex confirmed that males are larger than females but with a small overlap. Our sightings of individually marked Regent Honeyeaters suggest that at least some individuals show fidelity to breeding sites and perhaps to the local district, and confirm the value of colour-banding, linked with regular monitoring of known localities, as a technique for the study of the ecology of a species.

DENNIS, T.E. & A.F.C. LASHMAR. 1996. Distribution and abundance of White-bellied Sea-Eagles in South Australia. Corella20: 93--102. (P.O. Box 232, Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, SA 5223, Australia).

A survey conducted between 1988 and 1994 located 55 occupied territories of White-bellied Sea-Eagle in South Australia. Survey methods included: information from the literature; systematic survey in the Great Australian Bight region, southern Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island; opportunistic survey elsewhere; and contact with other people.

Eighteen (33%) of these territories were found on the mainland, including three from inland river systems on Coopers Creek and the Murray River. The majority of the breeding population (67%) was found on offshore islands, including Kangaroo Island where 17 occupied territories are known. The remaining 20 occupied territories were found throughout the island groups off the far west coast, Eyre Peninsula, and through Investigator Strait.

Extensive areas of typical coastal habitat in the south-east region of the State, on Yorke Peninsula and around Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent were found to be vacant despite historical records of White-bellied Sea-Eagles breeding in those regions. This suggests that the distribution of the breeding population and the abundance of this species has declined in South Australia.

Many of the occupied territories on the mainland and on Kangaroo Island are regarded as vulnerable to further decline unless residential and tourism development and particularly coastal recreation, are carefully managed.

The South Australian population was found to be physically isolated with the nearest occupied territories 860 km to the west, and 700 km to the east.

FISHER, K. & L. FISHER. 1996. Comparative measurements of the Graceful and Yellow-spotted Honeyeaters.Corella20: 102--103. (P.O. Box 2209, Cairns, Qld. 4870, Australia).

Weight separates Meliphaga gracilis imiatrix from M. notata mixta.

FISHER, L. & K. FISHER. 1996. Blue-faced Parrot-finch Erythrura trichroa sigillifera.Corella 20: 103. (P.O. Box 2209, Cairns, Qld. 4870, Australia).

Morphometric data show no significant difference between sexes.

LOOP. K.A., J.D. MILLER, M. MATHER & J.HASELMEYER. 1996. Seabird Islands No. 230: Milman Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Corella20: 104--106. (Inst. Mar. Life. Sci., Texas A&M Univ., U. Bldg. 303, Galveston TX 77551, USA).
 
 

HULSMAN, K. & T.A. WALKER. 1996. Seabird Islands No. 231: Northwest Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.Corella20: 107--110. (Fac. Environ. Sci., Griffith Univ., Nathan, Qld. 4111, Australia).
 
 

O'NEILL, P. & H. HEATWOLE. 1996. Seabird Islands No. 232: Riptide Cay, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.Corella20: 111--112. (Qld. Dept. Environ., P.O. Box 3130, Rockhampton, Qld. 4703, Australia).
 
 

ER, K.B.H. & C.R. TIDEMANN. 1996. Importance of Yellow Box- Blakely's Red Gum woodland remnants in maintaining bird species diversity: inferences from seasonal data.Corella20: 117--128. (Sch. Resour. Environ. Manage., Australian Natl. Univ., Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia).

Bird species richness and abundance were recorded along 28 fixed-width strip transects located within 10 study sites dominated by Yellow Box Eucalyptus melliodora and Blakely's Red Gum E. blakelyi. This was conducted across four seasons in 1994. This paper reports the seasonal variation in bird species composition and abundance observed in these study sites. The results suggest that Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum woodland remnants serve as (1) important bird refuges within the landscape matrix in the lowland of the Australian Capital Territory; (2) wintering sites critical to partial migrants and some resident species; (3) breeding sites for both residents and summer migrants; and (4) refuges for nomadic species during periods of extreme drought. In addition, they demonstrated that birds respond differently to their habitats at different times of the year and the importance of basing management decisions upon information from more than one season.

BROOKER, M. 1996. Morphometrics of the Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax. Corella 20: 129--135. (CSIRO Div. Wildl. Ecol., LMB 4, Midland, WA 6056, Australia).

Morphological measurements were made from 233 wild Wedge-tailed Eagles Aquila audax on the Nullarbor Plain, 116 museum specimens from southern Australia and 30 dead birds from New South Wales. In the birds from the Nullarbor Plain, reversed sexual size dimorphism (female larger than male) was found in all characters examined. Among the museum specimens (a) I found no evidence of geographical variation across southern mainland Australia and (b) a number of specimens were probably incorrectly sexed. Overall, the length of tail appeared to increase with age in females but not in males.

CARTER, J.L., D.L. MILTON, PK. DYER & S.B.HARDING 1996. Wedge-tailed Shearwater fledglings at Rocky Islet, Great Barrier Reef: burrow densities and breeding cycle. Corella20: 136--140. (Fac. Sci, NT Univ., Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater burrows were surveyed at Rocky Islet, northern Great Barrier Reef, opportunistically during 1994, and systematically in 1995. The burrow estimate for the island was 5 785 ± 840 for the first year and 4 646 ± 302 during the second survey. The size of the breeding population is estimated to be 2 950 and 2 369 for 1994 and 1 995 respectively. Burrow occupancy status was established during 1995 using a burrowscope, and a fledgling occupancy rate of 0.33 found. Chick development was quite advanced compared with birds from southern populations at the same time.

CARTER, J.L., P.K. DYER & G.J.E. HILL. 1996. Body dimensions of Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus fledglings at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, and the importance of timing to breeding.Corella20: 141--143. (Fac. Sci., NT Univ., Darwin, NT 0909, Australia).

Body weights and dimensions were recorded for 70 fledglings at Heron Island, on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Results show that the length of the longest primary feather and tarsus were significantly different between habitats, with the Fringe showing highest and Buildings area showing lowest means. This outcome probably resulted from most nestlings measured in the Buildings area being the progeny of early breeders. Variability in the breeding cycle may have confounded the analyses of body weight and of dimensions. When data were grouped according to the timing of laying, early breeders showed significantly lower hatching and breeding success. Both these results are useful for detecting inter-annual differences at this locality or for comparisons with colonies located elsewhere.

EGAN, K. 1996. Morphometrics of eggs of Little Tern. Corella 20: 144. (1 Bowman St., Mortdale, NSW 2223, Australia).

Advocates use of mean plus range for reporting data using Sterna albifrons as example.

BROOKER, M. & P. DE REBEIRA. 1996. Does colour-banding affect the survival of adult Honeyeaters.Corella20: 145--146. (CSIRO Div. Wildl. Ecol., LMB 4, Midland, WA 6056, Australia).

No difference for Phylidonyris novaehollandiae.

Back to Top