St Mary’s Parish Centre, 61 Maxwell Road, Blenheim. Welcome On behalf of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand we are pleased to welcome you to Blenheim and the Third Australasian Ornithological Conference. Delegates have come from all parts of Australia and New Zealand and some from even further afield. Some are presenting papers reporting work done elsewhere including New Guinea, East Timor and the Cook Islands. We are delighted that the sphere of interest in these conferences is expanding to take in the fascinating avifaunas of other nations in the wider Australasian/Pacific regions. We have been over whelmed by the number of interesting papers offered for presentation. We have had to run concurrent sessions for the entire duration of the conference and for parts of one day resorted to running a third session. Even then we were unable to allow all those people who offered a spoken paper the opportunity to present their work. We apologize to those who missed out. The programme contains the rich mix of science and conservation typical of AOC conferences. Doubts have been expressed as to the wisdom of holding a conference in Blenheim rather than on a university campus. We are certain that those who go on the fieldtrips will understand why Blenheim was chosen. Marlborough is arguably the wine and food capital of New Zealand and our sponsor Grove Mill Winery and our caterers promise fare unequalled on any university campus. We trust that the conference will stimulate discussion and that many new friendships are forged and old acquaintances renewed. The Organising Committee 1 Organising Committee Brian Bell, Paul Scofield Wildlife Management International, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, N.Z. Blenheim, N.Z Kerry-Jayne Wilson (chairperson) Mike Bell, Bio-Protection & Ecology Division, Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Lincoln University, Canterbury, N.Z. Marlborough Region. Australasian Shorebird Conference Sue Bell liaison Wildlife Management International, David Melville and Rob Schuckard Blenheim, N.Z. Website Manager Terry Greene, Brent Stephenson, Department of Conservation, Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ and Christchurch, N.Z. Eco-vista, www.eco-vista.com Sue Mather, Conference assistants Birds Australia, Western Australian Inc. Kirstin Campbell Euan Kennedy Penny Olsen, Dale Mcentee Birds Australia, Melbourne and School Laura Molles of Botany and Zoology, The Australian Joanna Whitehead National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. Social functions All delegates are invited to the Opening Reception, 6.00–8.00 pm Tuesday 7 December, to sample the wines and food for which Marlborough is famous. This is free for all registered delegates. Wednesday evening there will an opportunity for people who share an interest in certain bird groups or particular aspects of ornithology to meet informally over dinner at local restaurants. Bookings to be made through the registration desk but delegates will be responsible for their own restaurant bills. The caterers for the conference dinner on Thursday evening are reputed to be some of Marlborough’s best. For those who have not already purchased their tickets a limited number are available from the registration desk at $50 per person. On Friday evening the Lincoln University ornithology students invite all other students to join them at an informal dinner and social. Details to be announced at the conference. There will be a small charge for this event. Pay at the registration desk. 2 Lunches, morning and afternoon teas. Lunches, morning and afternoon teas will be served outside the lecture halls. The cost is included in your registration fee. Information for speakers One of the small meeting rooms adjacent to the small hall is available as a preparation facility for speakers. Kirstin, Euan, Dale and Joanna will be available for assistance. Please ensure all slides, powerpoint presentations etc are loaded during the break immediately preceding your talk. Those who have sent us their powerpoint presentations before the conference can expect them to be ready to go, but please still meet with the lecture room staff in the break before your talk. Name badges Only people wearing their name badges can be admitted to the sessions or provided with lunches or teas. Messages A message board is located next to the reception desk. Delegates expecting messages are advised to check the board regularly as we can take no responsibility for personal delivery of messages. Early morning excursions Will Parsons a local naturalist will be organising early morning excursions to sites of ornithological interest. Please book at the registration desk. Banks, pharmacies, shops and restaurants The main business area of Blenheim is located two blocks from the conference venue. All facilities you may want are easily found. Please note smoking is not permitted inside the conference buildings. Abstracts Abstracts are presented in the following sequence: Plenaries, Symposia and papers therein (in order of presentation), Contributed papers then posters both in alphabetical sequence using the first mentioned authors surname. 3 AOC Programme at a glance Tuesday 6 December 2005. Conference bus departs Christchurch 7.00 am, arrives conference venue, Blenheim 5.30 pm 3.30 pm-6.00 pm Registration desk open 6.00 pm- 8.00 pm Marlborough evening reception Wednesday 7 December 2005 8.00 am – 6.15 pm Registration desk open except during conference sessions 8.30-10.20 am Conference session 10.20-10.50 am Morning tea 10.50-12.30 pm Conference session 12.30-1.30 pm Lunch 12.45-1.30 pm Meeting of the AOC Steering Committee in the Chapel. 1.30-3.10 pm Conference session 3.10-4.00 pm Afternoon tea and poster session 4.00-6.00 pm Conference session 7.30-11.00 pm Special interest dinners Thursday 8 December 2005 8.00 am –6.00 pm Registration desk open except during conference sessions 8.40-10.20 am Conference session 10.20-10.50 am Morning tea 10.50-12.30 pm Conference session 12.30-1.30 pm Lunch 1.30-3.10 pm Conference session 3.10-4.00 pm Afternoon tea and poster session 4.00-6.00 pm Conference session 7.30-11.00 pm Conference dinner Friday 9 December 2005 8.00 am – 5.30 pm Registration desk open except during conference sessions 8.40-10.20 am Conference session 10.20-10.50 am Morning tea 10.50-12.30 pm Conference session 12.30-1.30 pm Lunch 1.30-3.10 pm Conference session 3.10-3.40 pm Afternoon tea and poster session 3.40-5.00 pm Conference session 5.00 pm Prize giving, announcements and farewell. 7.00-10.00 pm Student function Saturday 10 December 2005 7.00 am Pelorus Sound fieldtrip departs. Returns 6.00 pm 7.00 am Kaikoura fieldtrip departs. Returns 6.00 pm 8.00 am Nelson Lakes fieldtrip departs. Returns 6.00 pm 4 Wednes. 7 Wednes. 7 Thurs. 8 December Thurs. 8 December Friday 9 December Friday 9 December December December Main hall Small hall Main hall Small hall Main hall Small hall 8.30-8.40 Conference opening XX XX XX XX XX Chair, Kerry-Jayne Wilson 8.40-9.40 am Plenary lecture XX Plenary lecture XX Plenary lecture XX Robertson, Kiwi, Holdaway, Clarke, Black-eared biology & Quaternary avian miner. Chair conservation Paleoecology. Jim Briskie Chair Penny Olsen Contributed papers, Contributed papers, Contributed papers, Contributed papers, Contributed papers, Symposium, kiwi. waders. Ornithological wetland birds. breeding. Landbird Chair John miscellany. Chair Kerry-Jayne monitoring. Dowding Wilson Chair Eric Spurr 9.40-10.00 am Bassett et al., Battley et al, Jolly, Rangitata Neil et al., Predator Blackmore, Nobel, The UK Artificial incubation Migration of knots river birds control for brown Babblers, breeding experience of Kiwi eggs. teal & behaviour 10.00-10.20 am Shapiro et al., Kiwi Harrison & Ford. Kleindorfer, Martin et al., Vision Briskie & Martin, Gregory, The and rats Status of NSW Darwin’s finches, & foraging in ducks life histories and European oystercatchers. parasites & fitness. nest predation. experience 10.20-10.50 am Morning tea Morning tea Morning tea 5 Wednesday. Wednesday Thursday 8 December Thursday. Thursday Friday 9 Friday 9 7 December 7 December Main hall 8 December 8 December December December Main hall Small hall Small hall Chapel Main hall Small hall Contributed Contributed Contributed papers, Symposium, Symposium, Contributed Symposium, papers, papers, Ornithological Avian influenza Ethno-ornithology, papers, breeding Landbird Single species Evolution & miscellany, Chair (AI), Chair Chair Bob Gosford and behaviour, monitoring, Chair conservation. taxonomy, Chair Hugh Ford Dorothy Geale Chair Mike Clark Dianne Brunton Chair Greg Paul Scofield Sherley 10.50- Barrett, Western Joseph & Adams et al., Stress Pharo, AI, the SE Campbell & McDonald et al., Ralph, Land bird 11.10 ground parrot Thomas, response in petrel Asian epidemic Puentener, Altruism in monitoring in am Diversity of arid chicks Maturanga Manu, cooperative North America zone birds Ngai Tahu breeders knowledge 11.10- Saunders, Rawlence & Ewen & Thorogood, Melville, AI in Russell, Ngai Tahu Ortiz-Catedral & Nilsson, Swedish 11.30 Foraging by swift Chambers, Carotenoid wildbirds input into DoC Brunton, web-based am parrots Evolution on supplementation in Hatching & reporting islands Hihi growth in kakariki 11.30- van Hal & Small, Gibb et at., Cunninghame & Langstaff & Tidemann & Thorogood & Dawson, 11.50 Orange-front Mitochondrial Harper, Weka, home McKenzie, AI Nganjmirra, Ewen, Hatching & Monitoring am parakeet sequences range & habitats surveillance in Kunwinjku bird growth in Hihi. common birds in NZ stories NZ 11.50- Hill, Red-tailed Boles, Bell et al, Settlement Geale et al., AI & Gosford, Warlpiri Starling & Briskie, Westbrooke, 12.10 Black-cockatoo Systematics in of translocated Hihi biosecurity. birds and culture Behavioural Scheme design pm Australasian birds plasticity & and analysis predation 12.10- Kennedy et al. Scofield, King Cousin, Petroicidae Geale, J., AI in Thomas, New Hale, Inbreeding Bart et al, 12.30 Black robin shag taxonomy foraging Kamchatka Guinea birds and and disease Population trends pm waders people in NZ birds.