Birds in Black Box Woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc and Kings Billabong Spring 2017 to Autumn 2018

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc and Kings Billabong spring 2017 to autumn 2018

Final report from surveys October 2017 to March 2018

Richard Loyn and Guy Dutson

Eco Insights

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018 Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc and Kings Billabong spring 2017 to autumn 2018

Final report from surveys October 2017 to March 2018

Unpublished report for the Mallee Catchment Management Authority

Mallee Catchment Management Authority Cnr Eleventh St and Koorlong Ave Mildura Victoria 3500 03 5051 4322

By Richard Loyn and Guy Dutson

Eco Insights Viewbank Vic 3084 0488-77 66 78 [email protected]

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit Richard Loyn and Guy Dutson as the authors. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding. To view a copy of this licence, visit: (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). For the avoidance of any doubt, this licence only applies to the material set out in this document.

The details of the licence are available on the Creative Commons website (accessible using the links provided) as is the full legal code for the CC BY 4.0 licence ((https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode ) Referencing can be made as: Loyn, R. and Dutson, G. (2018) Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah- Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc and Kings Billabong, spring 2017 to autumn 2018. Client report for the Mallee CMA by Eco Insights.

The contents of this publication do not purport to represent the position of the Commonwealth of Australia or the MDBA in any way and are presented for the purpose of informing and stimulating discussion for improved management of the Basin's natural resources.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

To the extent permitted by law, the copyright holders (including its employees and consultants) exclude all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this report (in part or in whole) and any information or material contained in it.

Cover photo: Flooded Black Box as a result of environmental watering in springh 2017 (©Richard Loyn).

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the Mallee CMA through The Living Murray initiative. The Living Murray is a joint initiative funded by the New South Wales, Victorian, South Australian, Australian Capital Territory and Commonwealth governments, coordinated by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

This work was commissioned by Andrew Greenfield of the Mallee CMA. We are grateful to him and his colleagues for their support and enthusiasm. We also thank Shane Southon (ranger in charge) and his staff at Hattah-Kulkyne National Park for support. The work was conducted under PV permit 10008308.

Disclaimer

Although Eco Insights has taken all the necessary steps to ensure that an accurate document has been prepared, no liability is accepted for any damages or loss incurred as a result of reliance placed upon the report or its content.

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Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018 Contents

Executive Summary ...... 1 Introduction ...... 2 Methods ...... 4 Study Areas ...... 4 Field methods ...... 4 Data presentation and analysis ...... 5 Results...... 6 1. Is there a significant difference between sites that were flooded or not flooded in 2014, now that two and a half years have passed since the event? ...... 6 2. Are bird numbers influenced by the extent of Black Box flowering, and has the current extent of flowering been influenced by the floods in 2014? ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3. What more can be said about the influence of miners on bird communities in Black Box, and their interactions with other variables (flooding and flowering)?...... 2 4. What other changes have occurred since last year, in Hattah and the other areas examined? ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Discussion ...... 6 References ...... 7 Tables ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 1. Numbers of sites and searches ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 2. Effects of environmental flows on abundances of birds ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 3. Effects of miners on abundances of birds ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 4. Combined effects of environmental flows and miners on abundances of birds...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 5. Effects of the Black Box flowering index on abundances of birds ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 6. Abundances of bird in different vegetation types and geographic areas. . Error! Bookmark not defined.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Executive Summary

Surveys of birds were conducted on 98 sites in Black Box Eucalyptus largiflorens woodland and associated habitats in and near Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, during two sessions in spring 2017 and autumn 2018. The objective was to assess changes after environmental watering in 2014 and subsequent years, and to contribute to future monitoring, with special emphasis on the widespread but often-neglected Black Box woodlands. This follows initial work done before, during and immediately after the floods on nine occasions in 2014-17 (Loyn and Dutson 2015a, b; 2016a, b; 2017a, b, c). The sites included 66 sites in the Park (51 sites in Black Box woodland, five in River Red Gum, ten in Mallee or dune woodland) and 29 elsewhere (six sites in sparse Black Box woodland with an understorey of Tangled Lignum near Nangiloc, one site in River Red Gums beside the river in Nangiloc and 22 sites in Black Box woodlands near a permanent freshwater lake at Kings Billabong near Mildura). Area-searches of 1 ha in 10 minutes were used to survey birds on these sites, with bush birds being the main subject of interest.

Several bird species were found in increased numbers at the flooded sites, compared with the sites that did not flood. Noisy Miners were the commonest and most influential of those species, inhibiting the use of flooded areas by small birds. Other species that increased significantly on flooded sites were all larger than Noisy Miners (Magpie-lark, Blue-faced Honeyeater in spring and Common Bronzewing as waters receded in autumn). Most small birds became more common on dry sites than flooded sites. The highest numbers of these birds were found on low-lying (flood-prone) sites in two areas where miners proved to be rare or absent: one north of Lake Kramen and the other south-west from Lake Woterap. This suggests that flood-prone sites may be more productive than sites which rarely flood, but are only useful for small birds when miners are rare. Noisy Miners have vacated some sites north of Lake Kramen during the study, and those sites now support high populations of small birds. Noisy Miners and White-winged Choughs declined on flood-prone sites in autumn, and may have been following the receding waterline into River Red Gum stands where many were seen. Preliminary regression analyses were run to see which species had increased or decreased since 2014 on flood-prone sites or dry sites. More species appeared to have increased than decreased, especially on flood-prone sites. However, several anomalous results were found, and further analysis is planned.

We included several new sites in 2018 to inform us more about the context for the Black Box woodlands, recognising that birds can move between different habitats within a region and hence be influenced by events in the broader landscape. White-browed Woodswallows, Masked Woodswallows and Black Honeyeaters were found to be numerous in flowering Mallee in spring. White-browed Babblers and White-backed Swallows were found in dune woodland, which seems to be there main local habitat as we have recorded few in Black Box woodland. Two rare waterbird species were seen during our woodland surveys: an Australian Painted Snipe in spring, and a Glossy Ibis in autumn.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018 Introduction This is the sixth in a series of reports on birds in Black Box Eucalyptus largiflorens woodlands at and near Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, which aim to document effects of environmental watering events from 2014 to 2017, and to contribute to future monitoring. This report presents data and observations from field visits in October 2017 (spring) and March 2018 (autumn). It makes general comparisons with previous results, and compares bird abundance in Black Box sites at Hattah that were flooded or not flooded in spring 2017, over the two seasons of this assessment. Preliminary regression analyses were run to examine trends over time since this monitoring began in 2014. As in previous reports, special attention was given to the Noisy Miner, an aggressive native honeyeater that excludes smaller birds from its communal territories (Dow 1977; Loyn 1987; Grey et al. 1997, 1998), affecting community structure and earning it the title of a despot (Mac Nally et al. 2012; Maron et al. 2013; Thomson et al. 2014).

As indicated in previous reports, the study was needed because Black Box woodlands form a large but poorly studied component of the flood-plain vegetation of the Murray-Darling Basin, which covers a large part of south-eastern Australia, including some of the most productive agricultural land and many areas of high environmental and cultural significance. The major rivers in the Basin distribute water over vast distances, sustaining human populations, agriculture and iconic ecosystems in a region with generally low and intermittent rainfall. The rivers have been regulated for many decades, and important decisions need to be made about allocating water for economic and environmental purposes (MDBA 2011, 2012): these decisions can often be controversial. The current set of studies helps provide new information about one of the extensive but poorly known natural features of the Basin (Black Box woodlands), to help government agencies make wise decisions about conserving their natural values and vitality.

The Hattah Lakes form a Ramsar-listed wetland and have been recognised as an ‘icon site’ in the Murray-Darling Basin. Funding was made available for various works to enable delivery of increased flows of water to the associated floodplain, under the Living Murray initiative, a joint initiative funded by the governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory and the Commonwealth, coordinated by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (e.g. MDBC 2006; MDBA 2009). These works included a pump station to pump water from the River Murray into Chalka Creek (the main inlet to the lakes), new regulators and levees, and works to lower the bed of Chalka Creek, and were completed in 2010. Environmental flows were then made available as part of a coordinated system for delivering water from multiple holders of ‘e-water’ in the catchment, to help restore more natural flood regimes. Major flows were delivered in this way in 2014 and again in 2017, with the aim of watering substantial areas of Black Box woodland as well as the lakes and surrounding woodlands of River Red Gum E. camaldulensis (MDBA 2013). The 2017 event involved pumping 114 GL of water to the Hattah Lakes (but not to Lake Kramen in the south-east of the Park) from 3 July to 31 October 2017.

The short-term responses of birds to the 2014 flows were monitored from 2014 to 2017 (Loyn and Dutson 2015, 2016a, b, 2017a, c) and this report provides further information from two monitoring sessions in spring 2017 (during the 2017 watering event) and autumn 2018 (when most of the water had receded from the Black Box woodlands).

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

As in 2016 and 2017, this report also presents data collected at some additional reference sites in nearby Black Box woodland outside the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (at Kings Billabong and near Nangiloc), and in habitats other than Black Box within the Park (dominated by River Red Gum and Mallee). These sites were established at various stages of the study, and continue to be useful in providing a broader perspective and highlighting some ecological differences.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018 Methods Study Areas Hattah-Kulkyne National Park

Hattah-Kulkyne National Park is a large National Park (48,000 ha) 50 km south-east of Mildura in north-west Victoria. The Park contains important representations of the Murray Mallee, as well as woodlands of Black Box and River Red Gum. Most of the Black Box woodland has been classed as Riverine Chenopod Woodland, in terms of Ecological Vegetation Class (the vegetation classification adopted by the Victorian Government) (White et al. 2003). Further details are given in our earlier reports (Loyn and Dutson 2015; 2016a, b; 2017a, b, c).

Our initial sites had been selected in two parts of Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, each with extensive areas of Black Box woodland. One was in the north-west of the Park, mainly east of Mournpall Track near Lake Bitterang. The other was in the south-east of the Park, in the vicinity of Lake Kramen. These parts encompassed the largest accessible areas of Black Box woodland watered in 2014. Floodwaters reached their highest levels in the first area in August-September 2014, and in the second area in November-December 2014.

A natural flood occurred in spring 2016, supplemented with 30 GL pumped into the Hattah Lakes. A larger environmental flow was delivered in 2017-18, with 114 GL pumped into the Hattah Lakes from 3 July to 31 October 2017. The Lake Kramen system remained dry in both those years.

On each assessment we have selected and surveyed small numbers of supplementary sites in various habitats in the Park, and nearby near Nangiloc, and at Kings Billabong near Mildura, to strengthen the data, address new questions and provide contextual data (Table 1). In 2017-18 we selected and surveyed several new sites in Mallee in dune woodland, as these seem to offer habitat for a range of species that proved to be unexpectedly scarce in Black Box woodland, along with species that move between these habitats.

For our 2017-18 surveys, we conducted 184 searches at 95 sites. These included 66 sites in the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (51 in Black Box, five in River Red Gum, six in Mallee and four in other types of woodland on sand dunes). We also assessed six sites in sparse Black Box woodland near Nangiloc, one in riverside River Red Gum near Nangiloc and 22 sites in Black Box woodland at Kings Billabong.

Field methods We conducted spring fieldwork from 2 to 6 October 2017, and autumn fieldwork from 18 to 21 March 2018.

Birds were surveyed on each site using timed area-searches (1 ha, 10 minutes) (after Loyn 1986, 1998). All surveys were undertaken in mild weather, with light wind and temperatures <30 o C.

On each search, an observer walked around the site, recording numbers of individual birds of each species seen or heard. Birds observed off the site were recorded separately and not considered further in the analysis. Birds flying over the site were considered as off-site unless they were species that typically search for prey in open air (swallows, martins, woodswallows and birds of prey). Birds flying below the canopy were considered as on-site, unless it was obvious that they were making

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018 long-distance movements with no intention of stopping in the site. Indirect signs of birds (scats, feathers or footprints) were scored as 0.1 in analysis. Observations or indirect signs of mammals and reptiles were treated in the same way as birds but are not considered further in this report.

As in previous assessments, the amount of eucalypt flowering was assessed on a scale 0 to 5, linked to tree species when more than one tree species was present at the site. Flooding onsite was scored for its extent (% cover) and depth. In autumn 2018 rapid assessments were made of four aspects of vegetation structure (tree density, shrub cover, canopy condition of living trees and 5 of trees that were dead). The first three aspects were assessed on a scale from 0 to 5.

Data presentation and analysis Data were collated for each session (spring and autumn). Values were calculated for various guilds of species, by summing corresponding values for each species in the guild. This was done for total native bush birds, water birds, introduced birds (of which there were none) and a range of groupings based on food, nest-site or migratory status. Recognising the role of miners Manorina spp. in excluding small birds, the guild for total bush birds was also divided into four: miners; other birds of similar size to miners (60-70g); smaller birds than miners (<60g) and larger birds than miners (>70g), in similar fashion to the three groups used previously (Loyn and Dutson 2017a, b, c).

1. Three main questions were selected to address with the 2017-18 data. One was to describe the bird communities in Black Box woodland that was flooded in spring 2017, compared with parts of the Black Box that were not flooded (including round Lake Kramen). Another was to examine trends over time in Black Box woodland at Hattah generally, in Black Box woodland that was classified as flood-prone or not, since our surveys began in 2014. We also mention some observations of interest across the broader set of sites included in our study, especially in new sites selected in Mallee and dune woodland.

General Linear Models and linear regression were used to address the first two questions, using all data from Black Box woodland in Hattah-Kulkyne NP (including supplementary sites). Data from Black Box woodland and other habitats at Hattah and other areas (Nangiloc and Kings Billabong) (River Red Gum and Mallee or dune woodland) were tabulated and compared qualitatively with previous data from those areas, to address the third question.

For the first question we considered a factorial model with two categorical factors: flooding (at two levels, wet or dry in spring 2016) and two seasons (spring 2017 or autumn 2018). Mean numbers of each bird species and guild were the dependent variables. Comparisons were also made with data from previous years.

For the second question, we used data from all eleven assessments since these studies began in 2014. Mean numbers of each species and guild were regressed against time (session number, 1-11) for the whole period. This was done separately for sites classed as flood-prone and those that were not flood-prone. However, we note that the flood-prone sites near Lake Kramen did not flood in the last two years, and plan to redo those analyses with a separate category for those sites.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018 Results

1. Was there a significant difference between sites that were flooded or not flooded in 2017, during the flood in spring 2017 or in the following autumn when waters had receded from most sites? Total numbers of land birds showed little variation between sites that were flooded or not flooded in spring 2017 (Table 1). However, four land bird species were significantly more common on flooded sites: Noisy Miner, Magpie-lark, Blue-faced Honeyeater and Common Bronzewing (P<0.05, Table 1). The first two species were common on both assessments, whereas the other two were locally distributed. Blue-faced Honeyeaters were recorded on the Black Box sites only in spring, although they were seen in River Red Gum stands throughout the year. Common Bronzewings were seen on the black Box sites mainly in autumn, feeding on seeds from a range of low plants that had regenerated after the floods. These four species are all large-bodied species (larger than miners), enabling them to withstand aggression from Noisy Miners. Two major feeding guilds (miners and carnivores) were also significantly more common on flooded sites (Table 1). Waterbirds were found mainly on flooded sites when they held water in spring (as expected), with a mean density of 12.33 birds per hectare: they showed significant effects of season and flooding, and the interaction between those terms (P<0.001, Table 1).

Five land bird species and five guilds showed the opposite effect, being significantly more common on sites that did not flood in spring 2017 than on sites that did flood (P<0.05, Table 1). These were Regent Parrot, Weebill, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Rufous Whistler and Grey Shrike-thrush. Regent Parrots continued to feed on seeds of various plants near Lake Kramen, and appear to be still taking advantage of the regeneration from the 2014 environmental flood. The other four species are all small-bodied species, highly susceptible to exclusion by Noisy Miners. Several other small-bodied species showed similar patterns but numbers were too low for robust statistical analysis. Three of them (Brown Treecreeper, Willie Wagtail and Restless Flycatcher) were often found together and sometimes close to water, but only where there were few Noisy Miners (notably in a pocket of miner-free Black Box woodland south-west of Lake Woterap). Many of these small species were found most commonly in Black Box woodland north of Lake Kramen, as much of this woodland has been vacated by Noisy Miners since the 2014 floods receded. Small land birds and three major feeding guilds showed the same pattern: canopy-foraging insectivores, shrub-foraging insectivores and generalist insectivores (Grey Shrike-thrush) (P<0.05, Table 1).

Season generally had a smaller effect than flooding (Table 1), but two land bird species showed significant interactions between season and flooding: Striated Pardalote and Willie Wagtail (p<0.05, Table 1). Both favoured flooded sites in spring when they contained water, and sites that had not flooded in autumn. The same pattern was noticed for several other species of small land bird (e.g. White-plumed Honeyeater, Table 1), at lower levels of significance. Numbers of Noisy Miners appeared to decline somewhat in autumn on sites that had not flooded (p<0.094, Table 1).

Two large-bodied birds (White-winged Chough and Apostlebird) proved remarkably scarce in autumn on Black Box sites that had been flooded (Table 1). Flocks were seen nearby in the usual range of habitats (including Mallee and River Red Gum)

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Table 1. Mean numbers of bird species and major guilds observed on sites in Black Box woodland at Hattah that had or had not been flooded in spring 2018

Mean Mean Mean Mean P dry flooded dry receded (season in in in in P P x spring spring autumn autumn (season) (flooded) flooded) Emu 0.003 0.100 0.050 0.040 nt nt nt Common Bronzewing 0.057 0.048 0.000 0.250 0.027 0.037 NS Crested Pigeon 0.400 0.143 0.250 0.350 NS NS NS Peaceful Dove 0.029 0.048 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Galah 0.114 0.381 0.125 0.050 nt nt nt Little Corella 0.057 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Regent Parrot 0.886 0.190 1.625 0.000 NS 0.073 NS Yellow Rosella 0.057 0.048 0.063 0.050 nt nt nt Australian Ringneck 0.800 0.571 0.531 0.650 nt nt nt Blue Bonnet 0.171 0.048 0.469 0.100 nt nt nt Red-rumped Parrot 0.829 0.286 3.250 1.200 nt nt nt Mulga Parrot 0.000 0.000 0.188 0.300 0.027 NS NS Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo 0.057 0.048 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Pallid Cuckoo 0.029 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Laughing Kookaburra 0.000 0.143 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Sacred Kingfisher 0.000 0.095 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Brown Treecreeper 0.229 0.190 0.531 0.050 NS NS NS Splendid Fairy-wren 0.086 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt White-winged Fairy-wren 0.000 0.286 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Weebill 2.057 0.667 2.156 1.200 NS 0.01 NS Yellow-rumped Thornbill 0.600 0.000 0.500 0.200 nt nt nt Chestnut-rumped Thornbill 0.914 0.000 0.625 0.100 NS 0.002 NS Southern Whiteface 0.171 0.000 0.031 0.100 nt nt nt

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Spotted Pardalote 0.000 0.000 0.031 0.000 NS NS NS Striated Pardalote 0.400 0.905 0.969 0.550 NS NS 0.018 Singing Honeyeater 0.000 0.000 0.031 0.000 nt nt nt White-eared Honeyeater 0.000 0.000 0.250 0.150 nt nt nt Yellow-plumed Honeyeater 0.000 0.000 0.156 0.000 nt nt nt White-plumed Honeyeater 0.000 0.333 0.281 0.150 NS NS 0.100 Noisy Miner 3.857 6.190 1.906 6.900 NS 0.000 0.094 Yellow-throated Miner 0.171 0.048 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater 0.171 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Blue-faced Honeyeater 0.000 0.238 0.000 0.000 0.053 0.05 0.053 Noisy Friarbird 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Little Friarbird 0.057 0.619 0.000 0.000 0.062 NS NS Striped Honeyeater 0.029 0.000 0.031 0.150 nt nt nt White-browed Babbler 0.143 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Chestnut-crowned Babbler 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike 0.114 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Rufous Whistler 0.171 0.000 0.125 0.000 NS 0.020 NS Grey Shrike-thrush 0.171 0.000 0.375 0.100 NS 0.017 NS White-browed Woodswallow 0.000 0.095 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Dusky Woodswallow 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Grey Butcherbird 0.171 0.333 0.219 0.250 NS NS NS Pied Butcherbird 0.114 0.190 0.188 0.150 NS NS NS Australian Magpie 0.229 0.286 0.594 0.650 0.039 NS NS Willie Wagtail 0.029 0.095 0.313 0.000 NS NS 0.048 Australian Raven 0.114 0.286 0.063 0.150 NS NS NS Little Crow 0.000 0.000 0.063 0.000 nt nt nt Restless Flycatcher 0.000 0.048 0.063 0.000 NS NS 0.095 Magpie-lark 0.371 1.143 0.188 0.950 NS 0.000 NS White-winged Chough 1.714 0.714 0.222 0.400 0.062 NS NS

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Apostlebird 1.114 0.810 1.156 0.000 NS NS NS Red-capped Robin 0.229 0.000 0.000 0.050 NS NS 0.068 Welcome Swallow 0.057 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Tree Martin 0.000 0.190 0.156 0.000 nt nt nt Guild Aerial insectivores 0.057 0.286 0.156 0.000 NS NS 0.095 Bark-foraging insectivores 0.229 0.190 0.531 0.050 NS NS NS Canopy-foraging insectivores 2.800 1.619 3.281 1.750 NS 0.014 NS Damp-ground insectivores 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 NS NS NS Frugivores 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 NS NS NS Low-shrub-foraging insectivores 0.000 0.286 0.000 0.000 NS NS NS Miners 4.029 6.238 1.906 6.900 NS 0.000 NS Nectarivores (other than miners) 0.257 1.190 0.750 0.500 NS NS 0.096 Open-ground insectivores (may be far from cover) 1.400 1.524 1.625 1.900 NS NS NS Large open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) 2.857 1.524 1.378 0.400 NS NS NS Small open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) 0.314 0.048 0.063 0.050 NS NS NS Open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) 3.171 1.571 1.441 0.450 NS NS NS Seed-eaters (feeding mainly close to ground) 1.660 1.052 4.363 2.290 NS NS NS Seed-eaters (feeding mainly in trees) 1.743 0.810 2.188 0.650 NS 0.063 NS Tall-shrub-foraging insectivores 1.057 0.048 0.625 0.100 NS 0.003 NS Shrub-foraging insectivores 1.057 0.333 0.625 0.100 NS 0.027 NS Generalist insectivores 0.171 0.000 0.375 0.100 NS 0.017 NS Carnivores (taking vertebrates & large invertebrates, etc) 0.029 0.238 0.000 0.000 0.023 0.072 0.072 Large land birds other than miners (>70g) 6.546 5.671 5.803 4.090 NS NS NS Small land birds other than miners (<60g) 5.371 3.048 6.313 2.950 NS 0.027 NS Mid-sized land birds inc miners (60-70g) 1.057 0.905 3.625 1.300 NS NS NS

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Large hollow-nesters 2.086 1.381 2.781 0.800 NS 0.059 NS Small hollow-nesters 2.371 1.667 5.719 2.200 NS NS NS Hollow-nesters 4.457 3.048 8.500 3.000 NS 0.057 NS Summer migrant land birds 0.314 1.048 0.281 0.000 NS NS 0.092 Introduced land birds 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 nt nt nt Native land birds 17.003 15.862 17.647 15.240 NS NS NS Total land birds 17.003 15.862 17.647 15.240 NS NS NS Water birds 0.029 12.333 0.031 0.950 0.000 0.000 0.000 Land bird species 5.343 5.381 6.094 5.700 NS NS NS Water bird species 0.029 2.476 0.031 0.450 NS 0.000 NS Total bird species 5.371 7.857 6.125 6.150 NS 0.041 NS

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

2. How have bird numbers trended over time since this monitoring started in 2014, and do the trends differ between sites that are flood-prone or not? On flood-prone sites numbers of most land birds and their respective guilds have tended to increase over time since 2014 (Table 2). Just two species showed significant decreasing trends: these were White-browed Woodswallow and White-winged Chough (P<0.05, Table 2). Apostlebirds showed a similar trend at a lower level of significance (p=0.110, Table 2). The guild of large insectivores that feed from open ground among trees (consisting of White-winged Chough and Apostlebird) declined significantly (p=0.006), though small insectivores that feed in that way increased (p=0.014, Table 2). When the two groups were combined, the more common larger species dominated the overall pattern, which was to decrease over time (P=0.014, Table 2).

Noisy Miners showed no significant trend on flood-prone sites, but increased significantly on sites that were not flood-prone (p=0.001, Table 2). This was a surprising result, as the species is much commoner on flood-prone sites than others, and was seen to concentrate near water when environmental flows were delivered to the Hattah Lakes. It seems to be driven mainly by the retreat of Noisy Miners from many flood-prone sites near Lake Kramen, when they did not receive water in recent years, and a corresponding increase of Noisy Miners along the Mournpall Track. This phenomenon has also allowed many small birds to increase in number on the dry but flood-prone sites near Lake Kramen.

No species showed a negative trend on sites that were not flood-prone, but fewer species showed positive trends than on flood-prone sites (Table 2). Hence bird numbers seemed more stable on the sites that were not flood-prone, presumably because those sites did not receive flows of water with consequent changes in productivity of the habitats.

Table 2. Trends over time for bird species and guilds in Black Box woodland at Hattah (regressions, standardised beta and p), for sites that were flood-prone (flooded in 2014) and those that were not.

Flood-prone Species sites Dry sites r (standardised r (standardised Beta) p Beta) p Brown Treecreeper 0.167 0.000 Weebill 0.183 0.000 Chestnut-rumped Thornbill 0.094 0.039 Noisy Miner 0.046 0.310 (decreased near Kramen, increased Mournpall Tk) Striped Honeyeater 0.178 0.022 Rufous Whistler 0.109 0.018 Grey Shrike-thrush 0.139 0.002 White-breasted Woodswallow -0.12 0.009 Pied Butcherbird 0.115 0.012 Australian Magpie 0.086 [0.061] Willie Wagtail 0.186 0.016

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Flood-prone Species sites Dry sites Australian Raven -0.084 [0.065] 0.191 0.013 Magpie-lark 0.087 [0.057] 0.174 0.024 White-winged Chough -0.116 0.006 Apostlebird -0.073 [0.110] Red-capped Robin 0.137 0.003 Grey Teal -0.132 0.004 Aerial insectivores -0.081 [0.077] Bark-foraging insectivores 0.162 0.000 Miners 0.044 [0.339] Nectarivores (other than miners) NS NS Open-ground insectivores (may be far from cover) 0.126 0.006 0.2 0.010 Large open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) -0.186 0.006 Small open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) 0.112 0.014 Open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) -0.112 0.014 Shrub-foraging insectivores 0.105 0.022 0.158 0.042 Generalist insectivores 0.139 0.002 0.201 0.009 Small land birds other than miners (<60g) 0.125 [0.109] Mid-sized land birds inc miners (60-70g) 0.112 0.014 Land bird species 0.186 0.000 0.14 [0.072]

3. What other observations are of interest, in Hattah and the other areas examined? Contextual data from other habitats at Hattah, and from Black Box sites at Nangiloc and Kings Billabong, are summarised in Table 3.

Our inclusion of new sites in dune woodland provided records of two species that we had found surprisingly scarce. Groups of White-browed Babblers were found in dune woodland at two new sites (north of Lake Bitterang and north of Lake Kramen), and at one site with shrubby woodland of River Red Gum beside a water channel in the north-east of the Park. This species has been notable by its unexpected rarity on our Black Box sites. White-backed Swallows appear to be regular visitors to dune woodland in the first of those sites.

Two rare waterbirds were observed during our woodland counts: an Australian Painted Snipe in spring and a Glossy Ibis in autumn, both in different areas of floodwater near Lake Bitterang.

New Mallee sites on Konardin track proved to be teeming with hundreds of White-browed Woodswallows and Masked Woodswallows in spring. They were feeding on Mallee blossom and a nest was found in a broken Mallee stump. Black Honeyeaters were also feeding on the Mallee Blossom, and Mallee Emu-wrens were seen on these sites.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

A Brown Quail was flushed from one of our Black Box sites near Lake Kramen, on the edge of extensive leguminous plants that had regenerated after the 2014 floods. Flocks of Regent Parrots continued to feed in this habitat, as well as a range of other parrots, cockatoos and pigeons.

Hooded Robins were found on two sites at Kings Billabong, which seems to support a small resident population of this species, which has declined in many parts of its former range. Kings Billabong continues to be a haven for small birds, while some larger species are scarce (e.g. White-winged Chough) or absent (e.g. Emu and Apostlebird). At Kings Billabong Noisy Miners are mainly confined to River Red Gums or picnic sites, as previously reported.

Striped Honeyeaters proved to be more common than usual in Black Box woodland in autumn 2018: this was noticed at Hattah and to an even greater extent at Kings Billabong. Many of them were feeding from spiders’ nests among Black Box foliage, or tugging at galls or large lerps on the leaves. The pattern of white stripes on the heads of these birds provided excellent camouflage among the spiders’ webs.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Table 3. Mean numbers of bird species and guilds in Black Box woodlands at Hattah, Nangiloc and Kings Billabong, and in River Red Gum, Mallee and dune woodland at Hattah, 2017-18.

Mean Mean Mean Mean Hattah Mean Mean Hattah Hattah Hattah BB Nangiloc KB Mallee dunes RG Emu 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.02 Brown Quail 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Common Bronzewing 0.07 0.08 0.02 0.23 0.00 0.40 Crested Pigeon 0.30 0.15 0.07 0.08 0.40 0.20 Peaceful Dove 0.02 0.08 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 Major Mitchell's Cockatoo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Galah 0.16 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.00 1.40 Little Corella 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 Regent Parrot 0.81 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40 Yellow Rosella 0.06 0.23 0.51 0.00 0.00 0.80 Australian Ringneck 0.65 0.00 0.12 0.31 0.00 1.80 Blue Bonnet 0.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.20 0.00 Red-rumped Parrot 1.51 1.00 0.24 0.00 2.20 0.40 Mulga Parrot 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.20 0.00 Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 Pallid Cuckoo 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Southern Boobook 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Laughing Kookaburra 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.20 Sacred Kingfisher 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Brown Treecreeper 0.28 0.54 0.22 0.00 0.20 0.00 Superb Fairy-wren 0.00 0.15 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 Splendid Fairy-wren 0.03 0.15 0.00 0.00 0.80 0.00

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Mean Mean Mean Mean Hattah Mean Mean Hattah Hattah Hattah BB Nangiloc KB Mallee dunes RG White-winged Fairy-wren 0.06 0.15 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.00 Variegated Fairy-wren 0.00 0.31 0.51 0.00 0.40 0.00 Weebill 1.66 1.69 2.17 3.00 0.40 0.00 Yellow Thornbill 0.00 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 Yellow-rumped Thornbill 0.38 0.00 0.07 0.08 0.00 0.00 Chestnut-rumped Thornbill 0.50 1.23 0.56 1.15 2.80 0.00 Inland Thornbill 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.00 Southern Whiteface 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 0.00 Spotted Pardalote 0.01 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 Striated Pardalote 0.69 0.38 0.68 0.38 0.00 0.20 Singing Honeyeater 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.40 0.00 White-eared Honeyeater 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.85 0.40 0.00 Yellow-plumed Honeyeater 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.23 0.00 0.00 White-plumed Honeyeater 0.18 1.00 0.88 0.00 0.00 0.60 Noisy Miner 4.30 0.31 1.22 0.00 0.00 6.20 Yellow-throated Miner 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.60 0.00 Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.15 0.40 0.00 Red Wattlebird 0.02 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 Black Honeyeater 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.00 Brown-headed Honeyeater 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.31 0.00 0.00 Blue-faced Honeyeater 0.05 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Friarbird 0.14 0.08 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 Striped Honeyeater 0.05 0.15 0.51 0.31 0.00 0.00 White-browed Babbler 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 1.20 Chestnut-crowned Babbler 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Varied Sittella 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Mean Mean Mean Mean Hattah Mean Mean Hattah Hattah Hattah BB Nangiloc KB Mallee dunes RG Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike 0.04 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 Golden Whistler 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Rufous Whistler 0.09 0.00 0.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Shrike-thrush 0.19 0.08 0.29 0.31 0.00 0.00 Crested Bellbird 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.00 White-breasted Woodswallow 0.00 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 Masked Woodswallow 0.00 1.54 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.00 White-browed Woodswallow 0.02 7.69 0.00 1.77 0.00 0.00 Dusky Woodswallow 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Butcherbird 0.23 0.15 0.32 0.08 0.00 0.20 Pied Butcherbird 0.16 0.08 0.24 0.31 0.00 0.20 Australian Magpie 0.43 0.15 0.41 0.00 0.00 0.40 Grey Fantail 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Willie Wagtail 0.12 0.08 0.37 0.00 0.20 0.00 Australian Raven 0.14 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.80 Little Raven 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Crow 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Restless Flycatcher 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20 Magpie-lark 0.57 0.15 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.80 White-winged Chough 0.83 0.00 0.05 0.31 0.00 0.00 Apostlebird 0.86 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Jacky Winter 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 Red-capped Robin 0.08 0.23 0.10 0.08 0.40 0.00 Hooded Robin 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.00 0.00 Silvereye 0.00 0.08 0.39 0.00 0.00 0.00 White-backed Swallow 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20 0.00

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Mean Mean Mean Mean Hattah Mean Mean Hattah Hattah Hattah BB Nangiloc KB Mallee dunes RG Welcome Swallow 0.02 0.00 0.71 0.00 0.00 0.00 Fairy Martin 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Tree Martin 0.08 4.85 0.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 Aerial insectivores 0.12 14.08 1.07 1.85 0.20 0.00 Bark-foraging insectivores 0.28 0.54 0.27 0.00 0.20 0.00 Canopy-foraging insectivores 2.52 2.08 3.41 3.38 0.40 0.20 Miners 4.36 0.31 1.22 0.00 0.60 6.20 Nectarivores (other than miners) 0.63 1.31 1.59 2.15 1.20 0.60 Open-ground insectivores (may be far from cover) 1.58 0.38 0.90 0.08 1.20 1.20 Large open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) 1.70 0.00 0.05 0.31 0.00 0.00 Small open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) 0.14 0.54 0.29 0.31 1.20 0.20 Open-ground insectivores (among trees or shrubs) 1.84 0.54 0.34 0.62 1.20 0.20 Seed-eaters (feeding mainly close to ground) 2.46 1.31 0.44 0.47 4.02 3.42 Seed-eaters (feeding mainly in trees) 1.49 0.23 0.63 0.31 0.00 3.00 Tall-shrub-foraging insectivores 0.56 1.23 0.76 1.31 4.80 1.20 Shrub-foraging insectivores 0.61 1.71 1.44 1.31 5.20 1.20 Generalist insectivores 0.19 0.08 0.29 0.31 0.00 0.00 Carnivores (taking vertebrates & large invertebrates, etc) 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20 Large land birds other than miners (>70g) 5.70 1.08 2.12 1.24 1.62 8.62 Small land birds other than miners (<60g) 4.75 20.32 8.73 8.85 9.80 2.20 Mid-sized land birds inc miners (60-70g) 1.83 1.15 0.66 0.46 2.20 0.40 Large hollow-nesters 1.92 0.23 0.71 0.31 1.20 5.60 Small hollow-nesters 3.19 8.00 1.93 1.77 5.40 0.60

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Mean Mean Mean Mean Hattah Mean Mean Hattah Hattah Hattah BB Nangiloc KB Mallee dunes RG Hollow-nesters 5.11 8.23 2.63 2.08 6.60 6.20 Summer migrant land birds 0.39 14.15 0.85 1.85 0.00 0.00 Introduced land birds 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Native land birds 16.65 22.86 12.73 10.47 14.22 17.42 Total land birds 16.65 22.86 12.73 10.47 14.22 17.42 Water birds 2.59 0.08 0.73 0.00 0.00 4.80 Land bird species 5.64 5.23 5.71 4.69 5.00 6.60 Water bird species 0.58 0.08 0.59 0.00 0.00 2.80 Total bird species 6.22 5.31 6.29 4.69 5.00 9.40

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

Discussion

Our previous assessments have shown that environmental flows produce various changes in bird communities, including short-term influxes of waterbirds and a more gradual response by bush birds. Current data from the Lake Kramen area show that the benefits of the 2014-15 watering continue to be felt four years later, as many species (including Regent Parrots) continue to feed from the seed produced by the flush of low plants that regenerated after that event.

The short-term response of land birds to the environmental flows in spring 2016 were less marked and more complex. Noisy Miners continue to exert a massive influence on the bird community where they occur, excluding most smaller birds. New floods clearly attracted Noisy Miners to concentrate in the flooded areas in increased numbers. Small birds were already excluded for most of those areas near the Mournpall Track, as water has been lying in nearby lakes for several years and Noisy Miners have remained in continuous occupation. This contrasts with the situation at Lake Kramen, where many sites have been abandoned by Noisy Miners in the absence of recent flooding. Those sites have still benefitted from the earlier floods, and now support high populations of small birds, including species that feed on insects in the canopy foliage. Such species can contribute directly to canopy health (Loyn et al. 1983; Landsberg and Cork 1997).

The apparent decline in Noisy Miners on dry sites between our spring and autumn assessment may be related to the recession of water in the flooded wetlands, drawing birds away from the periphery of those wetlands. Conversely, the surmised movement of Noisy Miners to recently flooded wetlands (in River Red Gum as well as Black Box woodland) appears to have been highly beneficial to small birds (and hopefully to tree health) in the areas that the Noisy Miners have vacated. We suspect that several other species have tended to follow the wetland shore in this way, including Magpie-larks and White-winged Choughs, both of which were often seen feeding from wet muddy shores along the receding margins. Noisy Miners have recently been recognised as having a strong influence in Black Box woodlands in New South Wales, just as they do here, contributing to the complex dynamics of floodplain woodlands (McGinness et al. 2018).

It is never easy to assess effects of recurring events such as fires or floods in complex landscapes, and we realised that our regression analyses were a preliminary simplification. Nevertheless, it was heartening to see that most species showed positive trajectories over the last five years in which environmental flows have been applied to this icon site. Many factors may impinge on trends in any species, including the availability of habitat in alternative sites within their ranges. For example, the weak negative trend for White-browed Woodswallows over flood-prone Black Box woodlands may be partly due to heavy flowering of Mallee in spring 2017, which attracted hundreds of these highly mobile birds to feed on the blossom and breed in that habitat, spending less time seeking flying insects over Black Box woodlands. Further more detailed analysis is needed to make definitive comments about the relationships we report tentatively in this report.

Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018 References

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Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

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Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018

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Birds in Black Box woodlands in Hattah-Kulkyne NP, Nangiloc & Kings Billabong October 2017 to March 2018