THE S.A. ORNITHOLOGIST 115 CRITICAL NOTES ON THE STATUS OF SOME NORTHERN TERRITORY BIRDS by SHANE A. PARKER, Arid Zone Research Institute, Alice Springs INTRODUCTION the McArthur River in November 1964, and These notes deal mainly with data addi­ at Walkers Creek near Normanton, north­ tional to those summarized by G. M. Storr west Queensland (RKC). in his List of Northern. Territory Birds BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE (1967), and their implications in relation (Elanus notatus). to previous knowledge of the species con­ Map 1 shows the recent Northern Terri­ cerned. Some critical records are re­ tory records detailed by me (Parker, 1969: examined. Once again I am considerably 61) and the following: between Henbury in the debt of Dr Storr for his groundwork and Erldunda, one seen on May 31, 1935 in this field and for his valuable criticisms (Cleland, 1936:194); Idracowra, sighting in of this paper in draft. early March 1911 (Hill, 1913:240); sandhill Abbreviations of observers' names and country near Chambers' Pillar (S. A. White, institutions are: AL (A. Lendon), AON (A. 1914:425); Katherine, one collected (Anon., O. Nicholls), BG (Mrs. Billie Gill), CC 1943:7) ; McArthur River, few seen and nest (Mrs. C. Cox), CDF (C. Dean Fisher), with 3 young found, May 1913 (Barnard, CSIRODS (C.S.I.R.O. Wildlife Research 1914:42); Humpty Doo, two seen, July­ Dingo Survey: Messrs Laurie Corbett, Peter August 1964 (Lendon, 1966:196); Oenpelli­ Hanisch, Harry Wakefield), DC (David East Alligator River, sightings in late Sep­ Crawford), DH (David Howe), DN tember 1948 (Deignan, 1964:356); South (Desmond Nelson), DS (David Stewart), Alligator River, 8 specimens collected by J. HD (Hans Dimpel), JB (John Bywater), Tunney in September-October 1903 JE (John Elliott), RB (Ronald Berry), RK (Hartert, 1905:208); Alexandria, one col­ (R. Keetch), RKC (R. K. Carruthers), SP lected by W. Stalker in June 1905 (Ingram, (author), WBH (Warren Hitchcock); AM 1907:398). (Specimens in the AMNH from (Australian Museum, Sydney), AMNH the last two localities were kindly checked (American Museum of Natural History, New as to species by Mrs Mary LeCroy). York), BMNH (British Museum (Natural History) London), HLW (H. L. White Col­ Other (unpublished) records of this species lection, National Museum of Victoria), appearing on Map 1 are: few miles south NMV (National Museum of Victoria, Mel­ of Gallipoli homestead, one over blacksoil bourne), NTM (Northern Territory plains, August 14, 1967 (WBH); Central Museum, Alice Springs), QM (Queensland Mount Wedge, sighted August 26-28, 1967 Museum, Brisbane), SAM (South Australian (BG); Yuendumu, sighted June 1968 (DS); Museum, Adelaide). Barrow Creek, one seen August 15, 1968 (SP); 10 miles north of Banka Banka, one All measurements in this paper are in mil­ above shrubby Acacia/Eucalyptus woodland, limetres; bill measurements are taken from August 4, 1968 (SP); 8-10 miles east of the skull and wing measurements are of the Allambi homestead, one seen June 16, 1968 flattened wing unless otherwise stated. (DH); 47 miles south of Tennant Creek, one quartering Plectrachne savannah, June 16, LITTLE BITTERN (Lxobrychus minutus). 1968 (SP, AON); midway between The Point Charles specimen, listed by Hermannsburg and Alice Springs, one seen, Storr in his Appendix (1967:69) is in the August 17, 1968 (SP, AL); south-east of AM, and was, according to H. J. de S. Curtin Springs towards Mount Conner, one Disney (in litt.), correctly identified by North over mulga/red sandhill country, May 21, (1913:41) as belonging to the Australian 1969 (SP); Mount Olga, a pair. and Ayers race dubius Mathews. This bittern has also Rock, a pair in open bloodwood/Grevillea been observed in mangroves at the mouth of striata/mulga woodland, July 24, 1969 (SP, 116 THE S.A. ORNITHOLOGIST DH); Mount Baddy, one bird, mid-October BANDED LAND-RAIL 1969 (JE); Arltunga, one bird, October 25, (Rallus philippensis). 1969 (JE); Reedy Rockhole, George Gill There are two currently-accepted Austra­ Range, one bird, August 31, 1969 (DS). lian forms of this species (Mayr, 1938; 1969 records indicate the species' continuing Deignan, 1964): R.p.mellori Mathews (olim presence.in the Alice Springs area, though australis Pelzeln) of mainland Australia in smaller numbers than in 1967 and 1968. except Cape York Peninsula, and R.p.yorki The picture" is thus of a species which at Mathews of Cape York Peninsula and islands present is fairly common in the range country of the Great Barrier Reef south to 24·S. of the southern Northern Territory, with (Lady Musgrave I., specimens in NMV). scattered occurrences north to the coast. The My examination in the NMV of seven skins breeding season in the southern ranges, as of yorki and twenty-one of mellori showed indicated. by 1967 and 1968 nesting records, that the former differs from the latter mainly is from May to September. in its darker, narrower breastband (6-10 mm, deep in yorki, 14-30 deep in mellori), LETTER-WINGED KITE and the shorter wing of its females (129-135 (Elanus scriptus), m.m, in three females of yorki, 134-140 in Map 1. Recent records of this species in five females of mellori). As, however, there the Northern Territory are almost all from appears to be no break in the distribution of the Barkly Tableland: Attack Creek, two this rail from Cape York southward, it is to collected,' February-March 1966 (McEvey, be expected that the two races grade imper­ 1967:20,31) ; Austral Downs, sighting, May ceptibly into each other. 1967 (RKC); Ranken Store, one seen, early The following Northern Territory speci­ 1968 (CC); Brunette Downs, late March mens were compared with material in the 1966, small flock nesting (RKC); McArthur NMV and may all be assigned to the race River mouth, sighting in February 1965 R.p.mellori: Borroloola, female ad., February (RKC); Brunette Bore, flock of 16 birds on 6, 1914 (HLW 4904), shot on nest with October 2, 1967 (Blackburn, 1968:234); eight eggs by H. G. Barnard; Larrakeyah, Frewena,' nest in shrub savannah with three Darwin, ? sex, September 29, 1968 (NTM nestlings, ,August 8, 1968 (DH); Rockhamp­ 4219); Howard Springs swamp, south-east ton Downs, nest with four eggs, September of Darwin, male ad., August 25, 1968 (NTM 9, 1968 (CSIRODS); Banka Banka, between 4203); Alice Springs, male ad., February 12, bores 12 and 1 in open grassland, two adults 1965 (NTM 2706); Alice Springs, female and three full-grown young flying around ad., March 9, 1965 (NTM 2751). It may nest and feeding-platform in small tree, July be that whereas the northern records re­ 30, 1968 (CSIRODS); Georgina Downs, present resident birds, those from Alice Sandover.River, two seen on August 9, 1968 Springs are of individuals which have tra­ (DH); c~ 6 miles south of Brunette Downs velled to the Centre with adventitious rains. homestead, nesting colony on March 20, 1968 (Hall, 1969); Elliott township, one CRESTED PIGEON (Ocyphaps lophotes). seen on November 13, 1969 (SP). Map 2. Further records of this species have permitted a finer resolution of its It appears from the foregoing that the Northern Territory range than that outlined Letter-winged Kite is at present not un­ by Storr (1967 :31). The following recent common .on the Barkly Tableland, in open northern records also indicate its increasing grassland and shrub savannah, presumably frequency in areas where it was formerly in consequence of the current abundance considered to be either a rare vagrant or there of Rattus villosissimus. The indications absent: are that the breeding season is prolonged, from March to September. 1. Barkly Tableland (one previous record, Alexandria, vide Ingram, 1907:391): 43 An extralimital record from near the miles north of Gallipoli homestead, one in Northern Territory border in Western Aus­ low grassy woodland, August 14, 1967 (SP); tralia is from the Forrest River Mission, 26 between Barry Caves Motel and Soudan, one miles north-west of Wyndham, two specimens in shrub savannah, March 24, 1968 (SP); 20 in the AM collected by Allen Keast on May miles north of Anthony Lagoon turnoff (116 30 and Jvne 18, 1952. miles east along Barkly Highway), in shrubby THE S.A. ORNITHOLOGIST 117 Acacia lysiphloia]Eucalyptus terminalis hummocky areas with few creeks, June­ woodland with Triodia and other grasses, December 1968 (RB). flock of at least twelve birds, May 16, 1968 2. Sandover River: sanguinea common (AON); Avon Downs and Soudan, frequent around Ammaroo homestead on September along Eucalyptus micro theca-lined water­ 18, 1956, while 24 miles west-south-west courses, June 13-14, 1968 (SP, AON); along the Sandover, at No. 8 bore, lead­ Brunette Downs, several seen in Acacia beateri observed on May 22, 1954 (DN). cambagei woodland near homestead, Novem­ (At 16 miles west-south-west of Ammaroo ber 17, 1969 (SP). homestead there is a Corella Bore.) 2. Carpentaria drainage (no previous re­ 3. Plenty River area: sanguinea recorded cords): Cleanskin Creek yard, open grass­ from near Huckitta out station (CSIRODS), land with scattered trees, one on August 16, while 20 miles west, on Entire Creek, lead­ 1967 (SP); Seven-Ten Waterhole, upper beateri observed on July 13, 1967 (DN). Nicholson River, fairly common in open 4. MacDonald Downs: both sanguinea and grassy forest, August 26, 1967 (SP); Border leadbeateri recorded (Chalmers, 1934:213; Waterhole, common in open woodland, late Ellis, 1948:15). August-early September 1967 (WBH, AON, In the Tanami semi-desert area and ad­ HD); Borroloola area, and Mount Roper, jacent regions near the Northern Territory/ near mouth of Roper River, "good numbers" Western Australian border, the density of in savannah woodland (Fifth Harold Hall both forms is considerably reduced, and Expedition, 1968, ms.); 90 miles east along occasional instances of sympatry have been Roper River road from Stuart Highway, one recorded.