Fourth annual report of the Australian Bird-Banding Scheme, July 1957 to June 1958

Abstract

During 1957-58, 35,618 birds of 154 species were banded, and 8735 recoveries of 85 species resulted, including 5404 individuals not previously recovered. Since 1953, 66,741 birds of 182 species have been banded, and 7059 (10.1 per cent.) have been recovered 11,474 times (17.2 per cent.). Ducks and geese (Anatidae) accounted for 21,561 of the birds banded during 1957-58, and for 27,500 of the 1953-58 total; the corresponding numbers of individuals recovered were 4051 and 4359. Full data for 110 selected recoveries are given. Two short-tailed shearwaters, PzL$tnus tenuirostris (Temminck), banded as young in South Australia, were recovered in the Bering Sea and in Japanese waters. A giant petrel, Macronectes giganteus (Gmelin), has been recovered at its island of origin, Macquarie Island, in its fourth year. The most striking results this year are the widespread movements of ducks throughout ,4ustralia, especially many transcontinental journeys in all directions by grey teal, Anas gibberifrons Muller.