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Powerful Predators and Passionate Parents - the Life Cycle of a Wedge-Tailed Eagle Simon Cherriman

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Powerful Predators and Passionate Parents - the Life Cycle of a Wedge-Tailed Eagle Simon Cherriman Newsletter of the Land for Wildlife Scheme July 2008 Vol. 12, Number 3 NEWSLETTER OF THE LAND FOR WILDLIFE SCHEME REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST PRINT POST: 606811/00007 POWERFUL PREDATORS AND PASSIONATE PARENTS - THE LIFE CYCLE OF A WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE Simon Cherriman “The wedge-tailed eagle soars aloft, a king on Like many other raptors, wedgies have different colour outstretched wings” – how could it be said any better? This morphs depending on their age. Immature birds are is a line from a poem my father wrote for me several years generally golden in colour, and progressively darken ago, and these words with age to achieve will never cease to be the almost entirely fresh in my thoughts. black appearance of They immediately mature adults, which paint a characteristic also possess a golden image of Australia’s wing-band and chestnut largest bird of prey, nape (neck) feathers. the wedge-tailed eagle Although timid in (Aquila audax). This the presence of people, ‘bold eagle,’ or so its the wedge-tailed eagle scientific name implies is an amazing flyer, and (‘audax’ from the word it definitely inspires ‘audacious', meaning feelings of charisma bold) is actually very and majesty when shy and wary of humans an observer is lucky and is usually observed enough to witness its soaring hundreds of full capabilities in the metres above the earth sky. During the breeding on majestic, upswept wings. It is rare indeed to find a season, eagle pairs can be observed soaring for hours ‘wedgie’ that will stand its ground and appear bold to together and playing courtship games hundreds of metres the observer, even during nesting. above the ground. In an act that displays the eagle’s true With a wingspan of nearly 2.5 m and an average weight skill in the air, the male will often perform dives known of 3.5 kg, the wedge-tailed eagle is the fourth largest as ‘pothooks’, where he plummets earthward with wings eagle in the world. Apart from the little eagle (Hieraaetus folded, before opening his wings slightly and climbing morphnoides), the wedge-tail is the only ‘true’ eagle swiftly upward to reach a stall, which initiates another species found in Australia, possessing long legs that dive. As well as impressing his mate, these dives are also are fully feathered to the toes. It is easily identified by performed at the boundaries of the eagle’s territory to its size, large diamond-shaped tail and obvious primary advertise its occupancy to other eagles. feathers that give its wingtips a ‘fingered’ appearance. The size of a wedgie’s territory varies according to continued on page 4 1 Western Wildlife Vol 12 No. 3 EDITORIAL wildlife is also found in inland areas, waterbirds being one example in this issue. All gardens can be magnets for Greetings all! to talk about good news and highlight small birds no matter where they are all the excellent people there are in – how about sending in some photos People often ask the question the community! Congratulations to of birds nesting among creepers on “Where does Land for Wildlife everyone, including all the unsung the verandah, for example? operate?”, so we have inserted heroes who haven’t been nominated into this edition a couple of maps, On a more formal note, most of for an award (yet!) but are certainly produced by Claire Hall, showing the us have felt irritated at one time or doing a superb job managing their general location of LFW properties another because a plant we thought properties and aiming towards and the shires each LFW Officer is we could identify has changed its long-term ecological and economic responsible for. As you can see, the name. “What did they do that for?” sustainability. 1,634 Land for Wildlifers who are we rant. Well, some of you may currently registered are spread right This issue of Western Wildlife already be aware that all dryandras across the south-west of WA. But contains a fascinating report on are now to be called banksias ... maybe there are people in your area wedge-tailed eagles compiled as Kevin Thiele, Curator of the WA who haven’t yet heard of the service part of obtaining an Honours Degree Herbarium, explains why it has LFW offers? If you would like extra by Simon Cherriman, who used been done – read his article to get an copies of the maps to distribute, mountain climbing gear to get up understanding of the science behind please email Claire and she will very tall trees and perched for days name changes. send you a pdf version. You might at a time pretending to be a branch, Have a good winter season. also like extra copies of other LFW while he observed, and filmed, Penny Hussey publications, to pass on to friends birds on the nest. He has put some and neighbours; if so, please contact of the best footage onto a DVD Short notes in Western Wildlife are the Editor. (another massive learning curve in itself, he says) which he is selling to often based on the main conclusions On the facing page we highlight defray costs. It is an attractive and of papers published in scientific a number of people connected with informative product. journals, with the full reference Land for Wildlife who have won, or given at the end of the note. If you This issue also contains more reached the finals of, state or national find it difficult to access the source stories about fauna in the garden awards. Isn’t it wonderful to be able reference, contact the Editor for a from LFWers who live in the wetter photocopy to be sent to you. southwest – gorgeous photos! But INDEX Bush Detective ___________________ 13 Contact details for Land for Wildlife Officers Carnaby's cockatoo release _________ 17 Coming events ___________________ 20 Name Location Phone Email Congratulations ___________________ 3 Heather Adamson Mandurah (08) 9582 9333 [email protected] Dryandras are banksias! ____________ 6 Ecosystem engineering ____________ 15 Avril Baxter Narrogin (08) 9881 9218 [email protected] Editorial _________________________ 2 Fiona Falconer Coorow (08) 9952 1074 [email protected] In brief __________________________18 Members page ___________________ 14 Wayne Gill Esperance (08) 9083 2100 [email protected] Nestwatch project: the oblong turtle ____ 8 Claire Hall Perth (08) 9334 0427 [email protected] New fungi website _________________ 12 Possum and wallaby information wanted 13 Mal Harper Merredin (08) 9041 2488 [email protected] Powerful predators and passionate parents: Sheila Howat Bridgetown (08) 9761 2405 [email protected] the life cycle of a wedge-tailed eagle ___ 1 Shorebirds: observers needed _______ 16 Penny Hussey Perth (08) 9334 0530 [email protected] Tiny stars _______________________ 12 Cherie Kemp Busselton (08) 9752 5533 [email protected] Wings of change: what the birds are telling us ________________________ 10 Zara Kivell Mundaring (08) 9295 9112 [email protected] Sylvia Leighton Albany (08) 9842 4500 [email protected] USE OF ARTICLES FROM WESTERN WILDLIFE Dorothy Redreau Albany (08) 9842 4500 [email protected] Material may be reproduced without permission as long as Philip Worts Kojonup (08) 9831 0832 [email protected] the source is acknowledged and the article is reproduced in its entirety without any alterations. If you wish to use only Irene Vo Perth (08) 9334 0404 [email protected] part of an article, please liaise with the Editor. 2 Newsletter of the Land for Wildlife Scheme Congratulations! to all the inspiring people, individuals and groups, with whom Land for Wildlife is associated, whose superb efforts have recently been recognised by nomination for an award. to Coral Turley, winner of the Western Australian to Ric and Jan Wuttrich of ‘Acacia Gardens Weeds Committee Invasive Plants Award and Games’, Esperance, who were awarded the Most (Individual). Coral is part of the Esperance Weeds Action Improved Tourist Attraction in WA from the Group but she has been a full-time volunteer and fount Tourism Council of WA. There was never a goal of of knowledge about local plants for many, many years. making a tourist attraction, in Jan’s words “it just sort of Her wealth of knowledge and willingness to share it with evolved that way”. When they received the award back others is an inspiration to all. in February it was a complete surprise. Now that Ric and Jan have shown that it is possible to to Glenice Batchelor, winner of the Department incorporate games and gardens discreetly into a natural of Agriculture and Food Landcare Professional bush setting using organic practices and principles, they Award. Part of a farming family in Tammin and would like to further the venture by trying to become Kellerberrin, Glenice has been professionally involved more informative. This is integral to the next goal of in Landcare since 2000 and is especially interested in using the property as a field-based interactive learning saltland management, being currently the Chair of the area that will hopefully be utilised by the local schools Saltland Pastures Association. for nature-based education. Anyone visiting Esperance who wants to have a relaxing cuppa in the gardens surrounded by the trees, to , winner Wallatin Wildlife and Landcare Inc frogs and birds feel free to Contact Ric or Jan on 9071 of the Landcare Carbonsmart Nature Conservation 3002 or e-mail: [email protected]. Award. As the Upper Wallatin Creek Catchment Group (Kellerberrin Shire), they first started overall planning at the landscape scale, including nature conservation, to Land for Wildlife Officer, Sheila Howat, who in 1984, working with CSIRO.
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