DOCSLIB.ORG

Birds As Pollinators by S

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Birds As Pollinators by S 124 PARKER, Birds as Pollina:ors Bird [ Watcher Birds as Pollinators by S. A. PARKER, Curator of Birds, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000. INTRODUCTION Ehrlich & Raven ( 1969) contended that gene flow in nature is much more resricted than is commonly thought. They discussed among other examples the case of wind-pollinated plants. In Zea mays (Poaceae) cross-pollination at distances greater that 18.3 m has been shown to be 1% ; in Beta vulgaris ( Chenopodiaceae) cross-pollination between plants 200 m apart is 0.3%. Studies on Pinus coulteri (Pinaceae) have shown that the bulk of the pollen is dispersed 3-9 m downwind of the parent, with very little beyond 46 m. Among insect-pollinated species similar very short distances for cross-pollination have been demonstrated, exceptions being such species as Oenothera organensis ( Onagraceae), which is pollinated by strong-flying hawkmoths. The authors concluded in plants there was considerable evidence that distances of from 15 m to a few miles may effectively isolate populations, and that there was no evidence of longer-range gene flow. In view of the fact that Raven & Curtis ( 1970) state that many species of birds serve as pollinators, it is noteworthy that Ehrlich & Raven ( op. cit. ) make no mention of this. Birds probe flowers for three reasons - to obtain nectar (a source of carbohydrates), pollen (a source of proteins) or insects. The rifling of the flower by the bird generally results in the dusting of the latter with pollen, often in large amounts. The pollen may adhere to the bird for a considerable time (indefinitely in museum skins), and cross­ pollination may occur when the bird visits another plant of the same species. The implications of birds as pollen-vectors are profound. The subject is a neglected one, however, a no-man's-land between botany and ornithology. In the systematic list of flower-visitors in volume 3 of Davis's (1909) translation of Knuth's Handbook of Flower Pollination, for instance, no mention is made of birds. Of several modern botanical texts consulted, some discussed bird­ pollination briefly, others treated wind- and insect-pollination only. Below I present some notes on nectar-feeding and the role of birds in pollination. ADAPTATIONS OF THE AVIAN TONGUE TO NECTAR-FEEDING Although curling, splitting and fraying of the tongue-tip occurs in many families of birds (Gardner, 1925), in eleven only are these conditions carried to an extreme for nectar-feeding, and even within these not all species have such modifications equally pro­ nounced. In nectar-feeders the tongue is usually fimbriated at the tip (the brush-tongue effect, as in most honeyeaters) or longi­ tudinally curled into a tube or pair of tubes (as in hummingbirds December J Birds as Pollinators 125 1977 and many sunbirds) or both (as in Myzornis and Chloropsis; see below). These adaptations increase by capillarity the amount of nectar absorbed onto the tongue, though in the tube-tongued species it may be that nectar is also actively drawn up. The three families in which these tongue adaptations are typical are the Trochilidae (hummingbirds, ca 320 spp.), Nectariniidae (sun birds, ca 116 spp.), Meliphagidae (honeyeaters ca 171 spp.) and Ephianuridae (Australian chats, 5 spp.). Other families in which they are present but less pronounced or less frequent include the Philepittidae (Neodrepanis only), Timaliidae (babblers; Myzor­ nis only), Chloropseidae (leafbirds), Fringillidae (tribes Parulini, Drepanini, Icterini, Coerebini), Dicruridae ( drongos), Artamidae (woods wallows), Dicaeidae ( flowerpeckers) and Zosteropidae (white-eyes). In addition several species of Sturnidae (starlings) are inveterate nectar-feeders but modification of the tongue has been demonstrated so far only for the aberrant South African Frame­ raps, which pollinates species of Prot ea. Some Oriolidae (orioles) also feed frequently on nectar but their tongues have not been examined. (See Rand, 1967; Ali & Ripley, 1972; Parker, 1973). SOME FLOWERS VISITED BY BIRDS Liliaceae: Xanthorrhoea. - The highly nectariferous flowers of this genus form dense upright spikes. The stamens are exserted and the tiny stigma protrudes a little beyond them. At least three species (including X. drummondii and X. preissii) are known to be visited by birds: Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus, White-browed Woodswallow A. superciliosus, Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta, White-cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris nigra, Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens, Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata, Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis and Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus, (Sargent 1928, Ingram 1972). Amaryllidaceae: Anigosanthos (formerly Anigozanthos) .­ Mees (1967) was the first to demonstrate that A. manglesii was pollinated by birds, though this had been hinted by Sargent ( op. cit.). The red perianth of this species (fig. 2) is a decurved tube ca 8 em long with a slit running the length of the undersurface in mature flowers. The six anthers are large, almost sessile, and arise near the mouth of the perianth. The style is entirely free and as long as or a little longer than the perianth. A bird seeking nectar usually inserts its bill into the ventral slit near the base, causing the tube to buckle in the middle. T his brings the stigma and anthers down to touch the bird on the dorsum, anywhere from the nape to the rump depending on the bird's size. Mees concluded that pollination of the species by insects was unlikely, and that it was effected solely by birds. Jenkins (1968) and Sedgwick ( 1969) supplemented Mees' observations. It is now known that at least four of the eight species of Anigosanthos (A. manglesii, A . bicolor, A. viridis, A . flavida) are visited by birds, those recorded being 126 B~ [ Wa~h er Meliphagidae : Ephthianura tricolor (afte£ Parker 19 73) Meliphagida e : Fringillidae , Drepanini Apalopteron famjliare Vestiaria coccinea ( a fter Rand 1967) (after Rand 1967) Artami dae : Artamus superciliosus (after McKean 1969) TONGUES OF SOME NECTAR - FEEDING BIRDS December ] Birds as Pollinators 127 1977 the Western Spinebill Acanthorhynchus superciliosus, Red Wattle­ bird, Brown Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus, New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae and Silvereye Zosterops lateralis. Proteaceae.- Many species in this family are visited by birds for their copious nectar, and are well situated for bird-pollination. Banksia and related genera are protandrous: by the time the flower has opened the anthers have matured, shed their pollen on the protostigma, and withered. The protostigma deposits the pollen on visiting birds, who may subsequently rub it off onto a more mature stigma. Birds visiting the spikes of this group may, apart from receiving pollen on the head from the particular flower they are probing, also be dusted elsewhere as they brush against other parts of the inflorescence. Numerous species of Banksia have been recorded as being visited by birds, the latter including Brown Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Western Spinebill, Red Wattlebird, White-eared Honeyeater Lichenostomus leucotis and Dusky Miner Manorina obscura. The New Zealand Rewa-rewa Knightia excelsa has a similar pollinating mechanism. It is much visited by the Tui Prosthe­ madera novaeseelandiae and the Bellbird Anthornis melanura (Meliphagidae), who, pushing their bills into the newly-opened flowers, receive pollen on their foreheads from the protostigma (Laing & Blackwell, 1964). Several species of Dryandra are visited by birds. In D. nivea the flowers are borne round the edge of a disc, giving the inflores­ cence a cup-like shape. A bird seeking the nectar that pours from the flowers to the bottom of the cup, brushes against many of the inturned stigmata, and small species like the Western Spinebill may quite immerse their heads in these blossoms (Sargent op. cit.; Robinson 1947). In Adenanthos, Hakea and Grevillea the style is finally much longer that the perianth, emerging between the lobes and curving round beyond the mouth with the stigmatic surface turned towards the axis of the flower. Presumably the anthers mature first and the pollen is shed upon the protostigma, which assumes an ideal position for brushing the throat or forehead of a probing bird. Species of these three genera were reported by Sargent ( op. cit.) as being visited by birds. In the southern Northern Territory I have seen the Black Honeyeater Certhionyx niger, Grey-headed Honeyeater Lichenostomus keartlandi and White-fronted Honey­ eater Phylidonyris albifrons probing the red flowers of Grevillea wickhamii (Fig. 3). · Loranthaceae.- It is fairly well known that some birds aid in the dispersal of mistletoe seeds. The Mistlethrush Turdus viscivorus feeds on the sticky berries of Viscum album, wiping the seeds off its bill onto branches. The Australian Mistletoe-Bird Dicaeum hirundinaceum eats mistletoe berries and passes the seeds through its body; when defaecating it obligingly sits along, not across, its perch so that the voided seeds become attached to the branch ·- 128 PARKER Bird [ Watcher (Serventy & Whittell1967: 371). It is less well known that birds serve as pollinators of some mistletoes. At Idracowra, southern N.T., in May 1970, I noted White-fronted Honeyeaters probing the red flowers of Lysiana exocarpi, which was growing in masses on Acacia victoriae and A . ligulata. Flowers examined were about one-third filled with nectar. One of the honeyeaters was collected and its crown found to be covered with pollen, subsequently identified as that of the mistletoe. The corolla of L. exocarpi (Fig. 1) is decurved and six-lobed, the ventral lobe being free for a greater distance than the rest, about half the length of the corolla. The anthers arise near the distal ends of the lobes. During nectar-flow the corolla is fairly tightly closed, possibly to keep insects out, but yields to the probing of a bird's bill. As the bill is inserted the lobes give outwards, the ventral lobe for half the length of the tube, which would encourage the bird to work the flower from below.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Effectiveness of Native Nectar-Feeding Birds and the Introduced Apis Mellifera As Pollinators of the Kangaroo Paw, Anigozanthos
    1 Effectiveness of native nectar-feeding birds and the introduced Apis mellifera as 2 pollinators of the kangaroo paw, Anigozanthos manglesii (Haemodoraceae) 3 Bronwyn M. Ayre1,2, *, David G. Roberts2,5, Ryan D. Phillips2,3,4, Stephen D. Hopper5, Siegfried L. Krauss1,2 4 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia, 2Kings Park 5 Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth, WA 6005, Australia, 3Department of 6 Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia, 4Ecology and 7 Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia 8 and 5Centre for Excellence in Natural Resource Management, School of Agriculture and Environment, 9 University of Western Australia, Albany, WA 6330, Australia 10 Running title: Birds, bees and Kangaroo Paw pollination 11 Summary text (table of contents): Plants pollinated by vertebrates are often visited by native and 12 introduced insect species foraging for pollen and nectar, with potentially negative consequences for 13 plant fitness. European Honeybees are the most common visitor to the Red and Green Kangaroo Paw 14 but primarily steal nectar and pollen, with native nectar-feeding birds critical for high reproductive 15 success. For many plant species, the relative importance of bird-pollinators and exotic insect species 16 remains largely unknown. 1 17 Abstract: 18 Plants pollinated by vertebrates are often visited by native and exotic insects foraging for pollen and 19 nectar. We compared flower visitation rates, foraging behaviour, and the contribution to reproduction 20 of nectar-feeding birds and the introduced honeybee Apis mellifera in four populations of the bird- 21 pollinated Anigozanthos manglesii (Haemodoraceae).
    [Show full text]
  • Birdwatching Around Corrigin
    SITES TO THE WEST INTRODUCTON: In the following woodland sites, look for Australian Agricultural and pastoral industries form the basis of BIRDWATCHING Ringneck, Red-capped Parrot, Rufous Whistler, Grey this thriving community. A visit to some of the places Shrike-thrush, Red-capped Robin, Southern Scrub- mentioned will help you to experience a wide range robin, Redthroat, Weebill, Striated Pardalote and of natural features, vegetation and bird life within the AROUND Brown-headed Honeyeater. shire and surrounding areas. From a bird-watching perspective, this is a good area to see raptors. CORRIGIN Please take care if you need to park on road verges to access 1. KUNJIN sites, especially in summer when the fire risk is greater. An old town site adjoins a nature reserve. Excellent woodlands ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: including Rock Sheoak, Kondinin Blackbutt and mallees. Illustrations: Judy Blyth, Alan Collins,, Keith Lightbody, Ron Johnstone, Susan Tingay, Eric Tan. Striated Pardalote Local information: Robin Campbell, BirdLife Avon & Birdata, 2. JUBUK NORTH ROAD Wendy Kenworthy. 20km west of Corrigin. Parkland with patches of York Gum woodland, heath and salt-land. Local contacts: Robin 0499 624 038 Lawry 0429 164 187 3. LOMOS Guide No. 20AB; Revised Nov 2017. All content is subject to A good patch of mixed open woodland. Red Morrells, copyright ©. Queries to BirdLife Western Australia. Silver Mallet, mallees and Wandoo support Rufous Treecreeper, Redthroat, Crimson Chat, Varied Sittella and Grey Currawong. 4. OVERHEU Rufous Whistler On Brookton Hwy, with Eucalyptus macrocarpa and sheoak. Best access is from a roadside bay on Brookton Nankeen Kestrel by David Free Highway. BirdLife Western Australia members are offered a variety of 5.
    [Show full text]
  • Birdwatching Around Bridgetown Greenbushes
    1. Blackwood River Walk Birdwatching in Bridgetown-Greenbushes District An easy 3-4km return walk along the Blackwood Birdwatching River with seating to enjoy the quiet ambience and Bridgetown-Greenbushes District birdlife. Start at the car park at the River Park next The Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire is a comfortable three hour drive (256km) south of Perth. Bridgetown is nestled to the main bridge and follow the boardwalk across around along the Blackwood River Valley and is surrounded by the river. Turn left for a shorter walk to a creekline attractive rural landscapes and healthy native Forest or right to walk to Gifford Rd and back among Conservation Areas and National Parks. Greenbushes sits Bridgetown Marri and Jarrah trees and views to the river with on the highest point in the area among native forests 15km Melaleuca thickets. Look for waterbirds along the north of Bridgetown. Both towns were settled early and river: Purple Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, Australasian have a long pioneering heritage. Greenbushes and Hoary-headed Grebes and cormorants. Along the track, Western Rosella, Red-capped and Elegant A brochure entitled ‘Your Guide to Walk Trails— Greenbushes-Bridgetown-Hester’ and other information are Parrots, Golden Whistler, Red- available from the Bridgetown Visitor Centre on Hampton eared Firetail, Red-winged and St (Ph: 08 9761 1740). The Greenbushes Discovery Centre Splendid Fairy-wrens, Fan-tailed also has information on the various walk trails around town Cuckoo, Striated Pardalote and (Ph: 08 9764 3883) sometimes Crested Shrike-tit can be found. Western Rosella Acknowledgements Support (male) by the Shire of 2. Rifle Range Rd Bridgetown-Greenbushes Drive about 3km south from the main bridge over the Blackwood River, then turn right into Rifle Range Illustrations / photographs Rd.
    [Show full text]
  • Birds of Kings Park and Botanic Garden
    PARROTS AND GALAHS BIRDWATCHING IN KINGS PARK AND These birds look for hollows in trees for nesting. They have strong BOTANIC GARDEN bills for cracking seeds and nuts. Australian Ringneck Perth is fortunate enough to have an area of over 400ha of native Barnardius zonarius vegetation, parks and gardens in the middle of the city. This provides BIRDS OF KINGS PARK Ringnecks are often seen feeding a home for over 70 species of birds, many of which live here on the ground. They have a wide permanently and others visit at various times of the year. AND BOTANIC GARDEN variety of calls. Morning is the best time for bird watching. Good places to see birds (B, R, C) are the Botanic Garden, the banksia woodlands in the Spring and the edges of the woodland where the trees meet the grassed area. Prepared by Birds Australia WA Group To see some of the rarer species such as thornbills, you can take a quiet walk along some of the trails throughout the Park. Galah This brochure tells you about 40 of the most common birds of Cacatua roseicapilla Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Galahs have expanded their range south from the Murchison and they now Illustrations by Susan Tingay, Judy Blyth and Pam Free. breed around Perth. Information prepared by (B, R, C) Allan K Jones, John Dell and Jodi Mansell-Fletcher. Short-billed Birds Australia – Western Australian Group Black-Cockatoo 167 Perry Lakes Drive Floreat WA 6014 Tel: (08) 9383 7749 Calyptorhynchus latirostris Call in for more information - new members are welcome.
    [Show full text]
  • Western Australian ]Ournal of Conservation and Land
    SC WESTERNAUSTRALIAN The avifauna of the forestsof south-westWestern Australia: changesin speciescomposition, distdbution, ]OURNAL OF CONSERVATION and abundancefollowing anthropogenicdisturbance AND LAND MANAGEMENT IAN ABBOTT PACE 1 Summary PAGE 2 Introduction Methods PACE 13 q^o.ia(.^nmonrrrw PAGE 52 Discovery and taxonomy of species PAGE 54 Biogeography PAGE 60 Habitats occupied PAGE 61 Abundance PAGE 62 Repncductivecapaciry nesting zone, and nesting substrate PAGE 65 Foraging niche PAGE 66 Population movements PACE 67 Disturbance ecology PAGE 85 Pressingunanswered questions PAGE 87 Acknowledgements References PAGE 104 Appendix PAGE 105 Tables PAGE 175 Notes on Author PACE 176 llstructionsto Authors 136 D.J. Cale et al. Corrigenda Abbott, I. (1999). The avifauna of the forests of southwest Western Australia: Changes in species composition, distribution and abundance following anthropogenic disturbance. CALMScience Supplement No. 55, 1-175. The following corrections should be noted: TEXT PAGE COLUMN LINE ACTION 2 2 4-5* Delete reference to Keartland collecting in forests in 1895 near King George Sound 6 1 31** Change ?1905 to 1907 6 1 32** Change ?1906 to 1907 31 1 18** Change Figure 3 to Figure 4 44 2 20* Change Storr 199 to Storr 1991 67 1 13* Change 1829 to 1830 97 2 5* Change Zoologishe to Zoologische * counting from bottom of page, ** from top TABLES PAGE ACTION 140 The rows Leipoa ocellata, Coturnix novaezelandiae and Coturnix ypsilophora are out of sequence. Place them after Dromaius novaehollandiae, as is the case elsewhere in
    [Show full text]
  • Landcorp Denmark East Development Precinct Flora and Fauna Survey
    LandCorp Denmark East Development Precinct Flora and Fauna Survey October 2016 Executive summary Introduction Through the Royalties for Regions “Growing our South” initiative, the Shire of Denmark has received funding to provide a second crossing of the Denmark River, to upgrade approximately 6.5 km of local roads and to support the delivery of an industrial estate adjacent to McIntosh Road. GHD Pty Ltd (GHD) was commissioned by LandCorp to undertake a biological assessment of the project survey area. The purpose of the assessment was to identify and describe flora, vegetation and fauna within the survey area. The outcomes of the assessment will be used in the environmental assessment and approvals process and will identify the possible need for, and scope of, further field investigations will inform environmental impact assessment of the road upgrades. The survey area is approximately 68.5 ha in area and includes a broad area of land between Scotsdale Road and the Denmark River and the road reserve and adjacent land along East River Road and McIntosh Road between the Denmark Mt Barker Road and South Western Highway. A 200 m section north and south along the Denmark Mt Barker Road from East River Road was also surveyed. The biological assessment involved a desktop review and three separate field surveys, including a winter flora and fauna survey, spring flora and fauna survey and spring nocturnal fauna survey. Fauna surveys also included the use of movement sensitive cameras in key locations. Key biological aspects The key biological aspects and constraints identified for the survey area are summarised in the following table.
    [Show full text]
  • PLANTS Figure 3
    Legend Site Boundary 383 000mE N Not Included in Study Cadastral Boundary 02040 60 80 100m GRAND BOULEVARD SCALE 1 : 3 000 at A4 (MGA) Easement Boundary Location of Jacksonia sericea (P4) 2 Number of Plants Vegetation Condition Boundary VG Vegetation Condition 2 PICCADILLY 6 4886 488 250mN 250mN D 1 1 CIRCLE DRIVE CD 999 10 G-D 9000 1 7 D 1 6 488 000mN CD JOONDALUP D Mc LARTY AVENUE 1001 VG G-D G-D CD 2016-255-f03.dgn SHENTON AVENUE 6 487 750mN CADASTRAL SOURCE: Landgate, March 2016. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH SOURCE: NearMap, flown March 2016. Housing Authority ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CONNECT JOONDALUP Drawn: J. Cabot Date: 23 Mar 2016 VEGETATION CONDITION AND LOCATION Figure 3 Job: 10253 Rpt: 2016-255 Revision: A OF Jacksonia sericea (P4) PLANTS Figure 4 PINPOINT CARTOGRAPHICS (08) 9562 7136 Legend Site Boundary 383 000mE N Not Included in Study Cadastral Boundary 02040 60 80 100m GRAND BOULEVARD SCALE 1 : 3 000 at A4 (MGA) Easement Boundary Significant Trees Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) Tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) Standing Dead Tree Hollow Observed PICCADILLY 6 488 250mN CIRCLE DRIVE 999 9000 6 488 000mN JOONDALUP Mc LARTY AVENUE Mc LARTY AVENUE 1001 2016-255-f04.dgn SHENTON AVENUE 6 487 750mN CADASTRAL SOURCE: Landgate, March 2016. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH SOURCE: NearMap, flown March 2016. Housing Authority ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CONNECT JOONDALUP Drawn: J. Cabot Date: 23 Mar 2016 BLACK COCKATOO HABITAT Figure 4 Job: 10253 Rpt: 2016-255 Revision: A PINPOINT CARTOGRAPHICS (08) 9562 7136 APPENDIX 1 Naturemap Report NatureMap Species Report Created By Jackalyn Hams on 10/03/2016 Current Names Only Yes Core Datasets Only Yes Method 'By Circle' Centre 115°45' 56'' E,31°44' 12'' S Buffer 4km Group By Kingdom Kingdom Species Records Animalia 328 11155 Bacteria 2 6 Fungi 40 83 Plantae 460 878 Protozoa 13 19 TOTAL 843 12141 Name ID Species Name Naturalised Conservation Code 1Endemic To Query Area Animalia 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Checklist of the Birds of Western Australia R.E
    Checklist of the Birds of Western Australia R.E. Johnstone and J.C. Darnell Western Australian Museum, Perth, Western Australia 6000 April 2016 ____________________________________ The area covered by this Western Australian Checklist includes the seas and islands of the adjacent continental shelf, including Ashmore Reef. Refer to a separate Checklist for Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Criterion for inclusion of a species or subspecies on the list is, in most cases, supported by tangible evidence i.e. a museum specimen, an archived or published photograph or detailed description, video tape or sound recording. Amendments to the previous Checklist have been carried out with reference to both global and regional publications/checklists. The prime reference material for global coverage has been the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) World Bird List, The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, the Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volume, 1 (Lynx Edicions, Barcelona), A Checklist of the Birds of Britain, 8th edition, the Checklist of North American Birds and, for regional coverage, Zoological Catalogue of Australia volume 37.2 (Columbidae to Coraciidae), The Directory of Australian Birds, Passerines and the Working List of Australian Birds (Birdlife Australia). The advent of molecular investigation into avian taxonomy has required, and still requires, extensive and ongoing revision at all levels – family, generic and specific. This revision to the ‘Checklist of the Birds of Western Australia’ is a collation of the most recent information/research emanating from such studies, together with the inclusion of newly recorded species. As a result of the constant stream of publication of new research in many scientific journals, delays of its incorporation into the prime sources listed above, together with the fact that these are upgraded/re-issued at differing intervals and that their authors may hold varying opinions, these prime references, do on occasion differ.
    [Show full text]
  • Avian Population Changes in a Developing Urban Area in Western
    Corella,2002' 26(3): 79-84 AVIANPOPULATION CHANGES IN A DEVELOPINGURBAN AREA IN WESTERNAUSTRALIA OVER AN EIGHTEENYEAR PERIOD VICTORW. SMITH I KarrakatlaRoad. Goode Beach,Albany. western Australia 6330 Received:27 Nownbet 2000 Annual capture and recapture rates of a number o1 bird species obtained over an eighteen year period in an area cleared lor urbanization,have shown changes in populationswhich are consideredrelated to developmentin the area. The increase in thg number ol honeyeatersin particular,implies they havo benelitted from the prolilerationot nectar-producingnative plants in some residentialgardens. Other discrete changes ln the avian oooLllationare also described INTRODUCTION meant that much of lhe original vegetation was destroyed As water conservation was a priority in lhe area, quick-growing native shrubs In 1982, a bird-banding project was commenced to alld trecs which do not require much water werc oflen selected gathermorphometric data from avian speciesin the south for residential gardens. The bare or sparse nature of newly gardens years early of WesternAustralia. The continuationof this project to developcd blocks, a feature of some for several on, gave way !o tallcr shrubs and trees (up to l0 m in heigh0, in 2000 has provided unforeseen, though not entirely a relatively short time. Within two !o four years afte. completion unexpected,information on local populationtrends over of each rcsidence, several gardens grew flourishing slands of planls time. and small trees native to Western Australia. This provided on_8oing nectar sources throughout the year with. for e\amplc, CalListennn, Large areas of coastal Australia have undergone Grcvillea, Kunzea and MelaLeuca species flowering during the transition from remnant bushland to suburban winter and early summer and El.cdllptrr species flowering during development.Urbanization brings mixed blessingsfor the summer and autumn Furthermore, water was made frcely avrrlable ro lhe bird, b) mdnJ rcsident' birds.Clearing remnant bushland removes food resources, shelterand breedingsites.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Description and Assessment of the Nature Conservation
    DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE NATURE CONSERVATION VALUES OF BENJE-BENJENUP LAKE AND ADJACENT BUSHLAND 1.0 INTRODUCTON Lake Benje-Benjenup and its adjacent bushland are located 17 km north north east of Esperance on the south east coast of WA. The lake is within unvested reserve no. 14563 of 149 ha gazetted in 1913 for ‘water’. The lake has maximum dimensions of 1.2 x 1.0 km and an area of approximately 90 ha. The adjacent bushland is to the east of the lake on Esperance location 650, which is privately owned by N & P Blumann and part of the farming property ‘Olimarena’. Approximately 85 ha of 130 ha of remnant bush is the subject of this assessment. ‘Benje-Benjenup’ is of aboriginal derivation, the meaning is unrecorded by Department of Land Information; the name was first used for the lake on a plan drafted by surveyor R Brazier in 1894. The regional setting of the lake is in Coramup Creek catchment, a sub-catchment of the Lake Warden system of southward flowing drainages and high value coastal wetlands including Lakes Warden, Woody and part of Lake Mullett which are RAMSAR wetlands. However, the lake appears to function as an internally draining system independent of the larger catchment; it is fed by brackish seepages along the shoreline and a saline creek of approximately 6 km length entering from the north west. Benje-Benjenup Lake is described as a ‘permanent saline lake’ in fair condition, requiring significant management intervention in the biodiversity audit of WA’s Biogeographical Regions (May & McKenzie 2002).
    [Show full text]
  • Birds Ofthe Eucla Division Ofwesternaustralia
    Records ofthe Western Australian Museum Supplement No. 27 Birds ofthe Eucla Division ofWestern Australia G.M.Storr :.' . '... ." .:..... · ~------~------------------------------...... Birds of th,e Eucla Division otWesterii Australia Records ofthe Western A ustralz'an Museum Supplement No. 27 Birds ofthe Eucla Division ofWestern Australia G.M. Storr Western Australian Museum 1987 World List Abbreviation; Rec. West. Aust. Mus. ~uppl. no. 27 Cover; Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae). illustrated byJill Ruse. ©'Westem Australian Museum 1987 ISSN 0313 122X Published and printed by the Westem Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Western.Australia 6000. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract 7 Introduction. ................................. .. 7 List of Birds 11 References 76 Gazetteer 78 Index to Families 81 5 ABSTRACT This paper is an annotated list of the' 287 species and subspecies of birds from the Eucla Division, in the far south-east of Western Australia. The Division has a long coastline and includes the Archipelago of the Recherche and a large part of the Nullarbor Plain. The climate is mostly arid and semi-arid; the south coast westwards from Cape Arid is subhumid. INTRODUCTION This is the seventh in a series of regional avifaunas covering Western Australia. Earlier papers dealt with the Kimberley Division (Storr 1980, Spec. Publs West. Aust. Mus. No. 11), North-eastern.Jnterior (Storr 1981, Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 9: 65-99), Pilbara (Storr 1984, Rec. West. Aust. Mus. Suppl. No. 16), Gascoyne (Storr 1985, Rec. West. Aust. Mus. Suppl. No. 21), Mid-eastern Interior (Storr 1985, Rec. West. Aust. Mus. Suppl. No. 22) and South-eastern Interior (Storr 1986, Rec. West. Aust. Mus. Suppl. No. 26).
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019-2020
    Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019-2020 Acknowledgements This report was prepared by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). For more information contact: Executive Director, Biodiversity and Conservation Science Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions 17 Dick Perry Avenue Kensington Western Australia 6151 Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre Western Australia 6983 Telephone (08) 9219 9943 dbca.wa.gov.au The recommended reference for this publication is: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 2020, Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019-20, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth. Images Front cover main photo: Mt Trio, Stirling Range National Park. Photo – Damien Rathbone Front cover top photos left to right: Swan Canning Riverpark. Photo – Kerry Trayler/DBCA Mollerin Rock reserve. Photo – Val English/DBCA Shark Bay bandicoot. Photo – Saul Cowen/DBCA Shark Bay seagrass. Photo – Luke Skinner/DBCA Back cover top photos left to right: Post fire monitoring. Photo – Lachie McCaw/DBCA Kalbarri yellow bells. Photo – Kelly Shepherd/DBCA Western grasswren. Photo – Saul Cowen/DBCA Dragon Rocks Kunzea. Photo – Kelly Shepherd/DBCA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019–2020 Director’s Message I am pleased to present our Biodiversity and Conservation Science report for 2019-20 as we continue to deliver on the government’s commitment to build and share biodiversity knowledge for Western Australia. Our Science Strategic Plan and Program Plans articulate how our work contributes to delivery of the biodiversity science priorities for the State as the knowledge generated by our science is essential to ensure we conserve and value add to the unique biodiversity we have around us.
    [Show full text]