The forest avifauna near Bega, New South Wales. I. Differences between forest types

Abstract

Ten major forest types were distinguished in the Bega-Bermagui region on the south coast of New South Wales: Acmena rainforest, coastal Banksia-Eucalyptus scrub, five types of mature Eucalyptus forest, and three types of forest regenerating after intensive logging. A total of 123 bird species were recorded in these forests between 1977 and 1983. The bird communities of the rainforest and the coastal scrub were the most distinctive in that a number of species that were common in eucalypt forest were absent or rare. Among the various types of mature and regenerating eucalypt forest the major differences in birds were between the dry forests of the ridges and the moist forests of the gullies. Forest types with winter-flowering Eucalyptus or Banksia species attracted many honeyeaters and lorikeets at that season. In eucalypt forest 0 - 4 years after intensive logging many bird species were less frequent than in mature forest and few species were found breeding. There was no appreciable colonization of these logged areas (which were only 10 - 20 ha in size) by non-forest birds. In eucalypt forest 9 - 17 years after intensive logging the bird community more closely resembled that of mature forest.