Rainfall and Avian Breeding Seasons in North-Western New South Wales in Spring and Summer 1974–75

1976 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 139-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. L. Maclean
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
North Western

Soil and vegetation response to thinning White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla) on the North Western Slopes of New South Wales, Australia

2006 ◽  
Vol 285 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 245-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. McHenry ◽  
B. R. Wilson ◽  
J. M. Lemon ◽  
D. E. Donnelly ◽  
I. G. Growns
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Vegetation Response ◽  
The North ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Callitris Glaucophylla ◽  
North Western ◽  
Cypress Pine

The breeding behaviour of the endangered regent honeyeater, Xanthomyza phrygia, near Armidale, New South Wales

1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damon L. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Similar Rate ◽  
Nest Construction ◽  
Aggressive Interactions ◽  
Breeding Behaviour ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Breeding Seasons

The regent honeyea ter, Xanthomyza phrygia, is an endangered woodland bird whose range and population size have decreased in the last thirty years. Suggested reasons for this decline include abnormal breeding behaviour, poor reproductive output, and excessive inter- and intra-specific aggression. This study investigated the breeding behaviour and aggressive interactions of regent honeyeaters during the nest construction, incubation, nestling, and fledgling stages in two consecutive breeding seasons in the Bundarra–Barraba region near Armidale, New South Wales. The female was entirely responsible for nest construction and incubation, which is typical of many honeyeaters. Both parents fed the nestlings, and at a similar rate, although only the female brooded chicks on the nest. Both parents fed the fledglings. The mean frequency at which nestlings (23 times per hour) and fledglings (29 times per hour) were fed is the highest published rate of any non-cooperative honeyeater. Breeding males were involved in significantly more aggressive interactions with conspecifics and other nectarivores than were females, although the overall percentage of day-time spent in aggression for both sexes was low (2.5%). It appears that abnormal breeding behaviour, poor reproductive effort, or excessive aggression are not experienced by this species in northern New South Wales, and that other factors are likely to be responsible for its current low population level.

Red kangaroo, Megaleia rufa (Desmarest), in north-western New South Wales. 2. Food

1971 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
PT Bailey ◽  
PN Martensz ◽  
RD Barker
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Red Kangaroo ◽  
South Wales ◽  
North Western

Rhizobium as a factor in the re-establishment of legume-based pastures on clay soils of the wheat belt of north-western New South Wales

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 555 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Bowman ◽  
D. M. Hebb ◽  
D. J. Munnich ◽  
J. Brockwell
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fixation ◽  
Rhizobium Meliloti ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Natural Fertility ◽  
Fixed Nitrogen ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
North Western

Summary. Populations of Rhizobium meliloti in self-mulching clay soils (Vertisols) at 48 sites on 27 properties in north-western New South Wales were classified according to number and ability to fix nitrogen with several species of Medicago. Rhizobia were counted using serial dilution, nodulation frequency, plant infection tests. Abilities of the soil populations to fix nitrogen were determined in the laboratory with whole-soil inoculation of Medicago seedlings in test tubes with shoots exposed to the atmosphere and roots within the tubes under bacteriological control, and in the field using a technique based on the natural abundance of 15N in the soil. The majority of soils contained >1000 cells of R. meliloti per gram. The major component of those populations fixed nitrogen with lucerne (Medicago sativa) and some components of some soils also fixed nitrogen with M. polymorpha, M. scutellata, M. littoralis, M. tornata, M. laciniata and Trigonella suavissima. However, a number of soils were located which contained few if any rhizobia effective in nitrogen fixation with M. polymorpha. Overall, the effectiveness of nitrogen fixation of the naturally occurring populations of R. meliloti in association with M. polymorpha, M. scutellata, M. littoralis and M. tornata was only 46% of the effectiveness of standard strains. At one particular site, where 10 lines of annual Medicago spp. were growing experimentally, fixed nitrogen as a proportion of shoot nitrogen averaged only 28%. At that site, there were no effective rhizobia for M. scutellata and it was wholly dependent on the soil as the source of its nitrogen. The results are discussed in relation to the need for a substantial input of legume nitrogen for restoring the natural fertility of self-mulching clay soils in degraded wheat lands of north-western New South Wales. It is suggested that lucerne, or perhaps other perennial Medicago spp., might fill this role better than annual medics such as M. polymorpha and M. scutellata that are more dependent than lucerne on specific strains of R. meliloti to meet their requirements for symbiotic nitrogen fixation.

Predation of Red Kangaroos, Macropus rufus, by the Dingo, Canis familiaris dingo (Blumenbach) in North-Western New South Wales

1981 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 255 ◽  
Author(s):  
NC Shepherd
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Pathological Finding ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Daily Rate ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Border Fence ◽  
Selection For ◽  
The Difference ◽  
North Western

Over 7 weeks a group of five dingoes killed 83 red kangaroos within 150 m of a watering point in north-western New South Wales. All except three of these kangaroos were juveniles. Detailed autopsies were performed on 17 of the dead kangaroos: primary predation was the only significant gross pathological finding; the dingoes had eaten portions from about half the kangaroos killed. The daily rate of killing was estimated to be about 0.38 kg prey per kg predator. The rate of killing and the selection for juvenile kangaroos suggested that dingoes could have a direct effect on kangaroo densities by limiting rate of increase. The significance of this finding is discussed with reference to the difference in abundance of kangaroos between the New South Wales and Queensland sides of the border fence.

The importance of insects and lerp in the diet of juvenile regent honeyeaters, Xanthomyza phrygia: implications for the conservation of an endangered woodland bird

1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damon L. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Resource Selection ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Other ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Eucalypt Species ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Breeding Seasons

The dietary items fed to regent honeyeater, Xanthomyza phrygia, nestlings and fledglings by adults were recorded in two consecutive breeding seasons in the Bundarra–Barraba region west of Armidale, New South Wales. Insects were the most common dietary items fed to juveniles (53% of identified items), followed by lerp (26.5%) and nectar (20.5%). Nestlings were fed mostly insects (58% of feeds), and carbohydrates (nectar and lerp) made up the rest of their diet. Fledglings, however, were fed mainly carbohydrates (nectar and lerp comprised 61.2% of all items) while protein from insects was the other major component of their diet. Males tended to feed juveniles more insects than did females, although there were no significant divisions of labour between parents in selecting dietary items for nestlings or fledglings. This study highlights the importance of insects and lerp in the diet of juvenile regent honeyeaters, and the diversity of plant species on which their parents foraged. The species shows a broader resource selection than was found in previous studies which considered the species to be highly nectarivorous and selective for a few key eucalypt species. The importance of insects and carbohydrates other than nectar in the diet of the regent honeyeater needs to be recognised in the development of conservation strategies for the species.

Patterns of waterbird use in wetlands of the Paroo, A river system of inland Australia.

1992 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
MT Maher ◽  
LW Braithwaite
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
River System ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Flood Event ◽  
Flood Events ◽  
Inland Wetlands ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Waterbird Species ◽  
North Western

The significance of inland wetlands to Australian waterbirds has been overlooked until recently. One important area identified from regular aerial survey centres on the Paroo River in north-western New South Wales. Between April 1983 and December 1985, a period covering a major flood, waterbird populations were estimated on five wetland systems associated with the Paroo during 14 trips. Fifty- three waterbird species were recorded with the anatids, Anas gibberifrons and Malacorhynchus membranaceus, accounting for 75 per cent of total estimated populations. Most breeding events were observed in those wetlands dominated by Muehlenbeckia florulenta (lignum). Breeding accounted for shifts in waterbird populations between wetland systems. A model of waterbird usage of the five wetland systems in relation to a complete flood event is described. The importance for waterbird conservation of wetlands used for breeding and maintenance of populations between flood events, and threats to the integrity of these wetlands are discussed.

Aerial baiting of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) for the control of exotic disease in the semi-arid rangelands of New South Wales

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. S. Fleming ◽  
David Choquenot ◽  
Richard J. Mason
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Effective Density ◽  
Contingency Planning ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
The Third ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Arid Rangelands ◽  
North Western

An experiment that held the density of feral pigs constant while varying the effective density of aerially distributed baits was conducted at three sites in north-western New South Wales. Meat baits, containing one of the biomarkers iophenoxic acid, tetracycline or rhodamine B, were distributed at different intensities over each site, and a sample of pigs was shot from a helicopter at each site to determine bait uptake. Serum and tissue samples taken from each pig were analysed for the occurrence of the biomarkers; the proportions of pigs exhibiting biomarkers represented the proportions of the feral pig populations that had consumed baits at different baiting intensities (expressed as baits per unit of pig density). The maximum percentage of sampled pigs that had eaten baits varied from 31% to 72% across the three sites. Bait uptake was regressed against baiting intensity. For two of the trials, the quantity of bait hypothetically required to eliminate a population of feral pigs was extrapolated to be 1577 baits per unit of pig density, while for the third trial 1874 baits per unit of pig density would have been required. Bait-uptake by non-target animals was substantial, posing potential hazards to birds and reducing the availability of baits to feral pigs. Most likely, seasonal conditions affected bait-uptake by feral pigs. We discuss the implications of these results for exotic disease contingency planning.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document