inland. Numbers vary when floodingoccurs as they circle highover theriver. They provide awonderful sight Australian Pelican C,N HERON, IBIS,ALLIES out to dry. water resistant andthey hangthem Swan Estuary. Their feathers are not Four are common onthe Cormorants their necksforward to spearprey. vertebrae that allow themto thrust have speciallyadapted Australasian M,N summer. Night-Herons gather onthejetty, particularlyin Oystercatcher are regularly seen,andNankeen Pelican, Eastern Osprey, andAustralian Pied escarpment isimportantfor bushbirds. Australian Claremont. Inaddition,thenaturally-vegetated several notnormallyseenelsewhere in The river andforeshore isa habitat that favours FRESHWATER BAY its stubby yellow bill. The smallest cormorant. Note Little PiedCormorant C,Res cormorant alongtheriver. The largest blackandwhite Pied Cormorant R Often seenfishinginflocks Little BlackCormorant U, Res Distinctive yellow facial skin R ABN 75 140124 774 T 089383 7749 |[email protected] 167 Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat, WA 6014 BirdLife Western Website: http://friendsoflakeclaremont.org [email protected] Email FriendsofLake Claremont For furtherinformation: Claremont andLake Claremont. Bay, theparksandgardens of of birds recorded at Freshwater introduce you to thewidevariety This guidehasbeenprepared to website (see below). at theoffice. To view thefull range ofbird guidesvisitthe social activities.There isalsoalibrary andbooksfor sale research projects, excursions, campouts,surveys and of activitiesandservices includingconservation and BirdLife Western Australia membersare offered avariety of Lake Claremont. Western Australia, Town ofClaremont andFriends Information prepared by themembersofBirdLife © BirdLife Western Australia. Revised August 2013. GuideNo. 37AB Cover photography by David Free. Tingay, M.Bamford, J. Blyth,J.N. Davies, R.Gordon. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Illustrations by P. Free, S. facebook.com/Friends-of-Lake-Claremont facebook.com/BirdLifeAustralia | Australia’s voice for birds since 1901 since birds for voice Australia’s for Australia’s birds. future abright creating we are supporters, and volunteers of network Australia-wide an of commitment the and knowledge specialised our With habitats. their and birds native our for results conservation outstanding to achieving dedicated is Australia BirdLife birdlife.org.au @BirdlifeOz Willie Wagtail

Pink-eared Duck David Free birds are inournature CLAREMONT in andaround BIRDS

PARKS AND GARDENS HONEYEATER Honeyeaters are important pollinators of Australian plants and are very active in their search for nectar Nankeen Night-Heron M, B and invertebrates. They have specially adapted These herons hunt at dusk and tongues and bills for nectar gathering. Most are dawn, and rest during the day. locally nomadic. Many of the bush birds of Lake Claremont can also be seen in local parks and gardens. These Singing Honeyeater C, B, Res A common honeyeater of areas are an important source of food, shelter and gardens, parks and reserves. nesting sites. Planting of local native plant and retention of remnant bushland is therefore Western Wattlebird U, N encouraged. Smaller than Red Wattlebird. Rufous wing patch seen in RAPTOR PIGEON, DOVE flight. Eastern Osprey U, B Rock Dove M, B, Res Often seen flying along the Introduced from Europe river, It plunges feet first Laughing Dove C, B, Res to catch fish, then flies off Introduced from Asia Red Wattlebird C, B, Res holding the catch torpedo-like Spotted Dove C, B, Res The largest of our honeyeaters; to a perch. Introduced from Asia noisy and aggressive.

RAPTOR Brown Honeyeater C, B, Res/N Tiny bird with several loud Brown Goshawk M, B musical calls. They prefer woodland and watercourses with trees. New Holland Honeyeater B, Res Similar to White-cheeked SHOREBIRD Honeyeater (see Lake Claremont) Australian Pied Oystercatcher M, N COCKATOO, PARROT These attractive shorebirds prefer CUCKOO-SHRIKE, TRILLER sandy beaches where they feed on Galah C, B, Res molluscs. Colonised from Murchison. Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike M, B, Res Grey bird with undulating flight; shuffles Common Sandpiper U, Mi, IA, Sp - Au Rainbow Lorikeet C, B, Res wings on landing. Common Greenshank R, Mi, IA,Sp - Au Introduced from Vic / NSW. Usually solitary; haunting call. BUTCHERBIRD, CURRAWONG Australian Ringneck C, B, Res One of our most common birds. Australian Magpie C, B, Res NODDY, TERN, GULL They have a wide range of calls. Magpies live in groups in permanent territories where they feed, roost and Fairy Tern U, N, T, Sp - Au breed. They are aggressive in the breeding Less than 1600 pairs left in WA. season and may swoop on passers-by. Caspian Tern M, N. IA Distinctive heavy red bill.

OWL FANTAIL

Crested Tern C, N Southern Boobook U, B, N, Wi - Au Willie Wagtail C, B, Res They can often be seen During daylight hours they sit quietly in (see back cover) These bold. perky flying in search of food trees and hunt at night for insects and little birds defend their nesting for which they dive. small . territory vigorously. Eastern Barn Owl U, N, Wi Silver Gull C, B, N Magpie-lark C, B, Res KINGFISHER Magpie-larks are territorial and the Laughing Kookaburra C, B, Res young form flocks after breeding. Introduced from Vic 1897. They have a musical call. LAKE CLAREMONT GREBE COCKATOO, PARROT Australasian Grebe Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo C, Mi, T, Su-Au C, B, N Au - Wi Long-billed Corella R Watch them dive for small Aviary escapee fish and water insects. Little Corella M, B, Res Hoary-headed Grebe M, N You should see a flock of Little Corellas - these started as Paler; finely streaked head cage escapees. pattern.

HERON, IBIS Eastern Great Egret R, N, IA Tall stately white bird; usually alone.

White-faced Heron C, B, N Usually seen feeding singly on shallow .

Glossy Ibis R, N KINGFISHER Small dark Ibis Sacred Kingfisher U, B, Mi, Sp - Au A breeding visitor from September Australian White Ibis M, N to March. Its main food is insects. Colonised from the north 1952.

BEE-EATER, ROLLER Rainbow Bee-eater R, Mi, IA, Sp - Au. Colourful migrant; Straw-necked Ibis C, B, N excavates a tunnel for nesting. Colonised from the north 1976. Can be seen feeding in SCRUBWRENS, ALLIES shallow flooded areas where insects are abundant. They Weebill U, Res Lake Claremont and its adjoining bushland form breed in colonies. Australia’s smallest bird. Claremont’s largest area of open space. The lake was formerly a swamp. Rising water levels caused the Yellow-billed Spoonbill R, N paperbarks to die and the trunks of some of these Colonised from the north 1954. trees are still visible. The lake dries out most years in PARDALOTE summer unless there has been significant rainfall. Striated Pardalote C, B, N, Wi - Sp. Difficult to see in trees searching for Open water, muddy margins and reed beds allow RAPTOR bugs. Listen for its ‘chip-chip’ call. a variety of waterbirds to find food, shelter and Black-shouldered Kite U, N breeding habitat. Most are readily seen from the Recorded mainly in winter and shores or the viewing platform. spring, they are usually seen in the early morning and evening. Along the north and west sides of the lake significant bushland, including extensive areas of Whistling Kite U, N revegetation, provides habitat for bushbirds. Collared Sparrowhawk R, N, Wi Swamp Harrier R, N HONEYEATER, CHAT Australian Hobby U, N Friends of Lake Claremont are actively rehabilitating White-cheeked Honeyeater C, B, Res Little Eagle U, N Note their large white cheek patch. They this Conservation Category and Bush Nankeen Kestrel U, N Forever site. The Town of Claremont has recently feed in noisy active parties. carried out major infrastructure improvements. CRAKE, RAIL, ALLIES BUTCHERBIRD, CURRAWONG WATERFOWL Purple Swamphen C, B, Res Grey Butcherbird C, B, Res These birds can be seen Live in permanent territories and Musk Duck U, B, N stalking through the reeds, have a loud piping territorial song. Sits low in water; prefers deeper swimming, or feeding on water. nearby lawns. They build a FANTAIL platform for roosting and feed Black Swan C, B, N in family groups. Grey Fantail C, Res, Mi, Au - Wi Usually found in shallower water Like a grey Willie Wagtail; friendly, where they upend to feed on curious water plants. Buff-banded Rail U, N Can sometimes be seen feeding RAVEN, CROW among the rushes that fringe the Australian Raven C, B, Res lake. OLD WORLD WARBLER Baillon’s Crake R, N Australian Shelduck C, B, N Australian Spotted Crake U, N Australian Reed-Warbler C, B, N These feed on plants and Spotless Crake R, N Sedges provide a habitat for such invertebrates. Nests are built in All three crakes are small, shy species as the Little Grassbird and tree hollows, sometimes far from birds, usually seen in thick fringing Australian Reed-Warbler, water. vegetation. Little Grassbird C, B, Res Australian Wood Duck U, B, N Black-tailed Native-hen R, N Secretive; lives in dense reeds. Pale duck with dark head; often Small dark bantam-like bird. seen grazing. Dusky Moorhen C, B, N WHITE EYE Dark waterbird with yellow- Silvereye M, Res/N Pink-eared Duck C, B, N tipped red bill. (see cover illustration) They draw water into the bill where Small olive-green bird with white eye-ring. it is filtered for food. Eurasian Coot C, B, N Eat mostly aquatic plants and also graze on the lake edges. Australasian Shoveler U, B, N Shovelers are filter feeders that SHOREBIRD eat small aquatic insects. SWALLOW, MARTIN Each autumn thousands of waders (Mi) arrive in Perth from Grey Teal C, B, N their breeding grounds in northern Asia/Alaska. Very few Welcome Swallow (above) C, B, Res, Mi A wide range of food is eaten visit Lake Claremont. Some waders do not leave Australia while dabbling in shallow but are seasonally dispersive from coastal lakes. Tree Martin (left) C, B, Mi, Sp - Au water. Black-winged Stilt C, B, N These aerial feeders are sometimes They walk through shallow in mixed flocks. Can you pick out the Pacific Black Duck C, B, N difference? The most common duck. water feeding on plants and small animals. Hardhead M, B, N Red-necked Avocet R, N Dark brown duck; male has Rusty head, long upturned bill a white eye. CODE Abundance Status Season

C - common B - breeds in area Sp - spring Black-fronted Dotterel C, B, N M - moderately common Mi - migratory Su - summer Blue-billed Duck U, B, N These small birds prefer firm U - uncommon N - nomadic Au - autumn They prefer deep water shorelines to feed on insects, R - rare Res - resident Wi - winter to dive for food. Only the V - vagrant crustaceans and seeds. T - threatened male has a blue bill. IA - protected by international agreement Red-kneed Dotterel R, N Black hood and breastband. Names of birds illustrated are in blue