Harder M. (2000) Diet and Breeding Biology of the Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax at Three Nests in North-Eastern New South Wales. Corella24:1-5. (School of Resource Science and management, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480 Australia).

The diet and breeding biology of the Wedge-tailed EagleAquila audax were studied by observation and collection of prey remains and pellets at three active nests in the Richmond Valley in north-eastern New South Wales, during July to November 1997.  The nests successfully fledged one young each after estimated incubation and nesting periods of 40 - 70 days and 75 - 85 days respectively. The diet consisted of 29 species of vertebrates: 27 per cent birds, 50 per cent mammals and 23 per cent reptiles by number, including a variety of native mammals but few rabbits in this region of high biodiversity and generally low rabbit numbers.  Hunting behaviour, parental roles and nestling growth are described.

Leishman A.J. (2000) A long-term Banding Study of Birds in a Spotted Gum Forest near Campbelltown, New South Wales. Corella 24:6-12. (7 Belford St, Ingleburn, New South Wales 2565 Australia).

Data on recapture and seasonal and annual variation in capture rates, obtained during a 21-year banding project in Spotted Gum forest 50 kilometres south-west of Sydney, New South Wales, are given for a range of frequently captured species. Six species are shown to be resident, whilst a further five species were probably resident. Four species were migratory. Numbers of four species of honeyeater were positively correlated with the flowers of the main nectar source, the Spotted Gum, but in all four, other factors appeared also to have influenced capture rates.  The numbers of at least one honeyeater, the Eastern Spinebill, were not correlated with the flowering of Spotted Gum. The New Holland Honeyeater was an irregular, irruptive visitor. Numbers of the Fuscous Honeyeater and White-browed Scubwren showed long-term trends, the former inexplicably so and the latter in apparent correlation with fluctuations in vegetation and climate.

Egan K. and Webb G. (2000)  A Useful Strategy for the Management of Eggs Dislodged from the Nests of Little Terns Sterna albifrons. Corella 24:13-14. (1 Bowman Street, Mortdale, New South Wales 2088, Australia).

Little Terns nest on beaches, often just above the tidal line, making the nest and eggs highly susceptible to inundation. Whenever eggs are dislodged from the nest the usual management practice is to either collect these eggs for museum specimens or to destroy them while examining them for signs of fertility. In New South Wales, however, the Little Tern is an endangered species, and any procedure that maximises hatching success should be adopted where possible. Based on experience gained while monitoring the Little Tern colony in Botany Bay during the 1999/2000 breeding season, we suggest an alternative strategy for dealing with eggs dislodged from the nest.

Dyer P.K. (2000) Wedge-tailed Shearwaters on Mudjimba Island, Queensland: Numbers and Breeding Success. Corella 24:15-18. (University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556 Australia).

Mudjimba Island has recently been included in the Maroochy River Conservation Park. One of the factors influencing the decision was that the island's Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus  colony may be the only viable colony remaining in south-east Queensland and one of only two colonies that inhabit mainland islands in Queensland. The colony was first described by Lane and Battam (1984, 1985) after they visited the island in February 1984. They estimated a breeding population of between 1,500 and 2,000 breeding pairs. This paper presents an estimate of approximately 2,700 burrows for the 1997/98 season; breeding rates of approximately 37 per cent for the 1996/97 and 1997/98 seasons; and a breeding success rate of about 84 per cent at fledgeling stage for the 1997/98 season.

Page D. (2000). Interesting Breeding Record of Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa. Corella 24:18. (40 Frog Hollow Rd, Ulong, New South Wales 2450 Australia).
 

Conole L. and MacNally R. (2000) A Record of the King Quail Coturnix chinensis  from the Ovens Floodplain, North-east Victoria.  Corella 24:19
 

 Ford H.A., Geering D. and Ley A. (2000) Radio Tracking Trials with Regent Honeyeaters Xanthomyza phrygia and Other Honeyeaters.Corella24:25-29. (Zoology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351 Australia)

We trialled three methods of attachment of radio-transmitters to develop a safe and effective method to use on the endangered Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia. Radio tags glued onto the backs of one Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata and three Noisy Friarbirds Philemon corniculatus were lost within 12 days. One Friarbird was unable to fly after a heavy rain storm, but recovered after being dried and was seen several days later, apparently in good health. His mate laid eggs, which did not hatch, probably because the tagged bird had not fertilised them. Transmitters glued onto tail-clips were attached to one Friarbird and two Regent Honeyeaters. The Friarbird kept its radio-tag for at least 34 days, without any obvious effect. The Regent honeyeaters lost their transmitters after 2 and 12 days, with one slipping off the tail, and the other being lost when the central trail-feathers were moulted. The second bird flew unsteadily at first, but later behaved normally. Radio-tags were tied and glued to the tails of two more Regent Honeyeaters. One lost its radio-tag within twoi days, probably because it had been attached to the second and third retrix on opposite sides, as its central tail feathers had been lost previously. The other bird kept his radio-tag for 16 days, when the central tail feathers were moulted. During this time it continued to feed fledgelings and nestlings at a high rate.

Both Friarbirds and Regent Honeyeaters travel considerable distances from their nests or fledgelings to feed, up to 2km and nearly 1 km respectively. We do not recommend that transmitters be glued onto the backs of Regent Honeyeaters on the basis of our experience with this method on large honeyeaters. Transmitters clipped, or tied and glued, onto the tail appear to be safer, though they are appropriate for use before the breeding season rather than after it when honeyeaters moult.
 
 

Franklin D.C., Smales I.., Quin B.R. and Menkhorst P.W. (2000) Age and Sex Chazracteristics of the Helmeted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops cassidix in the hand. Corella 24:30-35. (Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve, Macclesfield Road, Yellingbo, Victoris 3139 Australia).

There has been a range of opinions about sexual dimorphism in Helmeted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops cassidix despite little supporting data, yet these opinions have played an historic role in the definition of the taxon. We demonstrate that males are, on average, larger then females in a range of characters, but there is no absolute morphological distinction. We were unable to identify any consistent or marked differences in plumage between the sexes. There are also few differences between the plumage of young birds and adults, the only categoric difference being in the shape of the tip of the rectrices. However, juveniles have a yellow gape, bill and palate whereas those of adults are black. Gape colour is the more persistent of the three juvenile traits, but its persistence varies greatly between individuals. There are also differences between juveniles and adults in the colour of the legs and eyes. In its age and sex characteristics, the Helmeted Honeyeater closely resembles the inland race of the Yellow-tufted Honeueater L.m. meltoni, notwithstanding large differences in size and intensity of plumage colouration.

Larkins D. (2000) Note on the Recovery of a Little Tern.Corella24:35.

Conole L.E. and MacNally R., (2000). Recent Records of the Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon at Gunbower Island, Victoria. Corella24: 36-37. (Section of Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, 3800 Australia).
 
 

Franlin D.C. and Noske R.A. (2000) The Nesting Biology of the brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta in the Darwin Region of Northern Australia, with Notes on the Tidal Flooding of Nests.Corella 24:38-44. (PO Box 987, Nightcliff, Northern Territory, Australia 0814. e-mail <monsoon@topend.com.au>

In the Darwin region of Northern Australia, the Brown Honeyeater nests in mangals (mangrove communities). woodlands and urban areas. Based on observations of 75 nests whose laying date could be estimated, the breeding season extends from April to September, a pattern that is consistent across years and habitats. Nests are usually built in shrubs and low twiggy growth of small trees, with a median nest height of 1.1 metre above the ground. The modal clutch size was 2, with a mean of 1.84, a small clutch size for such a small species (10 g), even by Australian standards. Both the incubation and nestling periods were approximately 13 to 13.5 days, slightly shorter than the 14 days previously reported. Females alone build, incubate and brood, but both sexes feed the young. Nest success was estimated to be 42 per cent, with most egg or nestling failures being the result of predation of the entire nest contents, or of flooding. Ten mangal nests were flooded by sea water during spring high tides. The period between full lunar cycle spring tide sequences (29-30 days) is slightly less then the time it takes a Brown Honeyeater to build a nest, lay and incubate the eggs, and fledge the young. As a consequence, all nests built in mangals below about 7.4 metres Chart Datum would have been flooded. In mangals, Brown Honeyeaters may therefore only nest successfully in landward zones that are on higher ground and are thus subject to less deep inundation. At least three mangrove endemic bird species are also obligate shrub-nesters, so preservation of landward mangrove zones may be critical for the conservation of mangrove bird communities.

Skira I.J. and Brothers N.P. (2000). Seabird Islands No. 246: Preservation Island, Furneaux Group, Tasmania. Corella24: 45-46.(Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 44A, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia).
 
 

Brothers N.P. and Skira I.J. (2000). Seabird Islands No. 247: Little Chalky Island, Furneaux Group, Tasmania. Corella24: 47-48.(Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 44A, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia).

Jones D.N. and Weineke J. (2000) The Suburban Bird Community of Townsville Revisited: Changes over 16 years. Corella24:53-60. (Australian School of Environmental Studies, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia).

The suburban avifauna of Townsville, north Queensland had been studied during the wet and dry seasons of 1980-81. In 1996-97, the sites and methods used in the earlier study were repeated with the aim of assessing changes in the bird community of this tropical city. No significant differences in species richness or the numbers of individuals were found to have occurred in the 16 years between the two studies. There were, however, significant increases in the numbers of individuals detected for eight species (including Peaceful Dove Geopelia striata and Common Myna Acridotheres tristis) and significsant decreases in numbers of two introduced species (House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata).

Jongman E., Selby E., Barnett J., Fisher P. and Temby I. (2000). Feeding Preferences in Captive Corellas for Green-dyed and Plain Oats. Corella24:62-64. (Animal Welfare Department, Victorian Institute of Animal Science, Sneydes Rd, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia).

The common practice of including a green dye in baits used for pest animal control is thought to provide some protection for non-target birds because general avoidance of green coloured foods by some bird species has been documented. Captive Long-billed Corellas Cacatua tenuirostris offered a choice between green-dyed and plain whole oats showed a preference for the plain food on the first day. This preference was not evident on the second day of feeding, and by nine days there was a preference for the green food. These results are discussed in the context of current baiting practices. While the inclusion of green dye in oat baits may provide some initial protection to Corellas, this may not be a lasting effect in situations where birds have consecutive opportunities to feed.

Waples K.A., Barnett J.L. and Marks C.A. (2000). Food Preferences of Long-billed Corellas Cacatua tenuirostris in Aviary Experiments.Corella24:65-69. (Animal Welfare Department, Victorian Institute of Animal Science, Sneydes Rd, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia).

The Long-billed Corella causes extensive damage to crops in Western Victoria. In an attempt to deter birds from vulnerable crops an appropriate bait is being sought for use in field trials of a chemical deterrent. Food preference was examined in captivity to determine bait acceptability in free-choice and no-choice trials. Corellas (n=10) were offered 4 feeds simultaneously in free-choice trials; whole and hulled oats and whole and hulled sunflower seeds. A significant difference was found in daily consumption between feeds (F= 88.24, df= 319, P< 0.001). Although hulled oats were consumed in significantly higher amounts than all other feeds, there was some individual variation in food preference. Overall, mean daily diet comprised 62 per cent hulled oats, 17 per cent whole oats, 12 per cent hulled sunflower and 9 per cent whole sunflower. A no-choice experiment offering either hulled oats or hulled sunflower seeds found daily consumption of hulled oats was significantly higher than that of hulled sunflower seeds (t= 6.01, df= 98, P< 0.001), however daily energy intake in Mj was not significantly different. Hulled oats offer a suitable and practicall bait for use in field trials as it is readily consumed by captive Corellas, it is economical and widely available and may be an appropriate vehicle for chemical deterrents. Further studies are recommended to address non-target species issues and to test bait acceptance in the field.