DOCSLIB.ORG

Assessing and Managing the Impact of Duck Hunting in Victoria - a New Approach

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Assessing and Managing the Impact of Duck Hunting in Victoria - a New Approach Assessing and managing the impact of duck hunting in Victoria - a new approach RICHARD H. LOYN The impact o f duck hunting in Victoria was assessed by comparing the take o f game species and the kill of protected species with initial numbers of birds on large samples of wetlands. Numbers of birds were also measured on these wetlands after the opening weekend and at the end of the season. Estimates of annual production were made by examining samples of bagged ducks. This approach avoids the need to estimate total take ortotal population. Estimates of total population are expensive and impractical in many parts o f the world. The kill o f protected species had little impact on numbers o f any species except Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa. The take o f game ducks exceeded annual production until 1990, when hunter numbers halved after introduction o f a compulsory video test of their ability to identify water birds. Various other management options have been introduced or considered as part of a general review. The issue (duck hunting) Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides, Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa, Grey Teal A. Duck hunting is a popular and traditional activ­ gibberifrons, Chestnut Teal A. castanea, Aus­ ity in Victoria. It is opposed by animal welfare tralasian Shoveler A. rhynchotis, Pink-eared groups who focus on the killing of protected Duck Melacorhynchus membranaceus, species. In 1986, the Victorian Department of Hardhead or White-eye Aythya australis and Conservation and Environment commissioned Maned Goose or Australian Wood Duck a review of all aspects of duck hunting manage­ Chenonetta jubata. ment (Loyn 1989), e.g. season, bag limits, lead shot, licensing and hunter education. It became clear that little was known of the impact of Key Questions hunting on populations of game or protected species. Key questions in the review were identified as: (i) What proportion of each species is killed every year (annual % kill); and (ii) what propor­ The context (Victoria) tion of each species has been produced every year, in terms of young birds surviving to the Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia, a start of the hunting season (annual production)? little smaller than New Zealand or the UK. Its It was realised that both values could be esti­ rainfall is higher and more reliable than that mated on samples of waters without knowing over much of the Australian interior, and there the size of the total population, or the place of is a relative abundance of wetlands that consist­ origin of young or adult birds. ently contain water. Over 60,000 of its four The first question can be answered by com­ million people have hunted ducks in recent paring the kill on selected wetlands, with initial years. Resident populations of ducks are often numbers of birds on those wetlands. A large supplemented by influxes from ephemeral sample of wetlands must be examined so that swamps in inland Australia, which are the main influxes and effluxes of birds tend to balance breeding area for several species (Frith 1982, out. An estimate must also be made of the Braithwaite et al. 1986). The ten week duck proportions of birds initially on wetlands open season in Victoria now runs from March to May and closed to hunting. The second question can (autumn), and eight native duck species can be answered by determining the proportion of then be shot legally. They are Australian young birds in the population at the start of the 155 Wildfowl 42 (1991): 155-161 156 Richard H. Loyn Kill estimates Counts on waters open to hunting Counts on waters closed to hunting 80,000 70,000 60,000 - NUMBER 50,000 OF BIRDS 40,000 - 30,000 - 20,000 10,000 Before After Before After GAM E DUCKS PROTECTED WATER BIRDS Figure 1. Counts of game and protected species on selected waters before and after opening weekend, 1987 to 1989 (mean of three annual tGtals), and independent estimates of kill on those same waters over opening weekend. season. Opening day is the appropriate time to Both answers will be approximate, as some determine this, and it is also the time when a biases are involved. In particular, it is well large sample of birds can be examined most known that young birds may be shot more easily - from hunters’ bags. There is no need to readily than adults, inflating estimates of annual make separate estimates of production and production. Some observers may underestimate mortality of eggs and ducklings. the initial number of birds, especially on veg- Duck Hunting in Victoria 157 etated wetlands, inflating estimates of annual % sample of bagged ducks is examined to deter­ kill. However, methods could be devised to mine proportions of young birds. The % kill measure these biases. It is considered that the over opening weekend is calculated by express­ biases are unlikely to be large enough to affect ing the take on the sample of wetlands, as a the value of results as first approximations. percentage of initial numbers on the same sam­ This approach is a departure from the usual ple of wetlands. practice in the Northern Hemisphere of estimat­ 3. A mail survey is conducted by sending ing the total number of birds taken by hunters questionnaires to 500 hunters at the end of the (total take) and total populations for a country, season, with phone-calls to selected region or flyway (Boyd 1983, Harradine 1985, non-responders (Loyn & Timms 1987 and un­ Tamisier 1985). Estimates of total take for Vic­ published reports). One of several objectives is toria have already been published (Norman & to determine how many ducks were taken in the Powell 1981), but corresponding estimates of whole season compared with those taken at total population have proved impractical to ob­ opening weekend (seasonal ratio). tain. Annual aerial transects have been run in Several other management initiatives were eastern Australia since 1983 (Braithwaite et al. made, including a reduced bag limit of two 1986), but they are designed to measure changes Australasian Shoveler, a ban on night hunting, not absolute numbers, and the clumped distri­ and introduction by 1990 of compulsory video bution of waterfowl precludes extrapolation. tests in which hunters must demonstrate a cer­ Estimates of total population are expensive and tain standard in water bird identification before impractical in many regions of the world. they are authorised to hunt ducks. Methods Results Three key initiatives were taken early in the In each of the first three years (1987 to 1989), review: numbers of game birds declined over opening 1. A Summer Waterfowl Count (three weeks weekend, by an amount greater than the esti­ before duck season), was instigated as a tool for mated kill (Fig. 1). The decline on waters open locating Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa and to hunting was partly balanced by movement to monitoring numbers of all species and their waters closed to hunting. Over the first three potential exposure to hunting. Freckled Duck years, the mean % kill of game ducks was belong to an endemic monospecific genus; they estimated as 34% of initial populations on wa­ are rare and many are shot when they visit ters open to hunting (31.4 to 37.2) or 22% of populated parts of Australia (Corrick 1982, those on waters open and closed to hunting Martindale 1986). The count is done by contract (21.8 to 23.8), using the Summer Waterfowl to the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union Count as the best measure of hunting exposure. (RAOU) and involves observers from the The mail survey showed that the mean sea­ RAOU, Victorian Field and Game Association sonal ratio was 3.07 (2.84 to 3.33); although (VFGA) and the Department of Conservation hunting is most intense at opening weekend, and Environment (DCE) (Martindale 1988, only a third of the season’s take is made at that Hewish 1988, Peter 1989, 1990). Water birds time. By multiplying these results, the annual are now counted on over 600 wetlands, with a % kill was estimated as 66% of initial total count in 1990 of 385,000 game ducks and populations on waters open and closed to hunt­ 225,000 protected water birds (grebes, coot, ing (63.9 to 79.3). Post-season counts indicated swans and three protected duck species) (Peter net emigration of ducks during the season. In 1990). contrast, total numbers of protected birds showed 2. A programme of water bird counts was started little change over opening weekend (Fig. 1). on selected wetlands before and after opening Declines on waters open to hunting were virtu­ weekend and again at the end of the season. In ally matched by increases on waters closed to 1990 these were made on 65 wetlands open to hunting. hunting and 55 wetlands closed to hunting. Nevertheless, many protected birds were Surveys of hunters’ bags (a traditional DCE found shot, and the mean observed kill was activity, e.g. Norman & Powell 1981) andhunter 0.40% of initital populations on waters open to numbers are made on the same wetlands over hunting (where shoreline searches were made) opening weekend, along with counts of dead or 0.29% of those on waters open and closed to protected or game birds left along the shore. A hunting. Some birds would have been shot and 158 Richard H. Loyn Australian Shelduck 12.1 Pacific Black Duck 50.4 Grey Teal 27.6 Chestnut Teal I 29.9 Australasian Shoveler 21.6 Pink-eared Duck 63.1 Hardhead Maned Duck Freckled Duck 69 V Blue-billed Duck H 3-6^ m ore than 10,000 Musk Duck I 2-1 w 1,000 - 10,000 Great Crested Grebe ¡0.8 ^ 1 0 0 - 1,000 Hoary-headed Grebe ]°-3 W less than 100 Black Swan ]o, ^ The avera g e size of initial populations on these Eurasian Coot sample waters ■|o '3 V .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A 2010 Supplement to Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World by Paul A. Johnsgard Papers in the Biological Sciences 2010 The World’s Waterfowl in the 21st Century: A 2010 Supplement to Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World Paul A. Johnsgard University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosciducksgeeseswans Part of the Ornithology Commons Johnsgard, Paul A., "The World’s Waterfowl in the 21st Century: A 2010 Supplement to Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World" (2010). Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World by Paul A. Johnsgard. 20. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosciducksgeeseswans/20 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Papers in the Biological Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World by Paul A. Johnsgard by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The World’s Waterfowl in the 21st Century: A 200 Supplement to Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World Paul A. Johnsgard Pages xvii–xxiii: recent taxonomic changes, I have revised sev- Introduction to the Family Anatidae eral of the range maps to conform with more current information. For these updates I have Since the 978 publication of my Ducks, Geese relied largely on Kear (2005). and Swans of the World hundreds if not thou- Other important waterfowl books published sands of publications on the Anatidae have since 978 and covering the entire waterfowl appeared, making a comprehensive literature family include an identification guide to the supplement and text updating impossible.
    [Show full text]
  • Cattleegret for PDF 2.Jpg
    Chestnut Teal count The Whistler 5 (2011): 51-52 Chestnut Teal count – March 2011 Ann Lindsey1 and Michael Roderick2 137 Long Crescent, Shortland, NSW 2037, Australia [email protected] 256 Karoola Road, Lambton, NSW 2299, Australia [email protected] In March 2011, 4,497 Chestnut Teal Anas castanea were counted during a comprehensive survey of the Hunter Estuary and other wetlands in the Lower Hunter and Lake Macquarie areas. 4,117 Chestnut Teal, which is >4% of the Australian population, occurred in the estuary. The importance of the Hunter Estuary Important Bird Area (IBA) to Chestnut Teal was confirmed. On 18 March 2011 during a regular monthly in the Hunter Estuary and at other sites in the survey as part of the Hunter Shorebird Surveys, Lower Hunter and Lake Macquarie. The number of Mick Roderick counted 1,637 Chestnut Teal Anas sites surveyed was limited by the number of castanea at Deep Pond on Kooragang Island. participants. The time chosen coincided Subsequently, on 26 March 2011, Ann Lindsey approximately with the high tide at Stockton visited the eastern side of Hexham Swamp and Bridge, consistent with the protocols of the counted 1,200 Chestnut Teal. The question arose monthly Hunter Shorebird Surveys. It also as to whether these counts involved the same birds coincided with a time (early afternoon) when or whether they were in fact separate flocks. waterfowl are least active. Much of the 8,453ha Hunter Estuary (32o 52' / 151o Nineteen sites were surveyed by eleven people 45') is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) between 1230 and 1520 hours on the day (Table as it meets several of the necessary criteria.
    [Show full text]
  • 2.9 Waterbirds: Identification, Rehabilitation and Management
    Chapter 2.9 — Freshwater birds: identification, rehabilitation and management• 193 2.9 Waterbirds: identification, rehabilitation and management Phil Straw Avifauna Research & Services Australia Abstract All waterbirds and other bird species associated with wetlands, are described including how habitats are used at ephemeral and permanent wetlands in the south east of Australia. Wetland habitat has declined substantially since European settlement. Although no waterbird species have gone extinct as a result some are now listed as endangered. Reedbeds are taken as an example of how wetlands can be managed. Chapter 2.9 — Freshwater birds: identification, rehabilitation and management• 194 Introduction such as farm dams and ponds. In contrast, the Great-crested Grebe is usually associated with large Australia has a unique suite of waterbirds, lakes and deep reservoirs. many of which are endemic to this, the driest inhabited continent on earth, or to the Australasian The legs of grebes are set far back on the body region with Australia being the main stronghold making them very efficient swimmers. They forage for the species. Despite extensive losses of almost completely underwater pursuing fish and wetlands across the continent since European aquatic arthropods such as insects and crustaceans. settlement no extinctions of waterbirds have They are strong fliers but are poor at manoeuvering been recorded from the Australian mainland as in flight and generally prefer to dive underwater a consequence. However, there have been some to escape avian predators or when disturbed by dramatic declines in many populations and several humans. Flights between wetlands, some times species are now listed as threatened including over great distances, are carried out under the cover the Australasian Bittern, Botaurus poiciloptilus of darkness when it is safe from attack by most (nationally endangered).
    [Show full text]
  • Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior: Tribe Anatini (Surface-Feeding Ducks)
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior, by Paul Johnsgard Papers in the Biological Sciences January 1965 Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior: Tribe Anatini (Surface-feeding Ducks) Paul A. Johnsgard University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscihandwaterfowl Part of the Ornithology Commons Johnsgard, Paul A., "Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior: Tribe Anatini (Surface-feeding Ducks)" (1965). Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior, by Paul Johnsgard. 16. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/bioscihandwaterfowl/16 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Papers in the Biological Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior, by Paul Johnsgard by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Subfamily Anatinae 125 Aix. During extreme excitement the male will often roll his head on his back, or even bathe. I have not observed Preening-behind-the- wing, but W. von de Wall (pers. comm.) has observed a male per- form it toward a female. Finally, Wing-flapping appears to be used as a display by males, and it is especially conspicuous because each sequence of it is ended by a rapid stretching of both wings over the back in a posture that makes visible the white axillary feathers, which contrast sharply with the black underwing surface. Copulatory behavior. Precopulatory behavior consists of the male swimming up to the female, his neck stretched and his crest de- pressed, and making occasional Bill-dipping movements. He then suddenly begins to perform more vigorous Head-dipping movements, and the female, if receptive, performs similar Bill-dipping or Head- dipping movements.
    [Show full text]
  • 080075-25.Pdf
    'vl[ 'oEoJ 'tOI 'o'd zsl9 xog lueueEeuuqpuel pueuop? rosuoJJo peulrudaq eq1dq Peqqlqn4 n661raquraldag 'op gg l.rodaalerlurlroJ 'y'r11 9519 aEpug 6uruuu3 pEou aI^I.6O S:t/8Iz uoruq s1s6o1oq1ru:OuBIssIDr$nV Is{od z 'v'A\ 'o'd gmg oorauEB^\Is xog auuec qJj?esel{ OJIIpITIIrrBrJurtsnv lllels3 \ puul pu" uorluuasuoC lueweSeue;n1 Jo lueupedeq , '8'9 ruosJsJd puu 'U'iI 'zqrsuasf rrespH '\|S roruntr{ ?'{ dq 68/886I - BrIBrfsnY urefsel\-qfnos ul sfunoJ l,raoJJelBil\IBnuuY @Departmentof Conservationand Land Management,Western Australia 1990 rssN 0816-6757 Mariame Lewis . Editor RaeleneHick ald Jan Rayner .... P€e preparation Carol Watson . , . Illustrations CALM Public Affairs . Production alrd distribution """ '9 II spEEltl\ uI spng Jo raqunN """" L""""" "lIP4snVurelsaa\-rDnos rn 886I 'n requa,rotrl pue ,{-runnBfuaaArleq II9JETBT ag1 ro; seEuurelceq """" ' ' g 886Ireque^oN puu 'g ,{runuul uae,nleqelp4snv srelse^r-gpos ur (uu) leprug " " " ' 'Z g :1norf:,rms lerraeaqa g"""" """ earepe,(ea-rns tql qrqllil p:zr6o:ar 'I suodar eqt puu lmo. I \o;.re1e,tpnuuu eql q pe,(a.,'-rnsseru eqtr, ssdnctc ""' Zn'-"" 686IIITTuI I pus 886Iroqwe oN m ser:radsq:ua;o rsqunu 1saqflq eqgSu4roddns spuellear aerql aqt pu? permtto 'Z seneds s,t1eu qcus qilq.r q spu€leia Jo requmu eqJ ... ........... ' .16/0661- .I gI 6g/gg6lslunor lrlroJrelD,r lenuue roJ lsq rels?IAI slIJIqNsddv """" 9r SIICNSuIICEU ''''" 9r"":" SJNIII IAC(IA-IA\ONIICV .NOISSNJSICI ZI'""" """" C1 mo6ar uee,ulsq?upeelq Jo uopnqr4srq " " " " - "' '''saddl CI puepa,uuaeArleq SurpeeJq Jo uoqnqrr1srq """' """' IT SurDeerqJo tunouv "".'' "".'"' 0l spnqJosraqunq qSru qtr,n spuepa4,1 '''''''' ' ' ' ' 0I spuullenaIenp IpuIuo spnqJo sJoqlrmN '""" L"""" suoGeruae/$toq uolnqul$q 9"""' sedftpuepe.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny Biogeography, and Taxonomy of Australasian
    The Auk 117(1):154-163, 2000 PHYLOGENY, BIOGEOGRAPHY, AND TAXONOMY OF AUSTRALASIAN TEALS MARTYN KENNEDY 1 AND HAMISH G. SPENCER Departmentof Zoology,University of Otago,P.O. Box 56, Dunedin,New Zealand ABSTRACT.--Thetaxonomy of the Australasianteals has been particularly unstable. Aus- tralasianGrey Teal (Anasgracilis) and ChestnutTeal (A. castanea)are widely viewed asspe- cificallydistinct, but the taxonomyof theNew Zealandteals remains unsettled. Because con- servationstatus is affectedby taxonomicrank, it is importantto resolvethe statusof the rare subantarcticteals. To estimatephylogenetic relationships of teals,we sequencedthree mi- tochondrialDNA genes(12S, and ATPase6 and 8). The resultantphylogeny unequivocally groupsthe ChestnutTeal with the GreyTeal, rather than with the New Zealandteals as has traditionally been held (Fleming 1953). A greater level of sequencedivergence occurred within the New Zealandteals than betweenthe Grey and Chestnutteals. This diversity,to- getherwith morphologicaland behavioraldifferences, implies that the New Zealandteals shouldbe accordedspecific status as A. aucklandica,A. nesiotis,and A. chlorotis.Although it is most likely that the teal that colonizedthe AucklandIslands and CampbellIslands orig- inated in New Zealand, our data do not allow us to determine whether the ancestors of the CampbellIsland Teal came from mainlandNew Zealandor the AucklandIslands. This un- certaintyarises because, as our data show,the colonizationevents were separatedby a short period of time. Received25 November1998, accepted 16 June1999. F•VE EXTANT TEALS inhabit the Australasian 1990).The brown-plumagedteals (i.e. all teals region and provide an interesting example of exceptthe Grey Teal)all existin allopatry.The speciationin insularSouthern Hemisphere wa- Auckland Island Teal (A. aucklandica)and terfowl (see Livezey 1990). Grey Teal (Anas CampbellIsland Teal (A. nesiotis)occur only on gracilis),which are small and drab, are wide- their respectivesubantarctic island groups (see spreadthroughout Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • An Aberrant Plumaged Chestnut Teal Anas Castanea with a White Neck-Ring
    An aberrant plumaged chestnut teal anas castanea with a white neck-ring This is the Accepted version of the following publication Guay, Patrick-Jean (2010) An aberrant plumaged chestnut teal anas castanea with a white neck-ring. Corella, 35 (2). pp. 57-58. ISSN 0155-0438 The publisher’s official version can be found at Note that access to this version may require subscription. Downloaded from VU Research Repository https://vuir.vu.edu.au/7630/ Corella, 2010, 35(2): 57-58 An aberrant plumaged Chestnut Teal Anas castanea with a white neck-ring P. J. Guay School of Engineering and Science, and Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, Victoria University – St-Albans campus, PO Box 14428, Melbourne MC, VIC 8001, Australia; email: [email protected] Received: 10 March 2010 INTRODUCTION been reported in Chestnut Teal. The specimen was shot around Little Swanport (42º19’S, 147º56’E), south-eastern Tasmania Plumage aberrations are not uncommon in wild birds (e.g. on 12 May 2006. The culmen measured 39.7 millimetres and Gross 1965; Hosner and Lebbin 2006). These abnormalities the wing chord 216 millimetres which is within the range for can take on many forms, but albinism and leucism (sometimes male Chestnut Teal (Marchant and Higgins 1990). The head wrongly called partial albinism) are the most common plumage and wing were donated to Museum Victoria (NMV B.32806). aberrations in birds (Sage 1963; Gross 1965). Albinism is No other aberrant plumaged male was observed amongst the the complete loss of all pigments in both plumage and skin. specimens processed during the 2006 or 2007 hunting seasons Albinistic birds have completely white plumage, red eye, and (n = 73).
    [Show full text]
  • Targeted Fauna Assessment.Pdf
    APPENDIX H BORR North and Central Section Targeted Fauna Assessment (Biota, 2019) Bunbury Outer Ring Road Northern and Central Section Targeted Fauna Assessment Prepared for GHD December 2019 BORR Northern and Central Section Fauna © Biota Environmental Sciences Pty Ltd 2020 ABN 49 092 687 119 Level 1, 228 Carr Place Leederville Western Australia 6007 Ph: (08) 9328 1900 Fax: (08) 9328 6138 Project No.: 1463 Prepared by: V. Ford, R. Teale J. Keen, J. King Document Quality Checking History Version: Rev A Peer review: S. Ford Director review: M. Maier Format review: S. Schmidt, M. Maier Approved for issue: M. Maier This document has been prepared to the requirements of the client identified on the cover page and no representation is made to any third party. It may be cited for the purposes of scientific research or other fair use, but it may not be reproduced or distributed to any third party by any physical or electronic means without the express permission of the client for whom it was prepared or Biota Environmental Sciences Pty Ltd. This report has been designed for double-sided printing. Hard copies supplied by Biota are printed on recycled paper. Cube:Current:1463 (BORR North Central Re-survey):Documents:1463 Northern and Central Fauna ARI_Rev0.docx 3 BORR Northern and Central Section Fauna 4 Cube:Current:1463 (BORR North Central Re-survey):Documents:1463 Northern and Central Fauna ARI_Rev0.docx BORR Northern and Central Section Fauna BORR Northern and Central Section Fauna Contents 1.0 Executive Summary 9 1.1 Introduction 9 1.2 Methods
    [Show full text]
  • FULL ACCOUNT FOR: Porphyrio Porphyrio
    FULL ACCOUNT FOR: Porphyrio porphyrio Porphyrio porphyrio System: Freshwater_terrestrial Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Animalia Chordata Aves Gruiformes Rallidae Common name Modrzyk (Polish), purperkoet (Dutch), seikei (Japanese), sulttaanikana (Finnish), Purpurhuhn (German), pukeko (Maori, New Zealand), calamón común (Spanish), purpurhöna (Swedish), slípka modrá (Czech), sultanhøne (Danish), sultanhøne (Norwegian), sultánka modrá (Slovak), talève sultane (French), pollo sultano (Italian), bláhæna (Icelandic), caimão (Portuguese) Synonym Similar species Gallinula chloropus, Porphyrio martinica Summary The ecological similarity of the purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) to the Florida native common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) and purple gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) have prompted efforts to eliminate this member of the rail family from Florida. It is not clear what negative consequences could result from these non-native birds but in other parts of the world they are noted for their aggressive behaviour and their habit of eating other bird's eggs. view this species on IUCN Red List Global Invasive Species Database (GISD) 2021. Species profile Porphyrio porphyrio. Pag. 1 Available from: http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=1702 [Accessed 26 September 2021] FULL ACCOUNT FOR: Porphyrio porphyrio Species Description The purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) is a large rail which weighs on average 850 g (female) to 1050 g (male) (Balasubramaniam & Guay 2008). Purple swamphens have a clumsy gait when running and somewhat resemble large, purple, skinny chickens (Pearlstine & Ortiz 2009). Purple swamphens have large red bills and frontal shields, red irides, orange legs and toes, usually with blackish areas at the heel and toe joints, white undertail coverts, and bodies that are pale blue, brilliant blue, purplish, or blackish (del Hoyo et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Biogeography and Speciation of Terrestrial Fauna in the South-Western Australian Biodiversity Hotspot
    UC Merced UC Merced Previously Published Works Title Biogeography and speciation of terrestrial fauna in the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot. Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2127d386 Journal Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, 90(3) ISSN 1464-7931 Authors Rix, Michael G Edwards, Danielle L Byrne, Margaret et al. Publication Date 2015-08-01 DOI 10.1111/brv.12132 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Biol. Rev. (2015), 90, pp. 762–793. 762 doi: 10.1111/brv.12132 Biogeography and speciation of terrestrial fauna in the south-western Australian biodiversity hotspot Michael G. Rix1,2,∗, Danielle L. Edwards3, Margaret Byrne4, Mark S. Harvey2,5, Leo Joseph7 and J. Dale Roberts2,5,6 1Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia 2Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia 6986, Australia 3Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 21 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT 06520, U.S.A. 4Science Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Locked Bag 104, Bentley DC, Western Australia 6983, Australia 5School of Animal Biology, Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia 6Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management, University of Western Australia, PO Box 5771, Albany, Western Australia 6332, Australia 7Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO National Facilities and Collections, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia ABSTRACT The south-western land division of Western Australia (SWWA), bordering the temperate Southern and Indian Oceans, is the only global biodiversity hotspot recognised in Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological Character Description of the Lake Gore Ramsar Site, Esperance, Western Australia
    ECOLOGICAL CHARACTER DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE GORE RAMSAR SITE, ESPERANCE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA A report by the Department of Environment and Conservation Ecological Character Description of the Lake Gore Ramsar Site Acknowledgements Funding for the development of this document was sourced jointly from the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and the State and Commonwealth contributions to the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP). NHT and NAP are jointly administered by the Australian Government departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the WA Natural Resource Management Office. In-kind contributions were gratefully received from the organisations represented on the Technical Advisory Group. Document Preparation This document has been prepared by the Wetlands Section of the Department of Environment and Conservation. Gareth Watkins - Author / conceptual models and graphics Jennifer Higbid - Internal review Expert Advice Steve Appleyard DEC Roger Jaensch Wetlands International Tilo Massenbauer DEC John Simons DAFWA Doug Watkins Wetlands International Technical Advisory Group Members Michael Coote DEC Robyn Cail South Coast NRM Ian Hartley Esperance Regional Forum Jennifer Higbid DEC Tegan Laslett DEC John Lizamore DEC Julie Patten DEC Ken Read Esperance Bird Observers Group John Simons DAFWA Thank you to the following people for their contributions Margaret Brock University of New England David Cale DEC Tracy Calvert DoW Nikki Cowcher DEC Henry Dabb South Coast NRM
    [Show full text]
  • FAUNA Hamish Saunders Memorial Island Survey Program 2009 73
    BIODIVERSITY - FAUNA Hamish Saunders Memorial Island Survey Program 2009 73 Yellow-throated honeyeater (Lichenostomus flavicollis). Illustrations Brett Littleton. Clare E. Hawkins, that was confirmed as cat hair (for Philips) and suspected as Nick Mooney, cat hair (for Cat). A sea eagle’s Natasha Wilson and nest was found on Philips Island. Briar Hill It is recommended that cat eradication is considered, and that disturbance on Philips Island Summary is avoided during eagle breeding species season (July to February). Fauna surveys were carried out if they were closer to the coast across 8 islands in Macquarie or larger in area (MacArthur & Harbour in December 2009: Introduction Wilson 1967). Nonetheless it Bonnet, Cat, Elizabeth, Entrance, remained possible that one or Prior to the survey described Magazine, Neck, Philips and more islands might host relict in this report, very limited data Soldiers Islands. Of one hundred populations of species which had were available on the fauna of the and sixty fauna taxa identified been lost from the nearby coast. Macquarie Harbour islands, apart by the survey, one hundred and Cat, Magazine and Neck Islands, from those available from two thirty-two (primarily invertebrate) since they had similar geology and reports for Sarah Island (Phillips taxa had not been previously were close neighbours, would be 1992; Mallick 2000). Almost all recorded. These included forty- expected to show a great deal of data were confined to the birds nine taxa identified to the level overlap in species compositions. of the area. of known species and thirty- Philips and Soldiers were also expected to host similar species three taxa identified as distinct Natural Values Atlas data on due to their similar geology, while morphospecies, while the rest fauna on the islands were almost the same assumption held for were identified less precisely.
    [Show full text]