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Warbler
Volume 5 Number QOC16 August 2016
EDITOR’S NOTE – Peter Crane Welcome to this special edition of Warbler that celebrates the Queensland Ornithological Conference held on 9 July at the University of Queensland. QOC16 was hosted by BirdLife Southern Queensland and Birds
Queensland. The efforts of the Organising Committee and in particular Rob Clemens and David Exton are acknowledged. They have been able to attract a full program with excellent speakers and great posters and photographs. The Conference program had three sections – presentations in the formal section and then student poster and photographic competition viewing during the breaks. The format of this issue is the speaker’s abstract and one or
more images from their presentation followed by the editor’s short comments. This is followed by the student poster with the poster image and an abstract. Finally we share the winning photographs of the photographic competition and also the raffle winners. I hope to see you at the 2018 Queensland Ornithological Conference. Peter Crane
ORGANISING COMMITTEE REPORT The 2016 Queensland Ornithological Conference was held at the University of Queensland on July 9. Over 200 registrants enjoyed a full day of lectures and presentations from world-renowned experts in their particular field of study. One of the main highlights of the day was Dr Steve Murphy sharing his latest discoveries on the Night Parrot.
As has been the tradition of all Queensland Ornithological Conferences a separate section was devoted once again to hearing from current PhD student’s outcomes from their research. This year over half the students came from outside Australia. In conjunction with the Conference a Photographic Competition was held. Over 174 photographs from across mainland Australia, Tasmania, Antarctica and Australian Islands were received. There were many stunning entries with a total of 54 photographs being short-listed across two different categories – Best Rare Bird Photo and Overall Best
Photo. Shortlisting and judging for both categories was done by a panel of respected avian photographers, The 54 shortlisted entries, as well as details about the photograph such as location, date and photographer, were printed and displayed at the Queensland Ornithological Conference. This allowed conference participants the opportunity to vote for their favourite in the People’s Choice category.
Winning photographs will be displayed over the coming weeks on the Birds Queensland and BirdLife Southern Queensland websites &/or Facebook pages. Evaluation feedback from the 200 delegates exceeded the Conference Committee’s expectations. With over a years planning and a very hardworking organizing committee the Conference became the largest and most successful ornithological conference ever held in Queensland. Special thanks are extended to our sponsors.
David Exton for the Organising Committee
INDEX
Editor’s Note and Index ------------------------------------------------------ 1
Why are Australia’s migratory shorebirds disappearing: Richard Fuller --- 2
Traversing the trials and tribulations of migratory shorebird conservation
in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway: Judit Szabo ------------------------ 2
Night Parrots: context, knowledge and future: Steve Murphy ------------- 3
IBAs – Past, Present and Future: Mark O’Brien ----------------------------- 4
The Black-headed Pardalote and other reasons: Richard Noske ---------- 4
The Eastern Bristlebird Recovery Program – Where Are We Now?: Lynn
Baker, Kara Stevens, Jessie Cappadonna, Zoe Stone ---------------------- 5
Australian arid-zone birds: Michelle Gibson --------------------------------- 6
Influence of home range size on sociality: Samantha Lantz --------------- 7
Hybridization between non-sister species: A genomic approach to
analyzing the pale-headed/eastern rosella hybrid zone: Ashlee Shipham -8
Very high synchrony of survival between species for temperate songbirds:
which climate contribution?: Manon Ghislain ------------------------------- 8
The status of Australia's grassfinches - declines and conservation efforts:
Gary Fitt ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
News from the Front: An Update on Bird Research at the Australian
National Wildlife Collection (ANWC) and Around the World: Leo Joseph – 9
Student Poster Competition ------------------------------------------------ 11
Photographic Competition -------------------------------------------------- 15
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Why are Australia’s migratory shorebirds disappearing and what should we do about
it?
Dr. Richard Fuller, Associate Professor, University of Qld [email protected] Millions of migratory shorebirds from Arctic Russia and Alaska
migrate south to avoid the harsh northern winter. Recent analysis of monitoring data from Australia has revealed that migratory shorebirds are declining with staggering severity and rapidity. Some migratory shorebird populations have crashed by up to 80% in 20 years, and eight species have recently been listed as nationally threatened in Australia as a result. Many migratory shorebird species are declining in Australia and New Zealand while resident species are not, suggesting that the causes for these declines may lie outside the southern
hemisphere. Indeed, using satellite data we have documented startlingly rapid loss of intertidal habitats in the Yellow Sea region of eastern Asia, an area known to be of critical importance as stopover habitat for many migratory shorebirds. Two-thirds of the habitat has disappeared in 50 years. Moreover, species that rely on the Yellow Sea while on migration are much more likely to be declining than those that take another route. Modelling work suggests that habitat loss is having profound implications for shorebird populations at a flyway level. We
discuss some of the possible solutions to this difficult conservation problem, focusing specifically on the need for enhanced international collaboration throughout the flyway, the need to deal simultaneously with multiple threats, and the possibility of creating or restoring lost habitat.
Shorebird research
Editor’s comment: The first presentation sets the tone of any conference and therefore how better to start QOC16 than with Rich Fuller providing an update on the current status of our migratory shorebirds. We are all generally aware of the long journeys of these amazing small (generally) birds. Rich is a consummate performer/presenter with a very
interesting topic. We are all generally aware of the decline in shorebird numbers and Rich is able to provide the scientific evidence of this decline.
Traversing the trials and tribulations of
migratory shorebird conservation in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Dr. Judit Szabo, Science Officer, EAAF Partnership [email protected] Globally, migratory shorebirds are among the most threatened bird groups. Of all flyways, the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) holds the largest shorebird
populations, but is also witnessing the greatest declines.
Migratory shorebirds face considerable challenges, including competing demands on wetland habitats, compounded by differing economic priorities, jurisdictions and attitudes towards wildlife among the countries in breeding, staging and non-breeding areas. However, loss of intertidal mudflats in crucial staging areas, especially in the Yellow Sea region, is considered to be the primary driver of declines. A key aspect of addressing these challenges is to protect more habitat and improve management of shorebird habitat, both in protected and unprotected areas. This ultimately requires stronger commitments from national governments, for instance by
enforcing and strengthening multilateral and bilateral agreements. However, economic drivers for development erode the effectiveness of these policy tools.
In this presentation, I highlight socio-political approaches needed to ensure implementation of conservation actions. The success of these actions will hinge on stronger engagement of citizens and governments in habitat protection and shorebird monitoring. One part of this strategy is to increase awareness in communities and governments of shorebird issues through international collaboration, knowledge sharing, capacity-building and support for local action of both citizens and government
officials. International actions mediated among flyway
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partners, for example bilateral agreements on the preservation of intertidal mudflats and co-funding to support this, are critical to halting shorebird population declines. I will introduce some case studies from the flyway that had positive outcomes for shorebirds.
East Asian-Australasian Flyway: used by 50+ million birds of 200+ species.
Editor’s comment: Judit’s presentation of the threats to migrating shorebirds along the East Asian-Australian Flyway is a logical follow-on from the first presentation. These first two presentations are a combined ‘call to action’ for all birders to do what they can to contribute to causes
that assist our shorebirds, those amazing birds with the long annual migrations.
Night Parrots: context, knowledge and
future Dr. Steve Murphy, Ecologist, Night Parrot Recovery Team
[email protected] Between 1912 and 1990, many people believed that Night Parrots Pezoporus occidentalis had followed the pathway of so many other central Australian animals into extinction. However, two freshly dead specimens in 1990 and 2006, and photographs of a live bird in 2013, showed that the species was extant in SW Queensland. Since 2013, a program of research has been conducted on the species, mostly in SW Queensland, but also in South Australia and Western Australia. One objective has been to
develop a survey protocol so that more Night Parrots can be located. This protocol, based on acoustic surveys, has been used to locate Night Parrots at two additional places. However the species appears to be absent from many locations with similar habitat attributes, including sites where Night Parrots have been confirmed historically. The research is also revealing an ecological picture of Night Parrots, including details about habitat requirements, movements, breeding and diet.
In early 2016, a new reserve was established by Bush Heritage Australia in SW QLD to protect Night Parrots. The reserve is the first tenure of its kind in Queensland and was achieved by Bush Heritage working together closely with the original grazing lessee and Queensland government. While not all details can be disclosed due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing recovery effort, this presentation does provide an overview of the context for Night Parrot recovery, knowledge gained through systematic research, and the conservation strategies that should provide a more secure future for the species.
Night Parrot and Habitat as revealed by GPS tracking (Steve Murphy)
Editors comment: My professional life is as an operations manager in the healthcare industry and although I work in a national organisation I have not yet found, after seven months in a new role, another birder in the organisation. Therefore when I have advised colleagues that I was attending QOC16 I would explain it as having the opportunity to listen to the latest research reports on the Night Parrot and other birds and/or birding conservation issues. Many have heard of the recent rediscovery of this ‘rare’ bird. It was good to hear what the current research has shown
regarding the Night Parrot’s habitat requirements, movements, breeding and diet. I am sure that Steve has no shortage of research assistants but if you do Steve my email address appears a few times throughout this e-newsletter and I feel confident that work will understand.
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IBAs – Past, Present and Future Mark O’Brien, IBA coordinator, BirdLife Oceania region [email protected] Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas are the cornerstone of the BirdLife International approach to site-based conservation
action. Globally, more than 12,000 sites have been identified to date using internationally agreed criteria that can be applied locally by BirdLife partners and other experts. Birds have been shown to be effective indicators of wider biodiversity and so the distribution of IBAs provides a useful target site for many other taxa. To date 80% of all global Key Biodiversity Areas were identified as IBAs. Identification of the sites is just the first step, however. These sites are high priority sites for conservation action. We should plan and deliver actions to benefit biodiversity at these sites. There are, already, systems in place for undertaking, and reporting on, this – such as the Easter Healthcheck, here in Australia,
part of the global IBA monitoring programme. This monitoring has led to a further list of the most threatened of IBAs across the globe – the IBAs in Danger. I will discuss both the history and the next steps for the IBA programme and show how the work undertaken in Queensland contributes to the national, regional and global policies aimed at monitoring the health of the world.
Bar-breasted Honeyeater, Manning Gorge (Andrew Silcocks)
Editors comment: Bula Mark. It is difficult to follow the most eagerly awaited
presentation on the program but Mark’s colourful shirt and presentation style allowed him to do so. The future of many birds in Australia and elsewhere throughout the world depends upon these preserved areas. An informative presentation on IBAs and the need for all birders to understand the objetcives of the IBA program. We will continue to review an IBA in each Warbler edition.
The Black-headed Pardalote and other reasons why we know so little about
Australian bird movements Dr. Richard Noske, Ornithologist, Birds Queensland Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, 4111 [email protected]
It is somewhat ironic that we know more about the migration schedules and routes of shorebirds that travel to Australia from the other side of the planet than we do about the movements of our bushbirds. Although a relatively small number of these bushbirds are obligate migrants, a large proportion are partial migrants and an unknown number are truly nomadic. The apparent unpredictability of the movements of many birds has probably contributed to apathy among ornithologists and birders in recording their observations. Relatively few birders in Australia regularly count birds as they do in other parts of the world. Yet an
understanding of migratory patterns is critical to determining whether they are impacted by short- and long-term climate changes. One species that exemplifies our poor state of knowledge about bushbird movements is the Black-headed Pardalote. This bird is a common winter-breeding resident in the Brisbane region, but because it has been taxonomically lumped with the spring-breeding, migratory, stripe-crowned Striated Pardalotes, observers do not distinguish it as a separate taxon in their bird lists.
Blackheaded Pardalote (Ian & Jill Brown)
Thus potential data on migratory populations from southern states are lost. Ideally birders should learn to distinguish the different subspecies, but at the very least, they should count birds at selected sites on a monthly basis to detect any influxes of migrants. Listing is not enough.
Editors comment: Richard’s presentation reinforces the adage that if you can’t measure it then you can’t explain or impact it. Are we all taking a citizen science approach to our birding activities so that we can contribute to the collective sum of information on the birds in our environment?
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The Eastern Bristlebird Recovery Program – Where Are We Now? Lynn Baker (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage), Kara Stevens (Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary), [email protected]
Penny, EBB detection Dog (Jason o’Brien)
The Eastern Bristlebird is a cryptic endangered species, with the northern population inhabiting open grassy forest in association with rainforest. This northernmost population is
restricted to southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales and comprises less than 50 known individuals in the wild. Inappropriate fire regimes and habitat loss through weed and native shrub regrowth are all contributing to decline of the species.
Eastern Bristlebird chicks (Clancy Hall)
A collaborative partnership of government agencies and organisations have teamed up to save the northern
population by conducting surveys, captive breeding, ecological research and habitat management. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) and the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) manage an Eastern Bristlebird captive breeding program aimed at releasing individuals back into the wild. Maximising genetic diversity in the breeding population is complicated by difficulties locating and capturing wild Eastern Bristlebirds. The OEH detector dog ‘Penny’ was successful in locating NSW Eastern Bristlebird nests, which contributed to eggs and chicks being added to the breeding program last year.
This season, NSW OEH provided access to Penny’s skills to assist in a successful renewed effort to find bristlebirds in Queensland. Definitively determining causes for species decline is also critical. Two PhD students are currently investigating aspects of species distribution and habitat assessment for the northern population of Eastern Bristlebird, with the results anticipated to inform future release efforts. The northern population has the best chance for survival if the species distribution and habitat needs are well understood so that any remaining strongholds can be appropriately protected
and managed.
Jessie Cappadonna (QUT)
Jessie Cappadonna is currently a PhD student in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Queensland University of Technology, under the supervision of Paul Roe (QUT), Margot Brereton (QUT), and David Watson (Charles Sturt University). Her research is quite interdisciplinary, involving citizen science, Eastern Bristlebirds, ecology, bioacoustics, participatory design, and computer science. Jessie is researching how members of the public and ecologists can participate in designing citizen science, and finding Eastern Bristlebirds, using acoustics. If you are interested in this research contact Jessie via email
([email protected]) or twitter (@JessCappadonna) for more information.
Eastern Bristlebird (Kara Stevens)
Acoustic monitoring is a valuable tool to study rare and cryptic avian species with minimal disturbance. Recordings made from nature can capture the complex symphony of bird calls over long durations, which can reveal ecological discoveries not otherwise possible. Automated recognition
software, however, is only minimally effective in identifying calls of target species from recordings, due to the variability in vocalisations, background noise, and animal distances from microphones. Recordings often must be manually reviewed to find species of interest, which is a substantial time investment. One way to overcome these limitations is to invite members of the public to cooperatively design effective acoustic projects and be active participants reviewing acoustic data with ecologists as citizen scientists. Existing acoustically-focused citizen science projects are
designed by ecologists, with little design input from prospective participants, which may explain the relatively low level of engagement in such projects.
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Our research evaluates how to engage people with citizen science focused on environmental acoustics using participatory design strategies. Interests of the public, needs of ecologists, and technology use will also be considered to find common ground among all stakeholders. We expect that innovative ideas and requirements will be revealed by stakeholders when participating in interviews, focus groups, and design prototyping activities. Findings will then inform development of a citizen science platform, to efficiently and accurately identify target species from environmental recordings. Such a project allows for
diversification of applied bioacoustics research that allows citizen scientists and ecologists to make important avian conservation and ecological discoveries together. Grass, bugs and fire: Habitat dynamics of the Northern Eastern Bristlebird
Zoë Stone, PhD candidate, Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, UQ [email protected] The endangered Eastern Bristlebird has become fragmented into distinct sub-populations along the East coast of
Australia. The southern populations found in Southern NSW occupy coastal heath vegetation, and is where the majority of past research on Eastern Bristlebirds has occurred.
Rainforest-grassy forest ecotone on Snake Ridge, Lamington NP
In contrast, the critically endangered northern population
(NEBB) on the QLD/NSW border occupies grassy Eucalypt forest on the rainforest margin. Shrub encroachment from neighbouring rainforest vegetation is the main threat to these ecosystems, and so the implementation of appropriate fire regimes to maintain a grassy understorey is vital for NEBB recovery. This research focuses on habitat dynamics occurring within these systems, and how altered fire regimes have influenced the availability of vegetative and dietary resources within NEBB habitat. Prolonged absence of fire in these systems, has led to rainforest shrubs and weeds dominating the understorey, and in many cases has led to the irreversible conversion of open grassy forest into
rainforest vegetation. This has significant implications, not only for the threatened species relying on grassy habitat, but also for biodiversity at the landscape scale. Information gathered on resource availability and NEBB distribution will also assist conservation efforts for the NEBB, by determining key limiting factors within their habitat, and identifying potential sites for future translocations.
Collecting leaf litter samples for invertebrates Spicers Gap, Main Range
Editors comment: A combined presentation that details the co-operative nature
of the conservation efforts for the northern population of the Eastern Bristlebird. It is always good to hear of the activities of Penny, the detector dog.
Australian arid-zone birds: monitoring
community change following an extreme rain event Michelle Gibson, PhD candidate, Durham University [email protected] In arid regions of the southern hemisphere, nomadism is a dominant form of movement for many species in response to irregular climate-driven fluctuations in resources. Climate change is predicted to increase the magnitude and intensity
of extreme weather events such as droughts and floods, and potential impacts on arid-zone species are largely unknown.
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Australia’s arid interior contains one of the highest proportions of nomadic bird species worldwide (30-45%) but is also one of the most data deficient regions for bird species abundance and occurrence. We collected annual bird survey data over a series of long-distance (800km+) transects across the interior of southeast and central Australia from 2012 to 2015 immediately following an unprecedented rain event to document changes in occurrence as conditions transition from wet to dry. Using site- and landscape-level approaches, we show spatial and temporal variation of arid zone bird abundance, biomass, and species richness, contrasting in particular nomadic species with those
commonly thought to be sedentary. Preliminary results indicate that species density, biomass and richness all decreased across most sites between 2012 and 2013, increased and decreased between 2013 and 2014, and increased across most sites between 2014 and 2015. All changes were much more pronounced for nomadic species and between more climatically disparate years.
Outcomes of this study will expand our knowledge of large-scale nomadic species responses to extreme weather events in arid Australia and are pivotal to identifying and developing an effective conservation management framework for arid-zone birds.
Editors comment: We are all aware of our birdlife response to seasonal rains in Australia and particularly the response that follows a significant rain event in Central Australia. Good to listen to a scientific study of this movement.
Influence of home range size on sociality in male Red-backed Fairy-wrens Samantha Lantz, PhD candidate, Tulane University [email protected] Many animals live in fission-fusion societies with individuals coming together and separating over the course of time and space. Spatial movements and social relationships within these societies can have important consequences for fitness. We investigated how space use, sociality, and courtship behaviors vary according to phenotype in Red-backed Fairy-wrens (Malurus melanocephalus) outside of the breeding
season. During this period, male Red-backed Fairy-wrens can express either ornamented red/black plumage or unornamented brown eclipse plumage similar to females. Additionally, in contrast to breeding season territories, outside of the breeding season individuals forage in loose flocks that vary in size and composition. Expressing ornamented plumage outside of the breeding season is a key predictor of breeding season reproductive success in other Malurus Fairy-wrens, but it is not clear whether this is related to male-male competition, male-female interactions, or other variables. We found that ornamented males had larger home ranges than unornamented males. We also found that
ornamented males frequently courted females during this period, particularly when in larger flocks, while unornamented males were never seen displaying. For males, both home range size and conspecific density were significant predictors of the number of social ties between that male and other individuals, while for females only conspecific density predicted sociality. This suggests that ornamented males may use larger home ranges to display to females, and that male-female social interactions and courtship displays may carry over into the breeding season to influence reproductive success.
Red-backed Fairy-wren male doing a puffback (Sam Lantz)
Editors comment: My favourite fairy-wren species. An interesting presentation that explains behaviours that we often observe during our own birdwatching activities.
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Hybridization between non-sister species: A genomic approach to analyzing the pale-
headed/eastern rosella hybrid zone Ashlee Shipham, PhD candidate, Griffith University [email protected] Rosellas are a group of colourful Australian parrots, species
and subspecies being readily identifiable based on plumage and other morphological characteristics. The ranges of two ecologically similar but non-sister species, the Pale-headed and Eastern Rosellas, overlap in the border region between Queensland and New South Wales, and individuals displaying intermediate plumage characteristics have been identified there. However, despite reports on the general appearance of hybrid individuals, the underlying genetic composition of this zone of intergradation has not been analyzed.
Pale-Headed/Eastern Rosella hybrid (Peter Crane), Ashlee Simpson fieldwork
We have taken a genomic approach to advance the understanding of this zone, employing restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing to generate thousands of loci.
Our results show evidence of bimodality in the zone, primarily parental types and backcrossed individuals having been sampled, potentially suggesting the presence of pre- or post-zygotic barriers to gene flow between these species. Coupled with previous phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, we see an interesting tale of historical and contemporary gene flow and introgression beginning to emerge. We discuss the potential causes and implications of our findings and suggest new avenues for research into the relationship between these charismatic birds.
Editors comment: My image above is from January 2011, shortly after I had started a bird list, and the ID confused me for some time. A very interesting presentation on hybridization and explains my 2011 confusion, some five years later.
Very high synchrony of survival between species for temperate songbirds: which
climate contribution? Manon Ghislain, PhD candidate, Université Pierre et Marie Curie [email protected]
Climatic fluctuations affect the population size, phenology, and distribution of animals but few studies have identified the underlying demographic processes.
For passerine birds, are these changes generated by changes
in adult survival or in fecundity and recruitment? This study uses mark-recapture data for 100,000 adult birds from Constant-Effort-Site ringing studies in France. We test for the effect of climatic conditions (spring/winter) on annual adult survival at large spatial (a country, 254 sites), temporal (25 years) and biological (23 species) scales. We developed a set of multi-year, multi-species, multi-site Bayesian models describing variations in local survival and recapture probabilities. This method allows for a statistically powerful hierarchical assessment (global versus species-specific) of the effects of climate variables on this survival. A major part
(79%) of between-year variations in survival rate was common to all species, whereas only 21% of temporal variation was species-specific. Although changing spring climate is commonly invoked as a cause of population size fluctuations, spring climatic anomalies (mean precipitation/ temperature for March-August) did not impact adult survival. However, for sedentary birds winter climatic anomalies (North-Atlantic-Oscillation) had a significant, quadratic effect on adult survival, birds surviving less during intermediate
August 2016 9
years than during more extreme years. For migratory birds, we did not detect an effect of winter climatic anomalies (Sahel Rainfall). We conclude that changes in population sizes for passerine birds could be induced by other demographic parameters, like fecundity. We will analyze the life history traits (migration, habitat) that could explain a different sensitivity of species to climate anomalies. Editors comment:
Another interesting presentation that explains my general observations of a size difference in individuals of the same species observed in different locations.
The status of Australia's grassfinches -
declines and conservation efforts Dr. Gary Fitt, Deputy Director Science, CSIRO Health and
Biosecurity [email protected] Australia boasts a rich fauna of Estrildid finches – often referred to as grassfinches – with some 18 species covering the continent from the rich grasslands of the Kimberley to the cool forests of Tasmania. Our species reflect a broad array of habitat and feeding preferences, from the highly nomadic, arid zone adapted, boom and bust breeder the Zebra Finch, which can be found over much of Australia through to the quite specialised and geographically restricted
Red-eared Firetail found in dense coastal habitats of south-western Australia or the elusive Blue-faced Parrotfinch of north Queensland.
Collectively the grassfinches are a colourful and interesting component of Australia’s small seedeater bird communities and are also popular species in aviculture. While many of the species remain abundant there are a number which have declined dramatically in abundance and/or in distribution and in some cases have become symbolic of the impacts of major environmental transformation. The decline of the Gouldian Finch across northern Australia, and more recently the Black-throated Finch in eastern Queensland have helped highlight the impacts of land use change, climate change and human impact.
In this presentation I will discuss the general status of Australian finches but focus on the causes of decline and possibilities for rehabilitation for a four particularly iconic species – the Gouldian, Black-throated Finch, Diamond Firetail and the Southern Star Finch. Editors comment: Many Australian bird species have been significantly impacted by environmental changes. It was interesting but somewhat depressing to listen to the reasons for the decline of these four species of grassfinch. However the positive side was the focus on rehabilitation programs that should posivitively
impact these, and other, birds.
News from the Front: An Update on Bird
Research at the Australian National Wildlife Collection (ANWC) and Around the World Dr. Leo Joseph, Director, Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO [email protected] Lately, the pace of interesting developments in our understanding of relationships among the world’s birds generally and among Australian and New Guinean birds specifically has been hard to keep up with. The talk will walk
gently through examples of all of this. Globally, the publication of two major genome-wide studies of the world’s birds have made a big splash. Here in Australia we have continued to chip away at some thorny taxonomic problems in our birds and I will give some examples of how we are slowly but, I think, surely reaching the “higher hanging taxonomic fruit” of Australian birds.
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The Chestnut Quail-thrush is an example of where we think we now have a solid case to recognize two species not just one whereas in the White-eared Honeyeater things are looking interesting but we wouldn’t advocate a change yet. We are also getting into some interesting areas related to natural selection in birds. The humble Eastern Yellow Robin is a star in this area. We have been working in the savannas of Papua New Guinea and that promises to open up some interesting work. Finally, we are taking our first steps into the world of trying to use genomes to understand adaptation in birds. For that, we are
using Australian finches and the different climates in which they live.
Editors comment: A great final presentation that clearly indicated a continuing change in our understanding of the relationships between different species. It seems that this increase in knowledge will continue for some years and will provide many interesting clarifications.
Editors overall comment: My professional life is a healthcare general manager and therefore I find this exposure to a range of scientific concepts that underpin our birdwatching activities extremely interesting. An very good collection of presentations and posters and congratulations must be extended to the organising committee for their excellent work in attracting the various contributors. I look forward to QOC18 and may have to consider attendance at the more specific birding conferences that I see advertised from time to time.
EVALUATION: Attendees were invited to evaluate the Conference 105 respondents
Rate the overall program: Excellent - 73.9%; Good - 26.1%; Average – 0; Poor - 0 Rate the facilities: Excellent – 61.9%; Good - 37.1%; Average - 1%; Poor - 0 Rate the conference organisation: Excellent - 69.5%; Good - 30.5%; Average - 0; Poor - 0 Rate the food: Excellent - 40.9%; Good - 50.4%; Average - 7.7%; Poor - 1%
Please consider our sponsors:
August 2016 11
STUDENT POSTERS
Gary Palmer was awarded first prize in the Student Poster Competition winner for:
What are the seed-eating birds in rainforest
of eastern Australia, and how are they affected by fragmentation? Gary Palmer, Prof. Carla Catterall [email protected] Rainforest fragmentation can significantly alter the composition of vertebrate species assemblages.
Many terrestrial bird and mammals may play a prominent role as post-dispersal seed predators in rainforests. Changes to bird assemblages as a result of fragmentation may lead to changes in seed predation rates and consequently, altered
patterns of plant recruitment in fragments. We conducted experiments to assess how fragmentation affects vertebrate seed predator composition in rainforest of subtropical eastern Australia. Seed predator composition was measured by establishing infra-red camera traps, focused on seeds of 20 native tree species in six continuous rainforest sites (75-150ha) and six fragments (4-21ha). After five nights exposure, camera traps were collected and each vertebrate taxon recorded was identified and classified as a seed predator or otherwise. Across all sites, eight species of
ground dwelling birds were identified, with continuous sites and fragments differing significantly in species composition. Camera capture rates were higher in fragments than in continuous forest for six of the eight bird species and lower for the remaining two. Of the three species that were classified as seed predators, two had capture rates higher in fragments and the third was caught less in fragments. We found significant changes in composition of ground dwelling bird assemblages, including seed eating birds as a result of fragmentation. These changes may alter rates of seed predation and consequently affect the potential of fragments to maintain original patterns of plant diversity.
Spatial dynamics of coastal forest bird assemblages: the influence of landscape
context, habitat type and connectivity C. Buelow, M. Sheaves, R. Baker and A. Reside [email protected]
Coastal areas provide a large and concentrated diversity of connected habitats; yet research on bird assemblages has occurred primarily at local spatial scales.
The concerted influence of landscape context, habitat connectivity, and spatial scale on coastal forest bird
assemblage requires more understanding to inform conservation at a landscape scale.
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Disregarding these combined spatial effects defies understanding the nuanced nature of coastal avifauna, where there may be considerable overlap in assemblages of adjacent habitat types. This study investigated coastal forest bird species composition and at what spatial scale patterns in habitat connectivity are most influential. Bird community surveys were conducted in four coastal forest habitat types along the northeast coast of Australia. Habitat connectivity patterns were quantified at 3, 6, and 12 km spatial scales surrounding each survey area. Coastal forest bird assemblages differed between ‘north-eastern tropical’ and ‘south-eastern tropical’ landscape contexts, and between
coastal forest habitat types. The 12 km spatial scale encompassed the most correlation between habitat connectivity patterns and bird species composition in ‘north-eastern tropical’ and ‘south-eastern tropical’ landscape contexts, demonstrating the combined role of landscape context and habitat connectivity in structuring coastal forest bird assemblages. This research highlights the need to maintain all component habitats and their connections within the coastal ecosystem mosaic for coastal avifauna.
The quest for species with sound and citizen science J.L. Cappadonna, M. Brereton, D.M. Watson and P. Roe [email protected] Acoustic monitoring is a valuable tool to study rare and cryptic birds with minimal disturbance.
Recordings made from nature can capture the complex symphony of bird calls over long periods, which can reveal ecological discoveries not otherwise possible. Automated recognition software, however, is only minimally effective in identifying calls of target species from recordings, due to the variability in vocalisations, background noise, and animal distances from microphones. Often recordings must be
manually reviewed to find species of interest, which requires a substantial time investment. One way to overcome these limitations is to invite members of the public to be active participants in reviewing acoustic data with ecologists as citizen scientists. Existing acoustically-focused citizen science projects are designed by ecologists, with little design input from prospective participants, which may explain the relatively low level of engagement in such projects. Our research evaluates how to engage people with citizen science focused on environmental acoustics using participatory design strategies. Interests of the public, needs of ecologists,
and technology use will also be considered to find common ground among all stakeholders. We expect that innovative ideas and requirements will be revealed by stakeholders when participating in interviews, focus groups, and design prototyping activities. Findings will then be used to develop a citizen science platform, to efficiently and accurately identify target species from environmental recordings. Such a project allows for diversification of applied bioacoustics research that allows citizen scientists and ecologists to make important avian conservation and ecological discoveries together.
How migratory shorebirds selectively
exploit prey at a single-prey-species-dominated staging site
C.-Y. Choi, P.F. Battley, M.A. Potter, Z. Ma, D.S. Melville and P. Sukkaewmanee [email protected]
Intense competition is expected at staging sites where high concentrations of migratory shorebirds gather to refuel. We investigated whether niche differentiation was evident in the diets of the coexisting shorebirds at a major staging site in the northern Yellow Sea during northward migration in 2011 and 2012, as this is one mechanism by which coexistence of potential competitors can be enabled. Great Knots Calidris tenuirostris, Far Eastern Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus osculans and Red Knots C. canutus selected mostly the bivalve Potamocorbula laevis while Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica had a broader diet and
selected mostly polychaetes, even though most of their intake was of P. laevis. Although all of these shorebirds fed on P. laevis, they showed different size selection and used different feeding methods.
August 2016 13
Godwits, Great Knots and Red Knots mainly swallowed P. laevis whole and they preferred medium-sized P. laevis with relatively high flesh content to shell mass ratio. In contrast, oystercatchers stabbed open P. laevis and only ingested the flesh, and preferred large P. laevis that provide the highest energetic return per prey taken. Despite evidence for niche differentiation in prey selection, the diets between the numerically most abundant Godwits and Great Knots overlapped substantially. Their coexistence seems to be enabled by high resource availability rather than niche separation.
What can species distribution models tell us about shorebird populations across the
remote Australian continent? R. S. Clemens, J. Beher, R. Maggini, R. A. Fuller [email protected]
Management of water and changing climate are significantly altering the frequency and magnitude of ephemeral pulses in wetland availability across Australia, yet the impacts of these changes on shorebirds are poorly understood. Here we explore how well the best available data and predictive modelling techniques can capture the dynamics of shorebird distributions in space and time across the interior of the Australian continent.
We developed continental species distribution models using two stage boosted regression trees (BRT) and monthly environmental variables at monthly 100km2 resolution to predict the presence and abundance of shorebird species across Australia from 1981 to 2013. Overall, results indicate a declining trend of shorebird abundance over time, which is in agreement with population trends estimated from other sources. Predictions from the models show interspecific variation in shorebird distributions which indicate that at times of drought particular species experience far greater Australia-wide declines in available wetland habitat. Results also provide an improved estimate, with admittedly large
confidence intervals, of the total population size of species whose previous estimates were based on patchy count data across inland Australia. These predictions suggest that relatively large proportions of some species populations concentrate in sites that fail to be recognised as important habitat because absolute numbers are below the fixed thresholds. Improving the understanding of shorebird movement patterns in order to effectively support on ground management will require improved environmental predictors and increased sampling in areas with little shorebird abundance data.
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Setting conservation priorities for migratory
networks K. L. Dhanjal-Adams, M. Klaassen, S. Nicol, H. P. Possingham, I. Chadès, R. A. Fuller [email protected]
Conserving migratory species requires protecting intact chains of habitat along the pathways they travel. Despite recent improvements in animal tracking, migratory pathways remain poorly resolved at a population level for the vast majority of species, hampering conservation prioritisation. In the face of these data limitations, we develop a novel approach to spatial prioritization based on a model of potential connectivity, derived from empirical data on distances travelled between sites while on migration. Applying this approach to migratory shorebirds using the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, we find that prioritising protection of sites supporting high numbers of animals may perform as
poorly as randomly selecting sites. The conservation value of a site depends on both its capacity to support migratory animals and its position within the migratory pathway, with the loss of crucial sites leading to partial or total population collapse. We suggest that conservation strategies should consider the spatial arrangement of sites as well as focusing on conserving sites that support large populations of migrants.
Urban living: breeding dynamics of the
Common Myna across space and time
A. M. Rogers, F. Lermite, A. Griffin, B. van Rensburg, S. Kark [email protected] The Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), one of the world’s top 100 invasive species, is expanding its range along the east coast of Australia. Mynas nest in tree hollows, which are limited in human dominated environments, and competition for nesting space is thought to have a significant negative impact on native hollow nesting birds. Little is known about the breeding dynamics of the Common Myna across much of its invasive range, however, the impact of such competition
is likely to vary between habitats and over time. In this study we used artificial nest boxes to examine how environment and time since invasion influence myna breeding dynamics across north-eastern New South Wales and south-east Queensland. By studying the breeding success of Common Myna in both long and recently invaded areas, and across environments with different levels of human disturbance, we hope to shed light on the environmental and species factors which make the Common Myna such a successful urban species in Australia.
Why do individuals within a species behave
differently? Testosterone may explain individual differences in social behaviour in
Red-backed Fairy-wrens J.F. Welklin, S.M. Lantz, J.P. Boersma, H.G. Schwabl, M.S. Webster
While species of birds are typically known for a set of stereotypical behaviours, every birder knows that individuals within a species are unique. When differences in individual behaviour are placed in an evolutionary context, behaviours tied to mating success may be some of the most important, as the individuals with the highest mating success will pass on their genes and determine the future of the species. Behavioural differences leading to increased mating success have been well documented, but less is known about the mechanisms that cause behavioural differences among individuals of a species. The Red-backed Fairy-wren (Malurus
melanocephalus) is one species that exhibits individual behavioural differences that likely are important in determining mating success. Red-backed Fairy-wrens are known for their ornamented red/black males and unornamented brown males, which exhibit different behavioural strategies, but even within the ornamented red/black males, there is considerable variation in social behaviour among individuals during the non-breeding season. In two other species of fairy-wrens, interactions during the non-breeding season have been linked to mating success during the breeding season, but until now we have not understood why individual males exhibit differences in social
behaviour. We present data on how variation in social behaviour among males may be tied to differences in circulating levels of testosterone in the blood. Preliminary evidence shows that males with more social interactions had higher testosterone levels and this relationship may be driven by courtship interactions with females.
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Birds, Cameras, Action, Awards The 2016 Queensland Ornithological Conference Photographic Competition received 174 photographs from across mainland Australia, Tasmania, Antarctica and Australian Islands. There were many stunning entries with a total of 54 photographs being short-listed across two different categories – Best Rare
Bird Photo and Overall Best Photo. Shortlisting and judging for both categories was done by a panel of respected avian photographers, Cheryl Mares, Ross Monks and Jon Norling. Entries in the Best Rare Birds and Overall Best Photo were anonymous when judged. No entries were received for the Under 16s category. The 54 shortlisted entries, as well as details about the photograph such as location, date and photographer, were printed and displayed at the Queensland Ornithological Conference. This allowed conference participants the opportunity to vote for their favourite in the People’s Choice
category. Judith Hoyle, BirdLife Southern Queensland Convenor, announced the winners and runner-ups for the three categories at the end of the Conference. The winners are: Overall Winner – Margaret O’Grady (Bar-tailed Godwit, Toorbul, Qld). Overall Runner-up – Peter Storer (Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Wights Mountain, Qld). Rare Bird Winner – Deborah Metters (Blue-faced Parrot-finch,
Mt Lewis, Qld). Rare Bird Runner-up – George Chapman (Western Grasswren, Monkey Mia, WA). People’s Choice Winner – Deborah Metters (Welcome Swallows, Jacob’s Well, Qld). People’s Choice Runner-up - Graham Donaldson (Rufous Fantail, Eagleby Wetlands, Qld). People’s Choice Second Runner-up – Sue Rodwell (Ducks at Sunset, Coongie Lakes, SA). The People’s Choice category awarded two runner-ups because the Winner passed on the prize, given that she had
already received a prize for another category. Winning photographs will be displayed over the coming weeks on the Birds Queensland and BirdLife Southern Queensland websites &/or Facebook pages. A wonderful array of prizes were awarded including a double-pass to Australia Zoo and a selection of avian, natural history and nature photography books from Andrew Isles and CSIRO Publishing.
BirdLife Southern Queensland and Birds Queensland wish to thanks Australia Zoo, Andrew Isles Natural History Books and CSIRO Publishing for donating prizes. This year’s competition was a great success and enabled avian photographers from across Australia the opportunity to showcase their works. It also offered Conference goers a mini-gallery of engaging, inspiring images to enjoy during their meal breaks. We hope you enjoying seeing some of the winning entrants as much as we did.
Deborah Metters
Bar-tailed Godwit (Margaret O’Grady), Blue-faced Parrot-finch (Deborah
Metters), Welcome Swallows (Deborah Metters)
Prize winners of the QOC16 raffle:
First prize – Swarovski binoculars – Kiran Dhanjal-Adams Second prize – Mt Barney Lodge 2 night stay – Ashlee Shipham Third prize – O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat 1 night stay – Heather Janetzki
Consolation prize – ‘Birds of Prey in Australia’ book, Stephen Debus - Jon Coleman.
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Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Peter Storer), Rufous Fantail (Graham Donaldson)
Warbler Newsletter contributions—if you have an article or news item send it to Peter Crane, editor. Please note that photographs with people need to have consents from them for publication in this newsletter. The opinions expressed by authors in this publication are not necessarily those of BirdLife Southern Queensland or of BirdLife Australia. COPYRIGHT© 2016
Western Grasswren (George Chapman), Ducks at Sunset (Sue Rodwell)
