Dry-Season Bird Diversity in Tropical Rainforest and Surrounding Habitats in North-east Australia

Abstract

A quantitative analysis of bird species richness and abundance in habitats in and adjacent to rainforest in north-east Queensland, Australia, is presented. Bird assemblages in five habitats surrounding tropical rainforest were compared using line transects over a six-week period in the winter dry-season, between July and September 1995. Data were analysed using the Shannon—Weaver index of biodiversity and by a rarefaction method. Avian biodiversity was more variable between sites than between habitat types. While no habitat stood out at either extreme, diversity was highest in an area of riverine rainforest. Rainforest interior proved one of the poorest habitats for bird diversity. However, species assemblages were different among habitats, with 38% of species being found in only one habitat type.