220 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ORNITHOLOGIST, 28

A SPECIMEN RECORD OF THE TORRESIAN FROM ERINGA F. J. BADMAN Received 1S October 1981; accepted 20 November 1981 The Torresian Crow orru has been ENE of Granite Downs, the locality of the recorded in South only in the far previous most easterly confirmed record in North-West, with records from Ernabella, South Australia. Wilu Wiluru, Moorilyeima Soak, Wanta­ I did not record Torresian during a pella Swamp and Granite Downs (S.A. subsequent visit to Eringa in March 1978, but Parker, pers. comm.) . In July 1977 I identic on 2 June 1980, I again heard them at Eringa tied Torresian Crows by their calls at Eringa and Deba WHs. At least two adults were WH on Lindsay Creek, Hamilton Stn (Bad­ present and one or two immatures. On the man 1979). Eringa (260 17'5, 1340 43'E) is following day I collected a specimen (5. Aust. 155 km NNW of Oodnadatta, and 140 km Mus. B33l65). It was an immature; iris MARCH,1982 221 colour was light brown and total length was On 25 August 1980, while camped with the 525mm. Nature Conservation Society of South Aust­ The Torresian Crows at Eringa in June ralia in the Great Victoria Desert at the 1980 appeared territorial, frequenting only its Serpentine Lakes near the West Australian eastern end and two kilometres downstream border, I again identified Torresian Crows. to Deba WH. Even when followed up they Two were seen on the Western Australian would not fly past a point about one third of side of the border near Tjidilchurra Rock­ the way along from the eastern end of Eringa hole. The area near this permanent water "WH but would circle and fly back down­ source-was very open, but large Marble Gums stream. Australian Ravens C. coronoides were gongylocarpa were growing less calling at the western end of Eringa WH on than one kilometre away together with Mallee 2 June 1980, but not at the eastern end. The Eucalyptus spp, Mulga Acacia aneura, A. C. bennetti was not recorded here brachystachia, Dodonaea sp., Cassia sp. and during this visit, but I have recorded both with an understorey of Triodia basedowii. Australian Ravens and Little Crows at Eringa These were readily distinguished from during previous visits. the Little Crows which were present through­ On 23 April 1981 I again visited Lindsay out the desert, by their noticeably larger size Creek and identified four Torresian Crows at as well as by their calls. Agunta WH five kilometres downstream from Dr G. M. Storr (in litt. 11 December 1980) Eringa WHo Two were immatures with brown pointed out that the occurrence of the Tor­ irides, one was an adult with white irides, resian Crow in the Great Victorian Desert in and although the fourth was not seen Western Australia is well established. The closely it was probably another adult. bird is sparsely distributed, usually in pairs, The habitat at Lindsay Creek would seem and restricted to the better country: taller to be ideally suited to the Torresian Crow. trees around rockholes and soaks, while the Pizzey and Doyle (1980) give this bird's more numerous and gregarious Little Crow is habitat preference in Central Australia as less specialized (see Rowley 1970). "taller timber along watercourses". The The Serpentine Lakes are south of the Tor­ waterholes on Lindsay Creek are almost perm­ resian Craw's known South Australian range. anent and are surrounded by large River Red Even though the" bird has not yet been Gums Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Coolibahs E. recorded near the Lakes in South Australia I microtheca and Gidgea Acacia cambagei. think it likely that it could be found where Although the creek, is well timbered, the suitable habitat occurs around the few rock­ surrounding country consists of open, cheno­ holes in the un-named Conservation Park. pod-covered, gibber plains, with some hilly However these places are most inaccessible as country to the north. Eringa, Deba and they are surrounded by dense Mulga and Agunta are only three of a series of semi­ Mallee scrub, with many sandridges and have permanent waterholes along this creek and, no access roads. Dr. Storr also pointed out because of the hardness of the catchment area, that a search of some of the 'better' dongas on would be refilled after a lighter fall of rain the Nullarbor Plain may reveal Torresian than most waterholes in this area. Crows. It seems likely that at least one breeding REFERENCES pair is resident on Lindsay Creek. I did not Badman, F. J. 1979. Birds of the southern and western Lake Eyre drainage. S. Aust. Orn, 28:29-81- look as far downstream as Agunta WH on Pizzey, G., and Doyle, R. 1980. A Field Guide to the Birds of every visit. This is a region seldom visited by Australia. Collins: Sydney. Rowley, I. 1970. The genus Corvus (Aves: ) in Aus­ present-day ornithologists. tralia. CSIRO Wildlife Research 15:27-71.

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