The suburban bird community of Townsville, a tropical city

Abstract

Twelve residential sites and one woodland site, all in Townsville, North Queensland (latitude 19°, longitude 146°) were censused to determine the composition of the urban bird community. Sites were surveyed by foot transect during December 1980-January 1981 (wet season) and May-June 1980 (dry season). Forty-eight species were detected, most of which were found in the suburbs. The bird community was dominated by four species, of which two, the House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata were introduced. The House Sparrow was the dominant species in most residential sites and comprised 36.4% of the birds seen. A diverse group of nectar-feeding species was also an important component of the urban community. The average density was 45.8 birds per ha. There was little change in the diversity of species due to the urbanisation probably due to the relative richness of the structure and composition of tropical garden vegetation compared to the neighbouring woodland areas.