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Recent Honeyeater Migration in Southern Australia

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Recent Honeyeater Migration in Southern Australia June 2010 223 Recent Honeyeater Migration in Southern Australia BRYAN T HAYWOOD Abstract be seen moving through areas of south-eastern Australia during autumn (Ford 1983; Simpson & A conspicuous migration of honeyeaters particularly Day 1996). On occasions Fuscous Honeyeaters Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Lichenostomus chrysops, have been reported migrating in company with and White-naped Honeyeater, Melithreptus lunatus, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, but only in small was observed in the SE of South Australia during numbers (Blakers et al., 1984). May and June 2007. A particularly significant day was 12 May 2007 when both species were Movements of honeyeaters throughout southern observed moving in mixed flocks in westerly and Australia are also predominantly up the east northerly directions in five different locations in the coast with birds moving from Victoria and New SE of South Australia. Migration of Yellow-faced South Wales (Hindwood 1956;Munro, Wiltschko Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater is not and Wiltschko 1993; Munro and Munro 1998) limited to following the coastline in the SE of South into southern Queensland. The timing and Australia, but also inland. During this migration direction at which these movements occur has period small numbers of Fuscous Honeyeater, L. been under considerable study with findings fuscus, were also observed. The broad-scale nature that birds (heading up the east coast) actually of these movements over the period April to June change from a north-easterly to north-westerly 2007 was indicated by records from south-western direction during this migration period. This Victoria, various locations in the SE of South change in direction is partly dictated by changes Australia, Adelaide and as far west as the Mid North in landscape features, but when Yellow-faced of SA. Honeyeaters are held captive during this same period their flight tendencies also display this same directional change (Munro, Wiltschko and Ford, 1993). These seasonal movements are INTRODUCTION assisted by the abundance in flowering of forest and woodland trees and understorey plants, but Little is known about the large scale or are not limited to them (Ford 1983). Seasonal migratory movements of Australian land birds movements of honeyeaters are also well known (Munro, Wiltschko & Wiltschko, 1993; Griffioen to occur in the Mount Lofty Ranges (SA) with and Clarke, 2002; Dingle 2008), especially birds moving 10 to 100 km in search of food population changes and movements in (Paton, Rogers & Harris, 2004). honeyeaters (Ford 1977; Simpson & Day, 1996). However, the migratory nature of the Yellow- Despite the predominant east coast movement faced Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater of honeyeaters a proportion of Yellow-faced is well documented (Schodde and Tidemann, Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater 1986) and to a lesser extent that of Fuscous populations also make their way into South Honeyeaters (Higgins, Peter and Steele 2001). Australia from south-western Victoria. Hood Hence large and restless flocks of Yellow-faced and Attiwell (1958) and Haywood (2003) both Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater can observed Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, L. melanops, 224 South Australian Ornithologist 35 (8) a species only known as a vagrant to South This paper compiles observations of mixed Australia (SAOA 2008) in amongst flocks of other flocks of honeyeaters (especially Yellow-faced honeyeater species during this migratory period. Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater) from Other previous conspicuous mass movements early April to late June 2007 from SW Victoria, and/or migration events of honeyeaters in South various locations in the SE of South Australia, Australia have been reported by Ford (1977), Adelaide and as far as the Mid North of the S.A. Hardy (1980) and Paton (1988). MIGRATION EVENT OF AUTUMN/WINTER 2007 Hood and Attiwell (1958) remarked on annual flights of wattlebirds (Anthochaera sp.) and Initial observations various small honeyeaters from the end of In the Portland district (SW Victoria) in April April to May each year in the mid SE of South “large flocks (100’s) of Fuscous Honeyeater and Australia (Naracoorte district). On 11 May 1958 Yellow-faced Honeyeater were observed together. Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters were seen amongst In separate large flocks White-naped Honeyeaters these flights in the Joanna area (15 km east and much smaller numbers of Yellow-tufted of Bool Lagoon). Haywood (2003) reported Honeyeaters and Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters, a similar occurrence on 10 May 2002 when a Glyciphila melanops, were also moving together. Yellow-tufted Honeyeater was seen further Fuscous Honeyeaters were observed feeding on south at Moorak (5 km SW of Mt Gambier) lerps and the other honeyeater species fed mainly presumably arriving amongst the flocks of on blossom of Swamp Gum, Eucalytpus ovata. migrating Yellow-faced Honeyeaters seen Flocks were erratic but general movement was in during that early May period. a southerly or easterly direction” (R. Farnes pers. comm. 2007). Ford (1977) noted that in autumn 1976 the migration by both Yellow-faced Honeyeaters Flocks of Yellow-faced Honeyeater (20-100 and White-naped Honeyeaters was more flocks per day) and small numbers of White- noticeable than in previous years with naped Honeyeater were flying north over Black reasonable numbers being seen in Adelaide Forest (suburban Adelaide) during April. “This suburbs, far northern Mount Lofty Ranges occurs most years although numbers are usually and Murray Mallee districts. Hardy (1980) also less and confined to about two weeks in late reported conspicuous numbers of White-naped April - early May. Birds were only observed Honeyeaters 21 km N of Adelaide during March moving from early to mid morning and flock and April 1978. Numbers dwindled as the sizes ranged from 2 to 20 birds” (G. Carpenter season broke in late April. pers. comm. 2007). Paton (1988) remarked on mixed flocks Large numbers (many 100’s) of honeyeaters of honeyeaters (including Yellow-faced were observed flying through different parts of Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater) the SE of South Australia by several observers and their direction of flight at Cape Jervis on on 12 May 2007 (Table 1). The flocks observed 3 May 1986. Paton (1988) also detailed how were mixed but dominated by either Yellow- he believed that migration events in the SE faced Honeyeater or White-naped Honeyeater. of South Australia may follow the coastline. Observations ranged from mid morning This coastal movement also appears normal through to mid afternoon. The sites where for Yellow-faced Honeyeater in southern and this was observed included Port MacDonnell, eastern Victoria (Higgins et al. 2001) whereby Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park (CP), birds moving along the coastline have to travel Moorak, Bool Lagoon area, and Butcher Gap east to north-east. CP (Figure 1). Observers noted that the flocks June 2010 225 Clare Koolunga New South Wales Adelaide Victoria Cape Jervis South Australia Gemini Downs Keith Messent CP Cantara Homestead Blackford Drain Butcher Gap CP Bool Lagoon area Casterton Moorak Piccaninnie Ponds Direction of flock movements Port MacDonnell Portland district 0 50 100 North Kilometres Figure 1. Locations of Honeyeater movements in autumn/winter 2007 Figure 1 Locations of honeyeater movements in Autumn/Winter 2007 226 South Australian Ornithologist 35 (8) never sat for longer than a minute or two, but Honeyeaters were observed, up to four at a generally only a few seconds. On occasions time and apparently passing through. Two other honeyeater species were observed, but were feeding in flowering Peppermint Box, E. with little time and opportunity to identify porosa, in a small heritage block on the same them. property on the 24 May and one or two others were heard near the farmhouse that day. In In SW Victoria on 16 May 2007 in the Cape late June at least a couple were still present Nelson area (Portland district) erratic feeding in flowering SA Blue gum, E. leucoxylon, movements of large mixed flocks of Yellow- near the farmhouse and along the Broughton faced Honeyeater and smaller numbers of River about a kilometre to the north. White- White-naped Honeyeater and some Tawny- naped Honeyeaters have only been previously crowned Honeyeaters were observed on 26 recorded once near Koolunga, in May about ten May 2007 at Drajurk State Forest, (20 km west years ago. On 30 June 2007 an Eastern Spinebill of Casterton). Many hundreds of Yellow- was observed near the house. This species has faced Honeyeater and Eastern Spinebill, never previously been recorded between the Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris, and good numbers Tothill Ranges and the Beetaloo area of the of Tawny-crowned Honeyeater were all seen southern Flinders Ranges. Also Yellow-faced mainly feeding near the ground on Flame Honeyeaters have never been recorded between Heath, Astroloma sp., and to a lesser extent on Clare, where they are regular, and the Beetaloo flowering Brown Stringybark, E. baxteri (R. area (L. Pedler pers. comm. 2007). Farnes pers. comm. 2007). Upper South-east observations Subsequent observations Interestingly approximately 50 km inland (from Despite the numerous flocks of Fuscous the Coorong) at Keith, this migration event Honeyeater in SW Victoria during this time, on particularly on 12 May 2007 (of Yellow-faced only four occasions were Fuscous Honeyeaters Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater) confirmed to be amongst flocks of Yellow-faced was not observed. However Red Wattlebirds, Honeyeaters and White-naped Honeyeaters in Anthocaera carunculata, were reported some South Australia (Table 1). weeks earlier in larger numbers than usual (D. Sando pers. comm. 2007). Fuscous Honeyeaters observed at Telford Scrub CP were feeding on flowering Swamp Gum, Two further observations in early June were E. ovata (R. Green pers. comm. 2007). The two made of large numbers of Red Wattlebird in sightings in or near the Coorong were of birds the upper SE. Several hundred Red Wattlebirds feeding in flowering Coastal White Mallee, E. were observed in Messent CP on 11 June diversifolia, an abundant resource during that 2007 feeding on flowering Desert Banksia, period.
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