摘要:

SUMMARYTIDEMANN, S.C. 1986. Breeding in three species of fairy-wrens (Malurus): do helpers really help? Emu 86: 131–138. About 240 h were spent observing behaviour at the nests of co-existing SuperbMalurus cyaneus, VariegatedM. lambertiand White-wingedM. leucopterusFairy-wrens. Feeding rates increased as nestling number increased but not proportionately. Variegated Fairy-wrens shared feeding about equally between the sexes but in the other two species the females were the predominant feeders except when nestlings were very young. There was a correlation between feeding rate and age of nestlings. Superb Fairy-wren helpers were young of the year and contributed most when nestlings were older whereas with White-winged helpers (all adult males) the pattern was reversed. Adults and helpers‘complemented’each other so that the total number of feeds per hour to the nestlings was more stable than any one individual's contribution. Helpers did not lead to an increased feeding rate but rather a decrease in the female's feeding rate and load carried.

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860131

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

SUMMARYNIAS, RAYMOND C. 1986. Nest-site characteristics and reproductive success in the Superb Fairy-wren. Emu 86: 139–144. The influence of a number of nest-site variables on reproductive success in a population of Superb Fairy-wrens was investigated. Blackberry brambles were the most frequently used substrate and nests placed in brambles were more often successful and more productive per nest attempt than nests in other substrates. Successful nests were better concealed, higher above the ground, closer to the edge of the substrate, and more often in brambles than in other substrate types. Nest concealment and substrate type may be important in protecting the nest from predation and brood parasitism. The presence, or number of helpers in a breeding group was not found to have a significant effect on either nest success or nest productivity.

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860139

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

SUMMARYCLOSE, D.H.&McGRIE, N. 1986. Seasonal fluctuation of waders in Gulf St Vincent, 1976–85. Emu 86: 145–154. The numbers and seasonal fluctuation of waders (Sub-orderCharadrii) in Gulf St Vincent, South Australia, were assessed by different methods of counting in the years 1976–85. Forty-three species were recorded, nine of them too rarely to allow comment on seasonality.The majority of species of palearctic migrant increased for most of the period between August and February, and several increased markedly in November-December. Several species showed a greater tendency than in eastern Australia to increase in late summer (caFebruary). Most species reached their peak around February and then decreased rapidly. Immatures of six species increased thereafter. Twelve species were relatively numerous in some austral winters.Native wetland species showed diverse trends, although most peaked in December-March, including the Black-winged Stilt, which showed only slight seasonal variation, and the Masked Lapwing, which remained relatively numerous until June. The Black-fronted Plover increased in winter. The effect was discussed of flooding in the Eyrean drainage in 1984. Indications were found that some species were influenced by the climatic patterns of the arid interior of the continent as well as of the wetter south.

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860145

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

SUMMARYPIERSMA THEUNIS. 1986. Eastern CurlewsNumenius madagascariensisfeeding onMacrophthalmusand other ocypodid crabs in the Nakdong Estuary, South Korea. Emu 86: 155–160.Foraging Eastern Curlews were studied in the Nakdong Estuary, South Korea, in September 1984. During low tide Eastern Curlews spent on average 75–90% of their time foraging. They only ate crabs that had carapace widths 0.6 to 4 cm. Most crabs were captured with bill-deep probes in the crab-burrows. The majority of prey were the ocypodid crab speciesMacrophthalmus japonicus.Crabs with carapace widths longer than 2 cm were softly shaken to dismember their legs before consumption. The Eastern Curlew's average intake rate was estimated at 1.95 mg ash-free dry weight (AFDW) per sec foraging. Profitability (mg AFDW/sec-handling) increased more than threefold over the range 0.6–3 cm carapace width. Comparisons with the foraging behaviour of two other curlew species, the WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusand the Eurasian CurlewN. arquata, feeding on ocypodid fiddler crabs, are made. It is suggested that the easily available and abundant small crabs are not consumed because their profitability is too low.

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860155

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

SUMMARYMcFARLAND, D.C. 1986. Breeding behaviour of the New Holland HoneyeaterPhylidonyris novaehollandiae.Emu 86: 161–167.The breeding of New Holland Honeyeaters was studied in New England National Park, N.S.W., between June 1981 and December 1983. New Hollands bred in the autumn and spring of each year. Of the 57 eggs found, only 36.8% survived to become fledglings, with most of the losses being attributed to predation. Nest sites were defended and the owners discriminated between different intruder species. In terms of energy from nectar, these territories were uneconomical for most of the reproductive cycle in autumn. Males undertook most of the nest defence while only females built nests and incubated eggs. During incubation, females used the territory's nectar resources more than the males.

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860161

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

SUMMARYFORD, H.A., NOSKE, S. and BRIDGES, L. 1986. Foraging of birds in eucalypt woodland in north-eastern New South Wales. Emu 86: 168–179.The foraging behaviour of 40 species of birds in eucalypt woodland near Armidale is described. The foraging method, substrate, height and plant were noted for each foraging observation. Six guilds can be recognized on the basis of the substrate on which they forage. (1) Eleven species forage on the ground. This group includes two seed-eaters, and three insectivores that pounce on terrestrial invertebrates from low perches or the air. The remainder are gleaners of invertebrates. (2) Four species are bark-foragers. One is a trunk specialist, while the other three feed on upper branches, exfoliating bark and horizontal boughs respectively. (3) Foliage foragers make up the largest guild, with 13 species. Four species glean from both acacias and eucalypts. Three species mostly snatch insects from leaves whereas the rest glean from eucalypt leaves. This last group of species includes pardalotes and some honeyeaters, which feed on carbohydrate foods such as manna and honeydew as well as on arthropods. (4) There is single frugivore, specializing on mistletoe fruits. (5) The six aerial feeders include species that capture prey by hawking from a perch and others that continuously sweep through the air after insects. (6) Finally five nectarivores visit the flowers of eucalypts (three species) or mistletoe (two species)Several very similar pairs or groups of species were identified (pardalotesPardalotus, honeyeatersMelithreptus, thornbillsAcanthiza). These merit more detailed study; indeed several have already been investigated.

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860168

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

SUMMARYMcFARLAND, D.C. 1986. Determinants of feeding territory size in the New Holland HoneyeaterPhylidonyris novaehollandiae.Emu 86: 180–185.Territorial New Holland Honeyeaters were studied in an open-layered forest in north-eastern N.S.W. between 1981 and 1983. The birds aggressively defended productive inflorescences of bothBanksia integrifoliaandB. spinulosa.The size of feeding territories occupied by New Hollands (either alone or in pairs) decreased significantly as the density of inflorescences and the abundance of honeyeaters in the study area increased. Multivariate analyses suggested that changes in food density (inflorescence density) determine territory size while changes in intruder pressure (honeyeater numbers) have no significant effect except through the intervening variable of food density. Feeding territories may be held for only a few days but most last a number of weeks.

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860180

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860186

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0158-4197    

DOI:10.1071/MU9860190

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1986

数据来源: Taylor