Comparison of the Diets of Nestling Cattle Egrets and Intermediate Egrets in the Hunter Valley, New-South-Wales

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
GS Baxter ◽  
PG Fairweather
Keyword(s):  
Interspecific Competition ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Dietary Overlap ◽  
Bulk Weight ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Competition For Food ◽  
Breeding Seasons

The foods of Ardeola ibis coromandus and Egretta intermedia plumijera were determined from boluses regurgitated by chicks. There were 61 boluses collected from A. ibis and 33 from E. intermedia over four breeding seasons. A. ibis ate orthopteran insects (66% bulk weight) with fewer vertebrates (23%). E. intermedia relied on vertebrates (69%), mainly fish (58%), but also ate orthopterans (22%). Each species was largely opportunistic in its feeding but probably selected different habitats in which to forage. From the small dietary overlap revealed in this study, we conclude that interspecific competition for food was unlikely during the 1985-1987 breeding seasons.

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.

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.

Breeding Behaviour and Ecology of the Australian Pelican, Pelecanus Conspicillatus, in New South Wales.

1977 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
WJM Vestjens
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Perca Fluviatilis ◽  
Freshwater Crayfish ◽  
Goldfish Carassius Auratus ◽  
Cherax Destructor ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Perch Perca Fluviatilis ◽  
Competition For Food ◽  
A Minor

Australian pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus) were studied in colonies at 2 lakes in New South Wales. Adults regurgitated food for the young. Those up to 2 weeks old took liquid food from inside the tip of the adult's upper beak. Older ones took solid food from the adult's gullet, to age of about 3.5 months. After being fed, the young had convulsions lasting about 1 min; that did not happen after a second feeding immediately after the convulsion. Where there were 2 young of different sizes, only the larger convulsed, and sometimes the smaller was prevented from feeding and died of starvation. The survivor continued to have convulsions after feeding, as did single young, when there was no competition for food. Food was mainly fish; the most abundant fish was goldfish (Carassius auratus); a minor item was perch (Perca fluviatilis). Fish were 60 to 247 mm long and weighed 17 to 320 g. Crustaceans were less important and included freshwater crayfish (Cherax destructor) and shrimp (Macrobrachius sp.).

scholarly journals Myxomatosis: the introduction of the European rabbit flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale) into wild rabbit populations in Australia

1971 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. Sobey ◽  
Dorothy Conolly
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Release Site ◽  
Myxoma Virus ◽  
European Rabbit ◽  
Wild Rabbit ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Breeding Seasons

SUMMARY1. The European rabbit flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale) bred successfully in wild rabbits on three properties in New South Wales and, within two breeding seasons, almost every rabbit shot within a quarter of a mile of a release site was infested.2. It was demonstrated that the flea transmitted myxoma virus in the field.3. In areas where more than 75 % of the rabbits shot at the beginning of the breeding season were flea-infested and myxoma virus was present, populations failed to show the expected summer build-up.

Scramble Competition Polygyny in Platypuses.

1998 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 305
Author(s):  
D. Laxdal
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Scramble Competition ◽  
North Coast ◽  
River Catchment ◽  
Resource Defence ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
The Village ◽  
Visual Observations

Platypuses in the Upper Hastings river catchment, near the village of Ellenborough, mid-north coast of New South Wales, occur in small numbers in pools and raceways. Visual observations of platypuses at dawn and dusk during winter-spring breeding seasons included males that wandered, mate searched and attempted forced copulations. No intrasexual aggression between males was observed. Choosy female platypuses seemed to be able to control where and when males could mate. Rare observations of aggression among female and/or juvenile platypuses during summer may have been related to resource defence. Platypuses appear to fit the scheme of 'resources influence female dispersion influences male dispersion'.

Activity budget of the regent honeyeater, Xanthomyza phrygia, in northern New South Wales

2001 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damon L. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
General Behaviour ◽  
Nectar Feeding ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Access To Food ◽  
Breeding Seasons

One of the suggested reasons for the decline of the endangered regent honeyeater, Xanthomyza phrygia, is a decrease in foraging efficiency and increase in competition for resources due to the loss, fragmentation and degradation of woodlands and other habitats in south-eastern Australia. This study investigated the general behaviour of regent honeyeaters over 26 months during breeding and non-breeding seasons at three distinct locations in northern New South Wales. At the three locations, regent honeyeaters spent, on average, 43–52% of total time foraging, 22–40% resting, 6–10% flying, and 1.8–2.9% involved in aggression. In the Bundarra–Barraba region, regent honeyeaters spent 24% of total time breeding. In 1994 in the Warrumbungle National Park, birds that fed primarily on nectar spent more time in aggressive acts than birds that fed mostly on lerp. In 1995 in the Bundarra–Barraba region, nectar-feeding birds spent significantly less time foraging and more time in aggressive acts than lerp-feeding birds. In 1994, regent honeyeaters at Howes Valley spent less time foraging and in aggression and greater time resting in the afternoon than at other times of the day. In 1996 in the Bundarra–Barraba region, birds spent the greatest amount of time in aggressive acts and the least amount of time resting in the morning compared with other times of the day. Non-breeding regent honeyeaters in the Bundarra–Barraba region spent more time foraging, less time resting and less time in aggression in 1995 than in 1996. Non-breeding birds, on average, chased other birds 12.5 times per hour compared with an average of 20 times for breeding birds. Regent honeyeaters displayed a behavioural repertoire and proportion of time in different activities that is typical of other honeyeaters. Overall, this study showed that regent honeyeaters are not consistently or frequently suffering from a lack of, or problems with access to, food.

An Aerial Survey of Nests of Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata Gould (Megapodidae) in Central New South Wales

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Brickhill
Keyword(s):  
Nature Reserve ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Correction Factors ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Ground Survey ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Malleefowl nests were surveyed by air, in six breeding seasons, in Round Hill Nature Reserve in central New South Wales. A technique for marking the nests from a helicopter so that they can be easily relocated was used. In an area of 20 800 ha, a total of 19 1 old nests were marked, only three nests being used for breeding in 1979-80. Correction factors from a ground survey show that about 43% of the nests present were found in 22 days aerial survey. The results show a very low population of malleefowl on Round Hill Nature Reserve and suggest a decline in the population in the last few decades.

Biological observations on sharks caught by sport fisherman of New South Wales

1984 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 573 ◽  
Author(s):  
JD Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Prionace Glauca ◽  
Sphyrna Lewini ◽  
Isurus Oxyrinchus ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Gravid Females ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Between 1979 and 1982, 523 sharks representing four families and 13 species were examined from sport fishing catches off New South Wales. Additional catch data were available from records of the Sydney Game Fishing Club extending from 1953 to 1979. The species composition of sharks caught changes through the year, probably as a result of seasonal variations in water temperature. Prionace glauca and Isurus oxyrinchus are most abundant in the catches during the cooler months from May to November. Galeocerdo cuvieri, Carcharhinus brevipinna, C. longimanus, C. falciformis, C. limbatus and Sphyrna lewini are taken principally during the warmer months from December to April. The sex ratio of P. glauca and Sphyrna zygaena changes through the year due to a seasonal influx of gravid females. At least six of the species examined give birth off New South Wales and, apart from C. falciformis, all of these appear to have restricted breeding seasons. P. glauca and S. zygaena feed mainly on cephalopods and to a lesser extent on fish, I. Oxyrinchus principally on fish, and G. cuvieri mostly on fish, birds, unidentified mammals and cephalopods.

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