sign in sign up
<<
Home , Australian king parrot, Australian raven, Birds of Australia, Crimson rosella, Grey butcherbird, Grey currawong

Birdsof the lower King Valley

Then, Now and the Future? Strath Creek Landcare Group Introduction 01 About this Booklet 01 Our Declining 02 Where to Now 02 How to Create Habitat 03 Tips for Landholders 04 Birds in Profile 05 Focal 20 The Final Word 37 Contacts and Further Information 37 Appendices 38, 39 Index and Checklist 40

The Strath Creek Landcare Group

The Strath Creek Landcare Group membership currently covers 66 households with a majority of members participating in Landcare activities. The group is part of the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network which embraces a total of 11 Landcare Groups. New members are always welcome. Funding for this booklet was provided by the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network and Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority. The booklet was compiled by David Wakefield and Laurie Macmillan with guidance from the Landcare Group Steering Committee of: Noreen Foster, John Hatchell-Brown, Terry Hubbard and Steve Joblin. Special thanks for advice and assistance from Bridget Clarke, Simon Kearney, Peter Mitchell, Barbara Moss, Nola Philip and Lance Williams.

Photo Credits

Photographic images were generously provided by Graeme Chapman (GC) [www.graemechapman.com.au], Stuart Harris (SH), Steve Joblin (SJ), David Johns (DJ), Ian Montgomery (BW) [http://birdway.com.au], Ian Moodie (IM), and Chris Tzaros (CT). Cover Photos

Front – Main photo: Crested Shrike- (GC). Insets (L to R): Brown (GC), (SH), (GC). Back – Main photo: King Parrot Creek (DJ). Insets: King Parrot (GC) and Southern Whiteface (GC). Copyright © Strath Creek Landcare Group 2007. ISBN 978-0-646-47714-5 Introduction The Strath Creek Landcare group has, since its inception, been actively involved in revegetation plantings throughout the Landcare area, which essentially covers the lower King Parrot Valley below Hazeldene, including a number of tributary valleys feeding to the King Parrot Creek. The motivations for these plantings were varied, but generally involved an awareness of the need to redress the degradation of creeklines, erosion gullies, paddock trees, etc., and also to increase the habitat for . There is a strong interest in wildlife, especially birds, within the group, as evidenced by the high attendance at talks and field days on topics related to wildlife that have been held by the group. More interest in local birds was sparked by local identity John Hatchell-Brown who provided a recorded by his father at their Flowerdale property “The ” over the period 1937 – 1968 (see Appendix 1). This property had both a King Parrot Creek frontage and a connection to the Mt. Disappointment forest at the back, so was an ideal spot to attract a large range of birds, some of which may rarely if ever venture into the drier, more open parts of the valley around Strath Creek. Also some of the more unusual birds recorded may well have been vagrants, possibly during drought . Nonetheless, the Hatchell-Brown list was seen as a valuable legacy, and prompted an GC interest by the Landcare group to begin a project that would focus attention within the community on local birds, and would survey and document birds for comparison with both historical and future records. This was seen as a way of gauging the effectiveness, in terms of bringing back birds, of the large-scale revegetation that has occurred and continues to occur in the Landcare area. About This Booklet As part of the Landcare group’s ongoing project it was decided to produce a booklet that would maintain the group’s focus on creating and improving wildlife habitat. The booklet aims to serve partly as an identification guide, but mostly as a brief educational and historical reference for both existing and future Landcare members. It is hoped that this booklet will be relevant to other groups in the Network, particularly the Yellow Creek-Dairy Creek Landcare Group that adjoins Strath Creek’s area to the north and has overlapping membership in the King Parrot Valley. It is beyond the scope of this booklet to cover all bird species that may possibly be found in the area. Instead we have compiled a snapshot of about 100 birds which have been observed, might be observed and hopefully will be observed if our revegetation efforts are successful. This may help to overcome the frustration felt by many members when having to wade through field guides for the whole fo to find a particular local bird. 01 Our Declining Birds Many of our birds, especially those that are dependent on or associated with woodland, are declining in numbers and in the extent of their range. The primary reason for this decline is the loss of suitable habitat, with remaining habitat generally fragmented and degraded. Research has shown that, within a rural landscape, there is a clear link between overall vegetation cover and bird species. The number of woodland-dependent species drops as the percentage of native vegetation in the landscape falls below about 30% and, below a threshold level of about 10% vegetation, the number of species plummets as local occur. Different species require different amounts and types of vegetation cover in the landscape to sustain healthy populations. As a rule of thumb to ensure the sustainability of most woodland species an average of around 30% cover on a broad landscape scale should be the aim. This, of course, does not mean every property needs to achieve such a level of vegetation, but if, across the whole Landcare area, we could establish connected patches of vegetation cover approaching 30%, we would be well on the way to ensuring the survival and return of many declining birds.

Where to Now? The lower King Parrot Valley would once have supported a wide range of vegetation and habitats, and accordingly a great variety of birds. As the landscape has been modified by clearing for agriculture, many species have inevitably been lost from the district. We will never be able to replicate the original landscape even on a small scale. However, with thoughtful planning and appropriate revegetation/regeneration, a diversity of bird habitats can be recreated. The success or otherwise of plantings in the valley will only be judged in the long-term by both a halt in the decline of some existing species and the return of other sensitive species previously recorded. We in the Strath Creek area are fortunate in that, although much of the valley has undergone extensive clearing, there are very significant areas of bushland reserve not far away in the Mt. Disappointment and Tallarook State Forests. These forests almost certainly support small populations of some declining bird species, such as Brown Treecreeper and Hooded Robin that, with habitat restoration, may be encouraged to recolonize the King Parrot Valley. It is important to realise that individual efforts, and certainly group efforts, can and do make a difference in the rural landscape. Size of property is not important, as every patch of habitat contributes to the mosaic on which birds and other wildlife depend.

02 How to Create Habitat The basic requirements of birds are food, water and shelter (including sites). The most important factors that influence the response of birds and other wildlife to revegetated areas are the diversity of plantings, the size of the area planted and the location of the area in the landscape, e.g. distance to water or remnant bush. Diversity can be achieved through a range of plant sizes, plant densities, foliage and bark types, flowering times and food sources ( producers, /berry producers, attractors). Over the whole property try to achieve a range of habitats—dense bush, open woodland, grassland (moderately-grazed native pasture), creekside and wetland (protected dams and swampy areas). The simple rule for size of habitat areas is “the bigger the better”. But this is not always possible or practical, and any attempt at habitat restoration is better than none. Simple ways to provide larger habitat areas are to fence off corners of paddocks, add blocks out from existing windbreaks and use straight fences along meandering creeklines. However the most effective way to increase the size and value of habitat plantings is to connect to remnant vegetation patches (your own or State Forest, creekside, roadside etc.), either directly or via corridor plantings. These should ideally be as wide as possible and can be designed to follow natural features such as gullies or ridges. Ideas on habitat creation are summarised under Tips for Landholders on page 04. Remember, if starting from scratch, protect your best quality native remnant vegetation first, i.e. any wooded area that has a complex understorey to encourage birds. When planning habitat, seek advice from other residents, department officers and available literature (see Contacts and Further Information on page 37).

03 Tips for Landholders to encourage birds back • Fence off areas of remnant bush, which often have marginal grazing value anyway. Also consider fencing off large isolated paddock trees. Environment management grants may be available for suitable sites. • If you have little or no remnant vegetation, establish your own habitat block by fencing out and planting trees and as wide a range of local shrubs and groundflora species as possible. Don’t forget that not all birds like dense bush, so leave some open patches in larger plantings. Natural regeneration and direct seeding are other options to consider. • Plant corridors to connect up revegetation plantings and protected remnants with each other and with surrounding forests and creeklines. The wider the corridors the better. Again, investigate the availability of grants for this work. • Leave fallen timber, sticks and leaf litter. Consider establishing a woodlot to reduce the need for firewood collection in future. • Leave dead standing trees which provide perches and nest hollows for many native birds, as well as mammals. • Encourage native grasses by not over-grazing or over-fertilizing, especially on hill country. • Ensure water is available. Most birds will travel some distance to water but seed-eaters such as need a protected source close to their habitat. When planning revegetation sites consider location of existing water sources such as troughs. Fencing off dams allows vegetation establishment around the edge which provides protection for birds. • Consider providing artificial nest boxes, but only if you are prepared to inspect them regularly and evict unwanted occupants such as bees and mynas. • Control and cats by shooting, baiting or . Unfortunately some of your efforts to improve bird habitat will also encourage these predators. • Consider conservation programs such as Bush Returns, CarbonSmart or covenanting through Trust for Nature. Information on these is available through DSE, DPI or CMA (see p37).

04 Birds in Profile In the following section a range of local birds is presented with notes and images. The selection of species was based on reported sightings by local residents and records from the Atlas of Victorian Wildlife. In most cases where there is a gender difference in the more colourful adult male is shown.

This is a group of common and mostly familiar birds.

Australian

A very common and abundant bird that has benefited from clearing of bush and adapted well to farmland. SJ

Pied

Large forest bird that has adapted to treed farmland, parks and gardens, and can now be seen round in the district. Larger Black, Grey and Pied Birds IM

Grey Currawong

Another regular visitor or resident, usually less numerous than the . Can often be seen or heard prising bark from trees to get at . Its call is a ringing “cling-cling”, as well as a surprising range of other notes. GC 05 06 Larger Black, Grey and Pied Birds flocks canoftenbeseeninlocalpaddocks. The ismoregregariousandlarge drawn-out call. its raisedthroathackleswhengivingslow The canbedistinguishedby mistakenly calledcrows. Familiar largeblackbirdsinthevalley, often Ravens

GC

GC GC rich song. among foliage,itisusuallyfirstdetectedbyitsloud, the forkofatreebranch.Unobtrusivewhenperched as smallbirdsandreptiles,whichitmaywedgein feeds mainlyoninsects,butalsolargerpreysuch but lesscommon.Amedium-sizedcarnivorethat In thesamefamilyasMagpieandCurrawongs, Grey can occasionallybeseenhereinspring/summer. A relatedspecies,theWhite-wingedTriller , benefits fromfarmtreeplantings. A tree-dwellerthatfeedsmostlyonlargeinsects,it winter, soonlyoccasionallyseenhereatthattime. an unusualchirringsong.Mostbirdsmigratenorthfor An elegantgreybirdwithjet-blackface-mask,ithas Black-faced -shrike White wingpatchvisibleinflight. of leafandsticklitter. Hasastrangemournfulcall. tree plantingsandfenced-offbushareaswithlots mud nest.Agroundforagerthatbenefitsfromfarm all aspectsofbreeding,includingbuildingtheirlarge and inremnantbush.Groupmembersparticipate of choughscanbeseenonroadsides,inwindbreaks ravens’ whiteeyes).Sociableandterritorial,groups (compared withthecurrawongs’yelloweyesand Large blackbirdwithalongtailandredeyes White-winged

BW SH Magpie- chough. Also buildsamudnestbutsmallerthanthatofthe by pairsasaduetwouldbefamiliartomostpeople. is acommonbirdaroundfarms.Itsloudcallsung Smaller than,andunrelatedto,themagpie,this IM 

07 Larger Black, Grey and Pied Birds 08 and contributed toitsreturn. heartening tothinkrevegetationworkinthedistricthas are nowregularlyseenaroundStrathCreek.Itwouldbe for manyyears,itreturnedin2003andsmallnumbers , blossoms,etc.)isavailable.Absentfromourarea country andevenhomegardensifsuitablefood(, to Europeansettlement,andcanbeseeninmoreopen bird ofheavilytimberedmountaincountry, ithasadapted group’s revegetationandweedcontrolwork.Normallya its namewhichisthefocusofmuchLandcare An iconicbirdforthedistrictbecauseofcreekbearing Australian KingParrot listed asadeclining species. habitat lossthantheothercockatoosinthis area,andis door” callinflight.Seemstohavesuffered morefrom plants suchashawthorn.Oftennoticedby its“creaky of nativetreesandshrubsaswellberries ofintroduced bright redheadandcrest.Feedsinconspicuously onseeds A smallergreycockatoo,withthemalehaving astriking Gang-gang Swift ParrotsandRed-tailedBlackCockatooinVictoria). sensitive membersofthisgroup(e.g.theOrange-belliedand and landusage—unlikesomeothermorespecialized benefited from,oradaptedto,changestothelandscape The commonlyseenspeciesinourareahavemostly 

IM wing-beats. flocks ofupto100orso.Amajesticflyerwithslow, deep Often seenaroundStrathCreekareainsmallgroupsor of trees.Nomadicormigratory, eventoTasmania. also oninsectsthegroundandgrubsinsap-wood seeds ofhakeas,banksiasandintroducedpinetrees,but A largecockatoowithastrange,wailingcall.Feedson Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo

SJ GC “cut throat”appearanceoftheLong-billed. more prominentcrestandshorterbill,lackthered flocks ofwhitebirds.Theseareslightlysmaller, havea Recently someLittle Corellashavejoinedthemixed by farmersduringdroughtyears. increased, presumablyduetomorefeedingoutofgrain Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Numbershavesteadily were noticedassociatingwiththeabundantflocksof birds started toappearinthisareathemid-90’s, whenafew Locals reportthatLong-billedCorellasfirst Corellas can beverynoisy. usually feedingontheground.Likeothercockatoos, over mostofAustralia.Oftenseeninpairsorflocks, its rangesinceEuropeansettlementandisnowfound A distinctivepinkandgreycockatoothathasexpanded to theirbreedingsuccess. retention oflargetrees, eitherlivingordead,isvital All birdsinthisgroupingnesttreehollows, sothe

IM

associates withcorellas. (and noisy)presenceallyearroundinthedistrict.Often This birdshouldneednointroduction.Itisafamiliar Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

GC GC IM 09 Parrots and Cockatoos 10 Parrots and Cockatoos . the they arewellcamouflaged.Mayalsobeincompanywith in floweringeucalyptstofeedonpollenandnectarwhere issuing theirdistinctivemetallicscreech.Theywillsettle Often seeninsmallgroupspassingoverheadlikebullets, Lorikeet hasbeenrecordedintheFlowerdalearea. Landcare area,althoughthemorecolourful The mostcommonlyseenofthelorikeetsinour the ground. windbreak plantingsandopenwoodland—oftenfeedingon seen inpairsorsmallgroupsgardens,paddocks,roadsides, colourful parrotisstillafamiliarsightinourarea.Usually Less commonandshyerherethantheCrimsonRosella,this Eastern Rainbow GC SH immaturebirdsmayoutnumberadults. the breedingperiodtheyformintoflockswherepredominantly forests. Feedsonawiderangeofseedsandfruit.Outside A familiarparrotoffarmland,openwoodlandandmoister from theFlowerdale/Strath Creekarea. remember atimewhen Red-rumpedParrotswereabsent coasts insouth-eastern Australia.Long-termresidentscan woodlands thisbirdhasexpandeditsrange towardsthe trees, issuingapleasantcontactcall.With theclearingof ground. Whendisturbed,groupsflyswiftly upintonearby A smallparrotthatspendsmuchofitstime feedingonthe Red-rumped Parrot

IM

GC

maintain resilientsustainablepopulations. between habitatpatches,andmaybestruggling to and openforests,butdoesnotreadilycross largegaps houses orsheds.FoundthroughoutAustraliainwoodland song-notes. Oftenseeningardensandnestingaround A commonandwell-knownbirdwithalovelyrangeof Grey Shrike-thrush the brownishfemale. and aroundgardens.Themaleismuchmorecolourfulthan district, particularlyalongcreeklines,vegetatedgullies calls, onewithawhip-crackending.Regularlyseeninthe A medium-sizedwoodlandbirdwitharangeofbeautiful Golden Whistler decline duetoreduction andfragmentationoftheirnaturalhabitat. Some birdscommonly seeningardensarenotnecessarilysecure, andareinfactonthethresholdofrapid . Afewvocallocalsareincludedhere. and infactisnowknowntobetheoriginofallworld’s Australia isblessedwithsomewonderfulsingingbirds

GC more denselyforestedpartsofthedistrict. although uncommon,maypossiblybeseeninornearthe The Olive Whistlerisanotherbirdinthisgroupthat, vulnerable withoutprotectionandexpansionofhabitat. and July. Atothertimes,isfairlycommonbutmaybe Migrates northinautumn,sonotseenhereMay, June Another wonderfulsongster, speciallyatbreedingtime. Rufous Whistler

IM GC 11 Some Singing Birds 12 Some Birds of the Paddock on roadsides. some distancebeforelandingincover. Occasionallyseen you whenflushedfromlonggrass,flyingfastandlowfor “titchy-wit” call.It’s theculpritthatscareswitsoutof A regularspring/summervisitorheraldedbyitsdistinctive Stubble Quail have declinedinrecentyears. nodding. Somelocalsreportthatsightingsofthisbird paddocks andneardams.Walks orrunsinjerkswithhead A gregarioussmallground-feedingbirdseeninlow-lying White-fronted rushes. An“island”of unmowngrassleftinahaypaddockprovides arefugeforbirdssuchasquail. Ground-nesting birds arevulnerablewhencoverisremovedby over-grazing orslashingoftussocks and paddocks canprovidesuchanenvironment. A numberoflocalbirdspreferopengrassyareasandfarm 

GC showing itswhite-edgedtailwhichitwagsupanddown. When disturbedfliestoastump,rockorfence-line, Runs jerkilyalonggroundsearchingforarangeofinsects. A well-camouflagedslenderground-dwellingbird. Australian Pipit

GC GC

Yellow Thornbillcanoftenbe foundinfairlylargegroups. quite asoftvoicesoisnoteasytodetect.Unlikethe it feedsexclusivelyintreecanopies,oftenhighup.Has Another ofthosehard-to-identify“littlebrownbirds”, Striated Thornbill tree canopy, oftenhovering. may associateasitforagesbusilyingroupsamongthe stubby billdistinguishesitfromthornbills,withwhich which isoftenthefirstindicationofitspresence.Itsshort The smallestAustralianbird.Hasasurprisinglyloudvoice trees healthy. to see,playavitalroleincontrollinginsectsandkeeping The smallactivebirdsinthisgrouping,althoughoftenhard

GC

since itisusuallysolitaryorinsmallloosegroups. Prefers densercanopies,soisoftenhardtodetect, gleans insectsfromthefoliageoftreesandtallershrubs. the typicalsharppointedbillofthornbillswithwhichit Not unliketheWeebill inappearanceandhabits,ithas Yellow Thornbill

BW GC

13 Small Birds of the Tree Canopy 14 Small Birds of the Tree Canopy very shorttail.Roostsandbreedscommunally. often upsidedown.Hasaslightlyup-turnedsharpbilland acrobatically searchingforfoodonleavesandunderbark, Rather oddlittlebirdthatflitsthroughfoliageingroups, Varied foliage oftreesasitpicksoffprey. time. Averyactiveinsecteater, oftenhoveringaroundthe prolonged descendingsong,especiallyaroundbreeding This tinybirdisusuallyfirstnoticedbyitsbeautiful White-throated

DW especially atbreedingtime. feeding, andadistinctivesongfromhighexposedperch, seeds. Emitsregularcontactcallsinflightandwhen unobtrusive. Feedsoninsects,nectar, fruitandeven months. Easilyidentifiedbyitswhiteeye-ring,butoften A commonvisitoringardens,especiallythewarmer

GC CT man-made structures. burrow dugintoabank,oropportunisticallyinrangeof The Spotted nestsattheendofa River RedGums. lerps, whichcausesomuchfoliagedamage,especiallyto fond ofpsyllidinsectsandtheirsugarycoatingscalled Feed mainlyoninsectsineucalyptfoliage.Areparticularly Tiny colourfulbirdswithstubbybillsandshorttails. hollows orearthbanks,ofteninloosecolonies. The slightlylargerStriatedPardalote nestsintree s and butterflies. understorey shrubsencourage mistletoepredatorssuchaspossum s andbutterflies. mistletoe. Excessive mistletoe reflectsawiderproblemofan environmentunderstress. Largerplantingswith when otherfoodsourcesforbirdsarescarce, andnearly60Australianbirdshavebeenrecordednestingin The much-malignedmistletoeisanimportant componentofwoodlandecosystems.Manymistletoesflower

GC Also eatsinsects.Usuallysolitaryoutsidebreedingperiod. of stickymistletoeseedswhichitexcretesonatreebranch. Has aspecialiseddigestivesystemthatallowsrapidpassage This tinybirdisthemaindisperserofmistletoes.

GC IM

15 Small Birds of the Tree Canopy 16 Small Birds Lower Down area. Hasawiderangeofcalls. are lesspronouncedandconfinedtothethroat/breast appearance totheStriatedThornbill(seep.13)butstreaks forage highupintreesandevenontheground.Similar in shrubsandlowertreebranches,althoughcanalso A commonadaptablesmallbrownbirdfoundmainly Brown Thornbill and treelitter. some understorey. Likesroughrockygroundwithtussocks in lowbranches,typicallyopenstringybarkcountrywith appearance andhabits.Feedsingroupsontheground Somewhat similartotheYellow-rumped Thornbillin Buff-rumped Thornbill wildlife totravelthrough. plantings, aswell benefitinglivestock,canlinkremnantpat ches ofbushandprovide corridorsfor Many smallbirdsarereluctanttotravelany significantdistanceacrossopencountry. Widewindbreak They need ground cover and understorey shrubs for protection. They needgroundcoverandunderstoreyshrubsforprotection. These birdsaremostlyseeninlowerfoliageorontheground.

SJ flight, calling“chip-chip”astheygo. rump obviouswhentheyflywiththeircharacteristicjerky Communal, andcanbeseeningroupsofupto30.Yellow created wherefarmplantingsmeetopenpaddocks. Mostly agroundfeeder, itbenefitsfromthe“edge”habitat Yellow-rumped Thornbill

SH GC

Nest islargeanduntidy, ofteninapricklyshrub. while hoppingupanddowntoimpressfemale. courtship ritualofholdingagrassstalkinitsbill bill, eyebrowandrump.Malehasanunusual A commoneasilyidentifiedlittlebirdwithitsred Red-browed motorcycle helmet,golfbag. Can nestinarangeofman-madeobjects,e.g. Benefits fromfallentimberandretainedtussocks. and creeklines,inbrackenpatchesgardens. Busy andcurious,itisfoundinundergrowthalonggullies Widespread andcommonlittleground-feedingbird. White-browed Scrubwren replacement habitat. replacement habitat. after sprayingblackberries leavethedeadcanestobreakdown. Ifinafenced-offarea,plantlocalshrubs as plantings providesgoodprotectionandnest sitesforsmallbirds.Blackberrythicketsalsoprovidehabitat, so Including pricklyshrubssuchasHedgeWattle, PricklyMoses,SweetBursaria andTree Violet in understorey native grassyunderstorey. would nowbeanunlikelysightingdueto reductionofitshabitateucalyptwoodlandwith A strikingsmallfinch,theDiamondFiretail , wasrecordedatFlowerdaleinthepast, but

GC

GC GC plumage. comprise femalesandmalesinnon-breeding patches andcreeksidevegetation.“Brownbirds” and furtherafieldinbrackenorblackberry groups,itcanbeseenaroundgardens One ofourmostfamiliarsmallbirds.Livingin Superb Fairy- 17 Small Birds Lower Down 18 Some Other Woodland Birds also amellowtrill. wall!). Voice isaloudprolongedseriesofpipingnotes— a spiral.Sleepsclinginguprighttotree(orevenbrick under barkoftreetrunksandbranches,movingupwardsin Pale wing-barseeninflight.Huntsforfood(mainlyants) A commonsmallishdarkbrownbird,oftensolitary. White-throated Treecreeper call. Migratesnorthforwinter. solitary, andfirstdetectedbyitsfar-carrying “orry-orry-ol” Feeds onfruitandinsectsinthetreecanopy. Often forest, butalsoadaptedtogardens,parksandorchards. A medium-sizedbirdofeucalyptwoodlandandopen Olive-backed Oriole the district.Someofmorecommonaredescribedbelow. There areseveralotherwoodlandbirdsthatmaybeseenin

GC area. areotherpossiblesightingsinthis The nomadicWhite-browed andMasked . together whenperched,sometimesinatightcluster insects inflight.Livescommunally, andgroupshuddle the areainwarmermonths.Soarsandglidestocatch Unrelated totrueswallows,thisisaregularvisitor Dusky

GC GC

before divingontoprey. it perchessilentlyandstillonasmallexposed branch creeklines andremnantpatchesofbush.Oftensolitary, warmer months,particularlyalongwell-vegetated However itcansometimesbeseenorheardinthe Much smaller, andlesscommon,thanthekookaburra. returning inspringtobreed. and fallenlogsforprotection.Migratesnorthinautumn, the ground.Alsonestsonground,soneedstussocks otherwise inconspicuousbird.Feedsinlowfoliageandon A loudringingsongannouncesthepresenceofthis Rufous more woodedpartsofthedistrict. The chunkyDollarbirdandtheelusiveBassianThrushhavealsobeensightedin Azure Kingfisher . Another Kingfisher you maybeluckyenoughtoseealongcreeksides isthesmallbrightblue

SJ this nationalicon. intreehollows,sobigoldtreesarevitaltoprotect androdentsbutmainlyvariousinvertebrates. common throughouttreedpartsofthedistrict.Eats Probably themostfamiliarAustralianbushbird.Fairly

BW BW

19 Kingfishers | Some Other Woodland Birds 20 Focal Species remnant bush. creekside vegetationcorridorslinkedtopatchesof Parrot Valley nowbutwillgreatlybenefitfromwide the healthofourtrees.ItcanbefoundinKing is oneofarangebirdsessentialformaintaining understorey. Feedingongallsaswellinsects,it rangeandneedsmaturetreeswithsome feeding habitsanddistinctivecalls.Ithasalarge fact itisusuallyheardbeforeseenduetoitsnoisy bill, thisbirdshouldbeeasytorecognise.Butin With itsdistinctiveplumage,headcrestandstout Crested Shrike-tit catering fortheneedsofarangeotherbirds. of thesesensitivespecies,wecanbefairlysureare Landcare group.Byprovidingthehabitatrequirements These birdshavebeenselectedforspecialfocusbythe they areknowntobedeclininginrangeandnumbers. Parrot Valley inthepastandarestilloccasionallyseen.But from trendselsewhere.TheywereallrecordedfortheKing birds thatmaybeonthebrinkoflocalextinction,judging 200 years.Afewsuchbirdsareincludedinthisgroup— the changesthathaveoccurredtotheirhabitatoverpast Some woodlandbirdsfinditharderthanotherstoadapt

GC SH populations. Corridor plantingswouldallowconnection between timber andleaflitter, aswell dead standingtrees. woodland andwouldbenefitfromleavingfallen nests intreehollowsorstumps.Prefersdrieropen allows ittoeatseedsaswellinsects.Itusually with Yellow-rumped Thornbills.Itsstoutfinch-likebill A smallground-feedingbirdoftenseeningroups Southern Whiteface unless linkedbycorridors. groups butfindithardtoreachotherpatches ofbush woodland habitat.Femalesdispersefrom breeding fallen branches,andfencingoffremnant patchesof would includeleavingdeadstandingtrees and Actions tohelpencouragethisdeclining species nests intreehollows,stumpsorevenfence-posts. bush debrissearchingforinsectsandants.Itusually spends muchofitstimefeedingonthegroundamong Unlike theWhite-throatedTreecreeper, thisbird Brown Treecreeper planted. revegetation patcheswithinadecadeofbeing been foundtorecoloniselargerstructurallydiverse encouraging thatelsewheretheHoodedRobinhas and connectionofsuitablehabitatpatches.Itis and clearlyneedsassistancethroughexpansion It isonlyrarelyseennowinourLandcaredistrict The declineoftheHoodedRobinisgreatconcern. grey-brown replacingthemale’s blackplumage. its whitebreast.Thefemaleislessdistinctive,with having ahandsomeblackhoodextendingdowninto Slightly largerthantheredrobins,withmale Hooded Robin

BW GC GC Jacky Winter planting andlinkingofsuitablehabitat. farm environment,anditshouldbeencouragedwith Being aninsect-eateritspresenceisbeneficialtothe twitching itswhite-edgedtailfromsidetoside. insects inflightbeforereturningtoalowperch, open areasforforaging.Itoftenhoversandtakes district. Itfavoursdrierremnantbushwithadjacent species inVictoria and anuncommonsightinour This grey-brownrobin/flycatcherisadeclining 21 Focal Species 22 Flycatchers and not over-grazing paddocks. and willbenefitfromfencingoutremnantbushareas nonetheless underpressurefromdegradationofhabitat, common aroundfarmsandcreeksidevegetation,butis apparently todisturbinsectpreyontheground.Fairly rolling chirringcallwhichitemitswhilehovering, Probably familiartomanypeoplebecauseofitsunusual uttered evenatnight. A feistybirdatbreedingtime.Itsfamiliarsweetsongis the ground,oftenusingbacksofcattleasaperch. A verycommonfarmbird.Catchesinsectsinflightoron flight astheyhawkforprey, oftenwithoutspreadtail. These insect-eatersarecharacterisedbytheiragilityin

GC GC areas suchastheupperKingParrotandStrathvalleys. Satin Flycatcher whichprefersmoisterforested PNG inwinter. Canbeconfusedwiththesimilar-looking when quitevocal.MigratestonorthQueenslandandeven Most noticeablewhilebreedinginspring/earlysummer Seems tobearegularvisitortheareainsmallnumbers. Leaden Flycatcher above Flowerdale. encountered inmoister woodedgullies,especially The Rufous isanotherbirdthat could be baseless wineglass. in gardens.Buildsasmallcupnestwith a tailbelowlike in flighttocatchinsects.Canbequitetame andinquisitive An activelittlebirdthattwistsandturns withspreadtail Grey Fantail

SH GC

monotonous pipingcall. saplings ortree-trunks,oftenaroundclearings.Hasa in gardens.Characteristicallyperchessidewayson densely vegetatedsectionsofourcreeksandoccasionally creeklines, thiscolourfulrobincanbeseeninmore Favouring forestsandscrubbywoodland,gullies from thefemaleFlameRobin. red washonthedullerfemale’s breastdistinguishesit spring/summer period.Generallysolitaryorinpairs.The Moves tohighertimberedcountrybreedoverthe Mostly seeninautumn/winterthemoreopenfarmland. perches suchasstumpsorfence-linestopounceoninsects. flycatchers andaretypicallyseenonthefarmflyingoutfromlow ranges insouth-eastAustralia.Strictlyspeakingtheyare Unfortunately almostalltherobinsaredecliningacrosstheir Jacky Winter. King Parrotcatchment. RefertotheFocalSpeciessection(p.21) fortheHoodedRobinand recorded inthepastat Flowerdaleandislikelytostillbefound inthemoistgulliesofupper Yea Spur, butwould normally befoundindrierareastothe north. ThePinkRobinwas The smallRed-cappedRobinhasbeenreportedintheRedBoxwoodland alongthe

BW its wingsandtail. immature birdsmaypredominate.Whenpercheditflicks appear onmanyfarmsinthearea.Brownfemalesand it isonlyseenhereinautumn/winterwhensmallflocks Even moreofanaltitudinalmigrantthantheScarletRobin,

GC IM 23 Robins 24 here, especiallyintimesofdrought. shaped largehoneyeaterthatmayoccasionallyappear The NoisyFriarbird isanothersomewhatsimilar- lacks wattles)hasalsobeenreportedinthedistrict. The smalleranddullerLittle Wattlebird (which gardens. Nomadic,andcanattimesmoveinlargeflocks. with wattletrees.Aggressiveandnoisy, itoftenvisits lobes ofskinonitscheeksratherthananyassociation This commonlargehoneyeaterisnamedforthehanging understorey. . Prefersforestsandvariouswoodland typeswith probing underbarklikeatreecreeperforinsectsand honeyeaters, itisusuallysolitaryorinpairs.Oftenseen Another birdwithaloudringingcall.Unlikemostother White-eared pollinators ofmanyplants. on , manna,fruitandinsects.Theyareimportant forcollectingnectarfromflowers.Theyalsofeed This groupischaracterisedbyhavingabrush-tipped

GC “chickup-chickup-chickup” song. gleans insectsfromlowerfoliage.Hasdistinctiveringing Actively foragesamongeucalyptblossomsandalso birds migratenorthinwinter, butsomestayyearround. One ofthemorecommonhoneyeatersaroundhere.Many Yellow-faced Honeyeater

CT GC Brown-headed Honeyeater. birds canbeconfusedwiththecloselyrelated “sherp-sherp” callaidinidentification.Dullerimmature Parrot Creek.Itsredskinovertheeyeanditsunusual the tallMannaGumsandCandlebarksalongKing Regularly seenandheardinthedistrict,especially White-naped Honeyeater single birds,perhapsseekingoutnewterritory. woodland, butinouropenvalleyitisnotunusualtosee territorial initsusualhabitatofremnantforestand to coloniserevegetationareas.Mainlycommunaland A widespreadandadaptablebird,oftenoneofthefirst White-plumed Honeyeater gliders canbecomeentangled onthebarbs. When fencingoffareas tobemanagedaswildlifehabitatavoid usingbarbedwire.Birds, possumsand

SH

at night,huddlingtogetheronabranch. distinctive chatteringcontactcall.Roostscommunally feeding busilyandacrobaticallyineucalyptswitha regularly seenthroughthedistrict.Ofteninsmallflocks A dull-plumagedbutendearingsmallhoneyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater

BW GC

25 Honeyeaters 26 Honeyeaters shrubs havingdifferentfloweringtimes. from revegetationplantingswitharangeoflocaltreesand andbanksias.Mainlyanectarfeeder, itbenefits especially thosewithblossomtreesandnativeshrubslike A familiar(andbossy)visitororresidentinmanygardens, New HollandHoneyeater from widecreeksideplantingswithunderstorey. areas inautumn.Hasdistinctivehigh-pitchedcall.Benefits vegetation andevennearbygardens.Dispersestocoastal Seen hereoccasionallyinspring/summeralongcreekside A rathershybirdofmoisterforestsandwoodlands. dominating revegetation areas. many woodlandbirds. Denseandvariedlocalunderstoreyplantings helppreventthisbirdmovinginand Our valleyappearstobefreeoftheaggressive nativehoneyeater, theNoisyMiner,whichcanexclude

GC

vegetated gulliesandcreeklinesaswellgardens. such ascorreas.Foundinremnantpatchesofbush, tongue forcollectingnectarfromwithintubularflowers Easily recognisedbyitslongcurvedbill.Alsohasa

CT GC Migratory—most returningtosamesiteeachyear. or underbridgesandevenopenshedroofs. mud nestinacolonyoverhangingcreekbanks,gullies a rust-redheadandwhiterrump.Buildsbottle-shaped Slightly smaller, andlesscommon,thanTree Martinwith May beseenhereallyearround. swooping andwheelinggracefullyafterflyinginsects. in sheds.Hasadeeplyforkedtail.Oftenseenoverdams, The well-knownswallowthatlikestonestundereavesor Welcome TV aerials,etc. in pursuitofinsectsorperchedgroupsonpowerlines, These familiarsmallsleekbirdsaremostlyseeninflight this group.SeeDuskyWoodswallow underSomeOtherWoodland Birdsonpage18. in summer, especially in thundery weather. The woodswallows arealsosimilarbutunrelatedto birds, butareunrelated toswallows.Theyarelargerandfaste r andoccasionallyseen inflocks The Fork-tailed Swift andWhite-throated aresomewhatsimilar Needletail

GC and . north inautumn.MaybeseentogetherwithFairyMartins and nestscommunally, usuallyinatreehollow. Migrates shorter, relativelysquaretailandoff-whiterump.Roosts and farmland.DistinguishedfromWelcome Swallowby A commonswallow-likebirdofopeneucalyptwoodland

BW GC

27 Swallows and Martins 28 the ground. in standingdeadtreesandpounceoninsectprey accelerating notes.Usuallysolitary, itlikestoperch than itself.Distinctivecallisaseriesofrisingand nests ofupto80differentbirds,manymuchsmaller Largish birdseenfromSeptembertoJanuary. Uses Pallid Cuckoo those ofthornbillsandfairywrens. Tends tolayeggsmostlyindomednestssuchas catching insectpreyinpaddocksandopenwoodland. the cuckoos’typicalperch-and-pouncemethodof male announcesthisbird’s arrivalinspring. Uses A sadoft-repeateddescendingwhistlebythe Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo mostly inspring/earlysummer, whenthey call monotonously. in nestsofotherbirds.Theyaremigratoryandseenhere All ourcuckoospeciesarebroodparasitesthatlaytheireggs

GC GC GC hairy caterpillars. tail down.Dropstogroundcollectinsects,mainly seen motionlessonfence-linewithuprightstance, mournful trillnotusuallyhearduntilspring.Often Appears hereearlierthanothercuckoos,butits Fan-tailed Cuckoo more denselyvegetatedareasandeven gardens. more rapidlyrepeatedwhistle.Likelytobe seenin and itsbrighterupperplumage.Alsohas arisingand complete breastbars,itslackofawhite eyebrow Distinguished fromHorsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoobyits Shining Bronze-Cuckoo BW spiders etc. from aperchontopreyincludinglargeinsects, resonating “oom-oom-oom…..”.Glidessilently capacity forcamouflage.Itscallisapersistent A widespreadnight-activebirdwithanamazing Tawny small birds. Feeds onflyingmothsandbeetlesaswellmice “Mopoke” inimitationofitsrepeatedfar-carrying call. A commonrelativelysmallbrownowl,oftencalleda Southern Boobook distinctive callswhichareworthlearningtoaididentification. adaptations idealforcatchingpreyatnight.Allhave This groupischaracterisedbylargeeyesandsilentflight,

GC GC IM mainly forinsects. with hollows!).Occupiesalargeterritorywhereithunts Roosts bydayinatreehollow(importanceofoldtrees Rarely seen,butquiteacommonsmallowl-likebird. Australian Owlet-nightjar Nomadic, andwillcongregatearoundmice plagues. flash acrosstheroad.Micenowconstitute itsmaindiet. Occasionally pickedupincarheadlights as aghostly A largerpaleowlofopenwoodlandand farmlands. Barn Owl

GC

IM 29 Birds of the Night These birds are characterised by sharp hooked bills and taloned feet. They are powerful fliers and have extraordinary vision. Some species are notoriously difficult to identify especially when soaring high up, so this group is limited to those most commonly seen here and which may be encountered closer to the ground. Wedge-tailed

The largest Australian raptor with a wing-span of well over 2m. Like other raptors, the female is larger than the male. Our open hilly terrain with remnant bush patches is ideal habitat, and soaring “wedgies” are a familiar sight in the district. Usually seizes prey on the ground—feeds on birds, rabbits, hares, sick lambs, and frequently carrion. BW GC

Birds of Prey (Raptors)

A rather fierce looking hawk with long legs, strong clawed feet and a longish tail. Often solitary and secretive, it hunts in woodland by stealth, taking birds (even chooks!), reptiles, frogs and small mammals, including young rabbits. GC BW

Black-shouldered Kite

An elegant raptor of open woodland and grassland, well adapted to farmland with scattered trees. Usually seen perched conspicuously on a pole or dead tree branch, or hovering with legs dangling and tail down. Drops on prey (mostly small rodents) with wings raised. GC GC 30 Like otherfalcons,ithaslongpointedwings. Also runsaroundonthegroundaftergrasshoppers. the groundfromaperchorafterglidingandhovering. call. Slowerthanotherfalcons,ittakesmostpreyon fence-post orpowerpole.Noisy, withaloudcackling A commonraptorinthedistrict,oftenperchedona and mammals.Protecting largetreesandremnantbushprovides themwithnestsitesand perches. Raptors playanimportant roleonfarmsbydevouringcarrion and helpingcontrolpestspeciesofinsects (asmallfalcon)andPeregrine Falcon. Sparrowhawk, Whistling Kite, Other Raptorsthatmayoccasionallybeseen include:

GC

Little Eagle,

Swamp Harrier, SH BW

GC nests inatreehollow. mice, skinksandsmallbirds.Usually expertly anddivesongrasshoppers, with ashrillchatteringcall.Hovers range ofotherhabitats.Quitevocal, scattered trees.Alsofoundinawide fairly commoninfarmlandwith A relativelysmallandslightfalcon, Nankeen Kestrel Collared Collared

31 Birds of Prey (Raptors) 32 Birds in and around Dams quacking loudly. off stronglywhendisturbed,thefemale floating oredgevegetation. Wary, andflies in manyfarmdams,especiallythosewith The familiarandcommondarkduckfound Pacific BlackDuck water plants.Callsoften,mostlywithashrillchatter. rather thanflyoffwhendisturbed.Buildsafloatingnestof The small“dabchick”foundonmanydams.Preferstodive Australasian common onesisprofiledhere. water orpoorlydrainedpaddocks.Aselectionofthemore birds, manybirdsyouseewillbeassociatedwithbodiesof Although theprimaryfocusofthisbookletisonwoodland

SH

GC BW tree hollow, oftenfarfromwater. clearing andprovisionofdams.Nestsin in largenumbers.Hasbenefitedfromfarm dams andinlowerpaddocks,sometimes handsome duckisacommonsightaround More agrazerthanwater-feeder, this Australian Wood occasionally. The Little Black Cormorantmayalsobeseen and crustaceanssuchasyabbies. and billabongsorcirclingoverhead.Feedsonsmallerfish Often seenperchingonanexposedbranchbesidedams The mostcommoncormorantspeciesfoundinthisarea. Little PiedCormorant The femaleChestnutiseasilymistakenfortheGrey. They feedonbothplantandanimalmaterial. vegetated dams,theGreybeingmorenomadic. are occasionallyseeninthedistrictlargerandbetter Grey Teal (top)andChestnutTeal (bottom) Not acommonbirdondamsbutnonethelessboth Teal

BW honk, thefemalehigherpitchedthanmale. or onground(eveninarabbitburrow).Callswithloud seen grazinginlow-lyingpaddocks.Neststreehollow known tomanyasa“MountainDuck”.Pairsfrequently Although alowlandbird,thislargehandsomeduckis Australian Shelduck

IM IM GC 33 Birds in and around Dams 34 Birds in and around Dams crustaceans andmolluscs.Usuallysolitary. wide billfromsidetowhenfeedingonwaterinsects, billabongs andoccasionallydrierpasture.Sweepsits Distinctive largewhitebirdofswampyareas,dams, Yellow-billed Spoonbill wing-markings appearinglikeheadlights. withslowwing-beats,itsneckfoldedandwhite solitary largebirdisstillfrequentlyseeninthedistrict. Less commonthantheWhite-facedHeron,thisusually White-necked either providealimited accesspointorsiphontoatrough. grass andedgevegetation. Trees andshrubscanthen beplantedtoenhancethearea.Forstock water Fencing offdamsnotonlyimproveswater qualitybutalsocreatesawetlandhabitatforwildlifewithlong

GC water searchingforawiderangeofprey. seen standingorstalkingaboutinpasturesandshallow A commonsightinfarmlandandonroadsides.Regularly White-faced Heron

GC BW

Ibis grubs, soareoftenreferredtoas“thefarmer’s friend”. insects, frogs,,crickets,grasshoppersandpasture large flocksin V-formation. Feedonawiderangeofwater ventures furtherfromwaterintodrypasture.Maytravelin associate inmixedflocksalthoughtheStraw-neckedIbis seen inlocalpaddocksandarounddammargins.Often necked (bottom)arewidespreadbirdsregularly Ibis (top)andStraw- The Australian White Eurasian Coot , Purple Swamphen, be seenlocally. SightingsinrecentyearsincludeDuskyMoorhen, There aremanyotherbirdsassociatedwith waterorswampyhabitatthatmayoccasionally Latham’s Snipe andClamorous Reed-Warbler. Buff-banded Rail,

IM night. Hasabonyspuroneachwing. a raucousburstofitsstaccatocall.Canalsobeheardat Aggressive whenbreedingandwilldiveatintruderswith A noisyploverseenarounddamsandlowerpaddocks. Masked Lapwing

BW GC Black-tailed Native-hen, Hardhead,

35 Birds in and around Dams 36 Pigeons monotonously repeated. and wastegraininfarmland.Hasadeep“oom”call Food includesnativeseeds,particularlywattle Wings clatterontake-offandwhistleinflight. bush butcanflyswiftlyandlowwhendisturbed. Ground-feeding birdthatoftenpreferstowalkthrough Common Bronzewing focal speciesonpages20and21.Telephone 57801225 The authorswouldwelcomereportsofany interestingorunusualsightingsofbirdsespeciallyanythe There arecertaintobebirdsnotincludedinthisbookletthatoccasionallyvisitthe area. silhouette oflow-slungplumpbodyandrelativelysmallhead. family regularlyseeninourdistrict.Theyhaveadistinctive There areonlytwoindigenousmembersofthepigeonanddove and should be discouraged. and shouldbediscouraged. Dove , House Sparrow, The followingintroducedspeciesmaybe seenintheLandcarearea: Dove) andwouldbeanunlikelysightingnow. has declinedoveritsrange(possiblyduetocompetitionfromtheintroducedSpotted Turtle- The smallPeaceful Dove wasrecordedatFlowerdalepriorto1968(seeAppendix1)but (Feral Pigeon). All, to varying extent, compete with native birds for food and nest sites (FeralPigeon).All,to varyingextent,competewithnativebirds forfoodandnestsites European Goldfinch, ,

IM and graincrops. expanded rangeduetoclearingandintroductionofweeds by glides.Formerlyrestrictedtoinlandareas,hasgreatly into flight from ground with whistling wing beats, followed feeding outgrain.Oftenperchesonoverheadwires.Bursts Regularly seenaroundthedistrict,especiallyfarms

GC Spotted Turtle-dove andRock ,

The Final Word It is hoped that this booklet will foster interest in local birds, their place in the environment and the plight of many woodland species. Creation of bird habitat is very much a Landcare issue – the role birds play in sustainable farming systems by reducing insect numbers in trees, crops and pastures is well documented. Birds are also good indicators of the general health of the farm environment – if many birds are present, a range of other wildlife will also be present. Active Landcare groups like ours, through planting, fencing and weed control efforts, as well as educational field days, can help create the essential to maintaining a sustainable long-term rural landscape for both wildlife and humans. Remember, it is not just one or two rarely seen birds that are under threat. Many of our familiar birds are among a range of species that are declining and just managing to hang on in the remnants of habitat available to them. It would be a tragedy to lose any of our rich heritage of birdlife. So keep on planting and keep on protecting remnant native vegetation!!

Contacts and Further Information Agencies/Organisations Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). For advice relating to public land and fauna and flora in general. Alexandra office: ph.(03) 5772 0200. Department of Primary Industries (DPI). For advice relating to private land, environmental incentive grants and plants and . Broadford office: ph.(03) 5784 0600. Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA). For advice on waterways and funding for waterway revegetation. Yea office: ph.(03) 5736 0100. Birds Australia: ph.1300 730 075; web: www.birdsaustralia.com.au BOCA: ph.1300 305 342; web: www.birdobservers.org.au

References and Further Reading How to Plan Wildlife Landscapes – a guide for community organisations. S.J. Platt, 2002. Available on DSE website [www.dse.vic.gov.au]. A Wildlife Guide for Landholders in the foothills and upper regions of the Goulburn Broken Catchment. Available from CMA. Birds on Farms – ecological management for agricultural sustainability. Geoff Barrett, 2000. Available from Birds Australia. How Much Habitat is Enough – planning for wildlife conservation in rural landscapes. Radford, Bennett and MacRaild, 2004. Available from DSE. Field Guide to Australian Birds. Morcombe Field Guide to the . Pizzey and Knight Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Simpson and Day Field Guide to Australian Birds. Slater Reader’s Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds. 37 Appendix 1 Bird Species observed by John Hatchell-Brown Snr. at “The Willows”, Flowerdale 1937 - 1968.

Stubble Quail Masked Owl Black Swan Southern Boobook Crested Shrike-tit Pacific Black Duck Barn Owl Olive Whistler Australasian Grebe Golden Whistler Little Pied Australian Owlet-nightjar Rufous Whistler Pied Cormorant White-throated Needletail Grey Shrike-thrush Little Black Cormorant Azure Kingfisher Leaden Flycatcher Great Cormorant Laughing Kookaburra Satin Flycatcher White-faced Heron Sacred Kingfisher Restless Flycatcher White-necked Heron Rainbow Bee-eater Magpie-lark Nankeen Night Heron Superb Rufous Fantail White-throated Treecreeper Grey Fantail Straw-necked Ibis Brown Treecreeper Willie Wagtail Yellow-billed Spoonbill Superb Fairy-wren Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Black-shouldered Kite Ground Cuckoo-shrike Whistling Kite White-winged Triller Brown Goshawk White-browed Scrubwren Dusky Woodswallow Brown Thornbill Grey Butcherbird Yellow-rumped Thornbill Wedge-tailed Eagle Yellow Thornbill Pied Currawong Striated Thornbill Brown Falcon Southern Whiteface Australian Raven Australian Hobby Red Wattlebird White-winged Chough Nankeen Kestrel Richard’s Pipit Buff-banded Rail Yellow-faced Honeyeater House Sparrow Purple Swamphen Singing Honeyeater Red-browed Finch Latham’s Snipe White-eared Honeyeater Diamond Firetail Painted Snipe White-plumed Honeyeater European Goldfinch Masked Lapwing Brown-headed Honeyeater Mistletoebird Silver White-naped Honeyeater White-backed Swallow Common Bronzewing Crescent Honeyeater Peaceful Dove New Holland Honeyeater Fairy Martin Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo White-fronted Honeyeater Golden-headed Cisticola Gang-gang Cockatoo Eastern Spinebill Silvereye Galah White-fronted Chat Song Thrush Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Jacky Winter Bassian Thrush Scarlet Robin Common Blackbird Musk Lorikeet Flame Robin Common Starling Common Myna Crimson Rosella Hooded Robin Eastern Robin Total of 126 species. Pallid Cuckoo White-browed Babbler Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Spotted Quail-thrush

38 Appendix 2 Bird Species recorded by Landcare Group Members during 2006.

Stubble Quail Superb Fairy-wren Little Raven Australian Wood Duck Spotted Pardalote White-winged Chough Pacific Black Duck Striated Pardalote House Sparrow Chestnut Teal White-browed Scrubwren Red-browed Finch Australasian Grebe Weebilll European Goldfinch Little Pied Cormorant White-throated Gerygone Mistletoebird Little Black Cormorant Brown Thornbilll Welcome Swallow White-faced Heron Buff-rumped Thornbill Tree Martin White-necked Heron Yellow-rumped Thornbill Fairy Martin Australian White Ibis Yellow Thornbill Clamorous Reed-warbler Straw-necked Ibis Striated Thornbill Rufous Songlark Yellow-billed Spoonbill Red Wattlebird Silvereye Black-shouldered Kite Common Blackbird Whistling Kite Common Starling Wedge-tailed Eagle Yellow-faced Honeyeater Common Myna Little Eagle White-eared Honeyeater Brown Falcon White-plumed Honeyeater Total of 101 species. Nankeen Kestrel Brown-headed Honeyeater Thanks are due to those Buff-banded Rail White-naped Honeyeater Landcare members who Masked Lapwing Crescent Honeyeater participated in the survey. Spotted Turtle-Dove New Holland Honeyeater Common Bronze-wing Eastern Spinebill Crested Pigeon Scarlet Robin Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Flame Robin Gang-gang Cockatoo Eastern Yellow Robin Galah Varied Sittella Long-billed Crested Shrike-tit Golden Whistler Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Rufous Whistler Musk Lorikeet Grey Shrike-thrush Little Lorikeet Leaden Flycatcher Australian King Parrot Restless Flycatcher Crimson Rosella Magpie-lark Eastern Rosella Grey Fantail Red-rumped Parrot Willie Wagtail Pallid Cuckoo Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Fan-tailed Cuckoo Olive-backed Oriole Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo Dusky Woodswallow Southern Boobook Grey Butcherbird Australian Owlet-nightjar Australian Magpie Laughing Kookaburra Pied Currawong Sacred Kingfisher Grey Currawong White-throated Treecreeper Australian Raven

39 40 Index and Checklist Frogmouth, Friarbird, Noisy Satin Restless Flycatcher, Leaden Firetail, Finch, Red-browed Rufous Fantail, , Fairy-wren, Superb Wedge-tailed Eagle, Little Duck, Rock Dove, Peaceful Dollarbird Pied Currawong, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Pallid Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cormorant, Long-billed Corella, Little Coot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Chough, Chat, Butcherbird, Bronzewing, Bronze-Cuckoo, Boobook, Blackbird, Tawny Diamond Grey Brown Pacific Black Australian Wood Black-faced Little Pied Little Black Eurasian Yellow-tailed Black Gang-gang White-winged White-fronted Grey Common Shining 28 Horsfield’s Southern Common 24 22 22 22 17 22 31 17 30 31 36 36 19 05 05 28 28 09 09 29 17 22 31 32 32 07 33 33 35 08 09 08 07 12 06 36 28 29 36                                         Needletail, White-throated Native-hen, Miner, Myna, Common Moorhen, Mistletoebird Martin, Fairy Magpie-lark Magpie, Rainbow Musk Lorikeet, Little Lapwing, Masked Kookaburra, Laughing Whistling Kite, Sacred Kingfisher, Kestrel, Nankeen Jacky Winter Straw-necked Ibis, Yellow-faced White-plumed White-naped White-eared Crescent Honeyeater, Hobby, White-necked Heron, White-faced Harrier, Swamp Hardhead Grebe, Australasian Goshawk, Goldfinch, Gerygone, White-throated Galah Black-tailed Noisy Dusky Tree Australian Black-shouldered Azure Australian White New Holland Brown-headed Australian Brown European 27 35 26 36 35 15 27 27 07 05 10 10 10 35 19 31 30 19 19 31 21 35 35 24 25 25 24 26 26 25 31 34 34 31 35 32 30 36 14 09                                         Swift, Fork-tailed Swamphen, Swallow, Welcome Starling, Common Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Spinebill, Eastern Sparrowhawk, Collared Sparrow, House Songlark, Rufous Snipe, Sittella, Varied Silvereye Shrike-tit, Crested Shrike-thrush, Grey Shelduck, Australian Scrubwren, Eastern Rosella, Crimson Scarlet Red-capped Hooded Flame Robin, Reed-Warbler, Little Raven, Australian Rail, Quail, Pipit, Australian Pigeon, Parrot, Striated Pardalote, Owlet-nightjar, Owl, Oriole, Purple Latham’s White-browed Pink 23 Eastern Yellow Clamorous Buff-banded Stubble Crested Red-rumped Australian King Spotted Australian Barn Olive-backed 27 27 36 34 26 31 36 19 14 14 20 11 33 10 10 23 23 21 23 06 06 12 35 35 17 23 35 35 12 36 10 08 15 15 29 29 18                                       the LandcareGroup. Monthly checklistsarealsoavailablethrough Tick boxesareprovidedtorecordbirdsasyouseethem. by photosandnotes. Page numbersinboldindicatebirdsthatarecovered Masked Woodswallow, Dusky Whiteface, Southern Rufous Olive Whistler, Golden Weebill Red Wattlebird, Little Wagtail, Willie Triller, White-winged White-throated Treecreeper, Brown Turtle-dove, Spotted Thrush, Bassian Yellow-rumped Yellow Striated Buff-rumped Thornbill, Brown Grey Teal, Chestnut White-browed 18 18 18 20 11 11 11 13 24 24 22 07 18 21 36 19 16 13 13 16 16 33 33

                      

Index and Checklist Then, Now and the Future? © Strath Creek Landcare Group 2007. Strath Creek Landcare Group Printed on paper from Managed Plantation Forests. Elemental Chlorine Free.