TASMANIAN BIRD REPORT 34 BIRDS TASMANIA 2010 TASMANIAN BIRD REPORT 34 Contents Editorial - Tasmanian Bird Report 34 The widespread loss of trees on the northeast coastal plain of Tasmania and the possible effect on forest birds. Peter Duckworth 1 First breeding records for Royal Spoonbill and Great Egret in Tasmania. Ralph Cooper 6 Conservation overview of the Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azureus subsp diemenensis in Tasmania. Mark Wapstra' Sally Bryant and Phil Bell 8 Four bird species eat Native Cherry fruit. William E Davis Jr 24 A probable wild hybrid Galah x Long-billed Corella. William E Davis Jr 25 Summer and Winter Wader counts, 2009. Denis Charlesworth 27 EDITORIAL - TASMANIAN BIRD REPORT 34 The Tasmanian Bird Report continues to be an important source of knowledge for scientists and those who are concerned about Tasmanian avifauna. Thanks are extended to those who submitted articles for this Report. We encourage all those who are preparing reports on their work to continue to provide their documents to Birds Tasmania for publication. The published records over the years form the basis of solid evidence of the status of, and trends in Tasmania's avian populations. Sightings and counts of specific species have continued regularly throughout the year, both for the Atlas and the Important Bird Areas projects. Birds Tasmania also has its own data set, which is now being used increasingly by Local Governments, NRM bodies and other community organisations. Birds Tasmania now also has a collection of photographs, thanks to the work of Robert Fletcher. These photographs, in addition to the observation data, are now increasingly available to scientists and other groups. Another significant innovation has been the extensive digital collection of bird vocalisations, initiated by Sarah Lloyd. There are now recordings from more than 100 locations throughout the state, with repeat surveys at some sites. This is providing a valuable source of information on several species and in areas hitherto unrecorded. In closing, we note with deep regret the loss of several members of Birds Tasmania, in particular Peter Britton, who was Editor of the Tasmanian Bird Report for several years. Malcolm Grant Editor CONSERVATION OVERVIEW OF THE AZURE KINGFISHER CEYX AZUREUS SUBSP. DIEMENENSIS IN TASMANIA Mark WapstraA.D, Sally BryantB and Phil Bellc AEnvironmental Consulting Options Tasmania, 28 Suncrest Avenue, Lenah Valley, Tas. 7008, Australia BTasmanian Land Conservancy, PO Box 2112, Lower Sandy Bay, Tas. 7005, Australia cDepartment of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment, GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia D (Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]) "I have seen and have records of this scarce Kingfisher from various parts of the island. Owing to its habits it is but seldom seen by the casual observer, even about the rivers it haunts" A Handbook of the Birds of Tasmania and its Dependencies (Littler 1910, p. 80). Introduction (Higgins 1999): C. a. azureus (Queensland to The Azure Kingfisher is listed as endangered Victoria); C. a. ruficollaris (northern Australia from (Schedule 3) on the Tasmanian Threatened the Kimberleys to Cape York Peninsula) and C. a. Species Protection Act 1995. During 2008, we diemenensis (endemic to Tasmania). The compiled a profile of the species as part of a joint subspecies differ only in minor details: State-Commonwealth initiative to consider the subspecies ruficollaris is smaller, brighter, and conservation status of State-listed species not has more blue on the flanks; subspecies presently listed on the Commonwealth diemenensis is consistently larger, shorter billed, Environment Protection and Biodiversity and has a distinctly darker violet-blue crown. Conservation Act 1999. It became clear to us that There is a north-south cline of increasing size but the database information available for the Azure subspecies diemenensis is discontinuously larger Kingfisher was limited, especially in terms of the in body proportions than mainland Australian historical aspects of the species' distribution. In subspecies (Schodde & Mason 1976), and has addition, there are few published accounts of the larger eggs (Campbell 1901 cited in Schodde & species in Tasmania, except for anecdotal Mason 1976). The species is widely known as the reports. Azure Kingfisher throughout its entire range The purpose of this paper is to present the (Higgins 1999) with some other common names available information on the Azure Kingfisher in listed such as blue, creek, purple, Victorian blue, Tasmania to the broader scientific, ornithological river or water kingfisher, essentially reflecting the and naturalist community, with the hope of distribution, habitat or appearance of the species. generating further interest and observations of the species. Methods Taxonomy and nomenclature Record sources The Azure Kingfisher belongs to the kingfisher Existing database sources were interrogated for family (Coraciiformes, Alcedinidae). Christidis & records of the Azure Kingfisher in Tasmania. The Boles (2008) discuss the taxonomic position of primary database used by State government the two Australian species of kingfisher most agencies in the administration of the Tasmanian recently included in the genus Alcedo. They Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 is the noted that the inclusion of both species (including Natural Values Atlas, managed by the Department Alcedo azurea) received general acceptance. of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & However, Christidis & Boles (2008) further noted Environment. that recent detailed examination (Moyle 2006) of Ornithological and naturalist literature the alcedinine kingfishers using the mitochondrial sources were examined for records of the Azure ND2 gene and the second intron of the nuclear Kingfisher in Tasmania. A volume by volume myoglobin gene suggested that the species perusal of the following journals was undertaken: commonly placed in Alcedo did not form a Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of monophyletic group relative to other members of Tasmania, The Tasmanian Naturalist, Victorian the family, and that the Azure Kingfisher should Naturalist, Emu, Australian Bird Watcher, Records be included in the genus Ceyx. This recent of the Queen Victoria Museum, and the taxonomic change has been accepted by the Tasmanian Bird Report. This latter journal Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, includes an annual systematic list of interesting Parks, Water & Environment in their Natural and unusual sightings, spans the years 1971 to Values Atlas database and by Birds Australia (see the present, and mentions the kingfisher species http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/birds/checklist. in virtually all years. html). Less formal information on the Azure There are eight subspecies of Ceyx Kingfisher in Tasmania was sought from literature azureus, three of which occur within Australia Tasmanian Bird Report 34 (2010) Page 8 such as field guides, including ones specifically rivers. on Tasmanian birds such as the Tasmanian Bird Atlas (Thomas 1979). Additionally, information on The information request sent via email or sightings was sought from the following parties: inserted in newsletters and similar media took the • Birds Tasmania (email to members and form of the following (modified slightly to suit the notice in bi-monthly newsletter, Yellow Throat, particular audience): and discussion with individual members with INFORMA TlON REQUEST ON THE AZURE personal knowledge of the species and/or KINGFISHER access to historical records of bird sightings); Mark Wapstra is currently writing a species profile • Department of Primary Industries and . for the Azure Kingfisher as part of a review of the Water (now the Department of Primary conservation status of several threatened species. Industries, Parks, Water & Environment), Mark is seeking any observations of the Azure including the Water Assessment Section, Kingfisher from anywhere in Tasmania from Wildlife Management Branch, Threatened anytime (because any observations, no matter Species Section and broader Biodiversity how imprecise, will provide important information Conservation Branch (via email to staff and about changes to the distribution of the species). follow-up phone or emails with specific Much of the existing database information is people); imprecise with respect to location and date so • Department of Environment, Parks, even old observations will help clarify database Heritage and the Arts, specifically the Parks information. The specific information being and Wildlife Service that includes regional sought is: rangers and field staff (email to staff); LOCA TlON (ideally a precise easting/northing • Inland Fisheries Service (email to staff and stating datum and precision or lat/long but even a notice in monthly newsletter); river name would be great): • Forest Practices Authority (email to staff, DA TE (again, as precise as possible, but even a follow-up with specific people and email to a month and/or year is good information to have): network of 180+ Forest Practices Officers, OBSERVER (personal, second-hand, etc.): who are essentially regionally based field ABUNDANCE and EXTENT (single, pairs, many, officers); several at different points on river, etc.): • University of Tasmania, including the BEHAVIOUR (especially interested in obvious schools of Zoology, Plant Science, and breeding activity such as nest holes, birds Geography and Environmental Studies (email carrying nesting material, feeding young, but also to staff); observations