The biology and management of rainforest pigeons • lll w Harry F. Recher, Elizabeth M. Date and Hugh A. Ford ....., Authors Dr. Harry F. Recher received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in California where he studied the ecology of migratory waders. After post-doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University he came to Australia as lecturer in biology at the University of Sydney. In 1968 he joined the ecology section of The Australian Museum where he conducted studies and surveys of forest fauna throughout eastern New South Wales. Presently he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Management at the University of New England, Armidale. His research is primarily concerned with the ecology and management of forest wildlife. In 1994 Dr Recher received the Serventy Medal from the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union for his contributions to Australian ornithology Dr. Elizabeth M. Date is a Research Fellow in the Department of Ecosystem Management at the University of New England, Armidale. She completed a B.Sc. (Hons) at the University of Queensland in 1982 and received her Ph.D. in 1988 from McGill University in Canada. Her doctoral work focused on the learning of songs by passerine birds, but since returning to Australia, she has studied the ecology and behaviour of forest birds with an emphasis on endangered species. Dr. Hugh A. Ford is an Associate Professor in the Department of Zoology at the University ofNew England, Armidale. He received his Ph.D. in 1973 from the University of Stirling and came to Australia in 1973 as a post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Zoology at the University of Adelaide. He joined the Department of Zoology at the University of New England in 1977. He and his students have been particularly concerned with plant-bird interactions and the ecology of forest and woodland bird communities. In 1993 Dr. Ford was awarded the Serventy Medal by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union for his contribution to Australian ornithology. Acknowledgments Our research was supported by grants from the National Rainforest Conservation Program and the Australian Research Council. Simon Ferrier assisted with the selection of survey sites and data analysis. Many people assisted with fieldwork or provided us with their observations of rainforest pigeons. We owe a particular debt of gratitude to Bill Alley, Heather Boulton, Mary Brewer, Jim & Pat Challis, Stephen Debus, Belinda Dettman, Mark Eldridge, Phil Gilmour, Carol Helman, Harry Hines, Deenie James, Morton Kaveney, Ian Kerr, Bill Lane, Kay & Arthur Lloyd, Julie & Bob Mcleod, David Milledge, Esmae & Jack Mulholland, Nan & Hugh Nicholson, Pat & Tom Offord, David Page, Phillip & Michelle Paige, Oailan Pugh, Alan Rayward, Paul Recher, David Stewart, Ron Smith, Bill Tubbenhauer, Alison Siliakis, David Waterhouse, Beth Williams and Jack Willows. Editing and production: Dr Leighton C. Llewellyn. Anne Perry drew the cover figure and assisted with proof reading. Published l:ry the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 1967, Hurstville, NSW 2220. Telephone (02) 5856444 Fax (02) 5856555. © NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service March 1995. This book is copyright. Copyright for the entire contents is vested in the authors. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieVal system or transmitted in any form or l:ry any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise without prior written permission. Enquiries should be made to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service or the Government of New South Wales. ~).n.~e~ M k~~ffii,an- made 100% recycled paper. ii ~N 6~'73ltr' M34 0 Preface One of the fundamental responsibilities of the National Parks and Wildlife Service is the conservation of the native fauna and flora of New South Wales. While successive governments have devoted a great deal of attention to the reservation of wildlife habitat in national parks and nature reserves (which today still only constitute less than 5% of the State), very little attention has been paid to the conservation of fauna and flora outside these areas. Even when areas are reserved, the conservation of plants and animals may still require active management to maintain or enhance populations. Wildlife management initiatives to date have concentrated principally on species which are agricultural or economic pests, those which have commercial value such as in the avicultural trade, and those which have a high public profile. Many of the native plants and animals which are part of our extraordinary biological heritage are at risk, threatened or endangered. The Regent Parrot, the Plains~wanderer, the Yellow~footed Rock~wallaby and the Corroboree Frog and a number of plant species are some whose survival has been neglected and are currently endangered in New South Wales. The Service has initiated a program to assemble available biological information that is pertinent to management of such species and groups of species and to identify important criteria for their management, which aims to ensure that they do not suddenly become extinct but continue to be a part of the biological diversity of Australia. Appropriately qualified people are being contracted to compile reports on the biology and status of these selected species or groups of species, and to suggest management options for consideration by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. These reports constitute a valuable contribution to our knowledge of wildlife, and will be published and promoted to increase public awareness. In association with the Species management reports and based on their content, Draft management plans and/or Recovery Plans may be produced. These will identify management strategies and actions that should be implemented to ensure their survival. Comments will be sought on these draft plans where appropriate, and following revision, they will be considered for adoption by the Service and will form the basis of future management. This report on rainforest pigeons will help in effective management of this species group, which has come under threat because of extensive rainforest clearing particularly in the northeast of the state where they were probably most abundant. It has highlighted the lack of knowledge of some species in this group, but will certainly help significantly in the management of remaining habitat. The need for careful management of native and exotic food sources has also been highlighted. lU ...L Plate 1. A patch of cool temperate rainforest surrounded by wet sclerophyll forest near Pt Lookout, New England National Park. Plate 2. Taken from the Lismore-Bangalow road showing pastoral land with some Camphor Laurel in the background being used as shade trees for stock. 200 years ago it would have shown continuous lV subtropical rainforest of the former 'Big Scrub'. Plate 3. Subtropical rainforest in Big Scrub Floral Reserve. Plate 4. A young Camphor Laurel stand (ca. 15 years old) invading abandoned pastoral land in the lower Terania Creek Valley. v Summary Eight species of rainforest pigeons occur in New South Wales. These are the Wompoo Ptilinopus magnificus, Rose-crowned P. regina, Superb P. superbus, Topknot Lopholaimus antarcticus, White-headed Columba leucomela, Brown Macropygia amboinensis, and Wonga Leucosarcia cyanoleuca Pigeons and the Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica. All are dependent on the fruits or seeds of rainforest trees and shrubs and some move long distances in search of food (Blakers et al. 1984, Date et al. 1991, Frith 1982). Although extensive areas of rainforest are protected in state forests and national parks, rainforest pigeons also rely on rainforests and rainforest remnants outside the reserve system to find food. This is particularly so outside the breeding season when many pigeons move to lower elevations and south along the coast and dividing range where there are relatively few reserves with the kinds of habitats and food plants they require. Exotic plants, such as Camphor Laurel Cinnamomum camphora, Lantana Lantana camara and Privet Ligustrum lucidum and L. sinense, have become an important part of the diets of rainforest pigeons in New South Wales. The development of coastal regions for agriculture and housing, eradication of exotic fruit bearing plants, and the growth of tourism has the potential to affect the long-term survival of rainforest pigeons despite the extensive reserve system at higher elevations and the protection of pigeon breeding areas. Additional steps are required to conserve and manage habitats used by rainforest pigeons outside reserves to ensure adequate feeding areas are maintained and to prevent disturbance by human visitors. The immediate objective is to protect remnant rainforests and replace exotic fruit trees as a major food source for pigeons with native rainforest species. The components of the program for the management of rainforest pigeons are: * protection of rainforest remnants from burning, clearing, pesticides and grazing among other adverse human and agricultural activities. * restoration and rehabilitation of rainforest vegetation, particularly at mid and low elevations, by expanding the area and number of remnants through the planting of appropriate native fruit-bearing species. * management of exotic vegetation used by rainforest pigeons so that as exotic species are removed, they are replaced by appropriate native species, so that a continuity of food supply is ensured. * maintenance and extension of vegetation corridors to provide a network of habitat along which rainforest pigeons can move with minimum risk of predation and accidental death (e.g., by collision with windows and vehicles). * monitoring and regulation of human use of rainforest reserves. * monitoring of the distribution and abundance of rainforest pigeons. * public education and involvement including advice on the restoration of rainforest remnants, planting of appropriate fruit-bearing natives, house and garden design to reduce risk of accidents to flying birds.