Foraging behaviour of mulga birds in Western Australia. II. Community structure and conservation
Harry F. Recher
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
School of Natural Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia and Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia. Email: hfrecher@gmail.com
Pacific Conservation Biology 24(1) 87-97 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC17032
Submitted: 28 August 2017 Accepted: 5 February 2018 Published: 2 March 2018
Abstract
Mulga (Acacia aneura) woodlands dominate much of arid and semiarid Australia. Although mulga woodlands are floristically and structurally diverse, the composition of the mulga avifauna is consistent across the continent, with 50–70% of bird species shared between sites and a high proportion of migratory and nomadic species. A comparison of avian foraging guilds in mulga woodlands in the Murchison and Gascoyne Bioregions of Western Australia with those in the Northern Territory identified nine guilds. All guilds occurred at the three locations studied during wet years. The number of bird species, species’ abundances, and the number of guilds declined on the Western Australian sites when there was less rain. Despite the commonality of guilds and species between sites, there were differences between sites and years in the grouping of species, with many species best associated with two or more guilds. These differences reflected differences between locations and wet and dry years in the food resources available to birds, which affected how species foraged. Particularly noticeable were the differences between sites and years in migratory and nomadic birds, which in Western Australia and the Northern Territory were the most abundant birds during wet conditions, but largely absent when conditions were drier.
Additional keywords: dispersive species, effects of rainfall, foraging guilds
References
Bell, D. T., Agar, P. K., Paull, A. K., and Williams, M. R. (2014). Mulga woodland bird assemblages at Thundelarra and Lakeside, two former pastoral leases of the Murchison Region, Western Australia. Western Australian Journal of Ornithology 6, 19–33.Burbidge, A. A., and Fuller, P. J. (2007). Gibson Desert birds: responses to drought and plenty. Emu 107, 126–134.
| Gibson Desert birds: responses to drought and plenty.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chan, K. (2001). Partial migration in Australian land birds: a review. Emu 101, 281–292.
| Partial migration in Australian land birds: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cody, M. L. (1994). Mulga bird communities. I. Species composition and predictability across Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 19, 206–219.
| Mulga bird communities. I. Species composition and predictability across Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Davies, S. J. J. F. (1983). Nomadism as a response to desert conditions in Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 7, 183–195.
Davis, W. E., and Recher, H. F. (2002). Winter mixed-species foraging flocks in Acacia woodlands of Western Australia. Corella 26, 74–78.
Gilmore, S., Mackey, B., and Berry, S. (2007). The extent of dispersive movement behaviour in Australian vertebrate animals, possible causes, and some implications for conservation. Pacific Conservation Biology 13, 93–103.
| The extent of dispersive movement behaviour in Australian vertebrate animals, possible causes, and some implications for conservation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hammer, Ø., and Harper, D. A. T. (2006). ‘Paleontological Data Analysis.’ (Blackwell Publications: Oxford.)
Hammer, Ø., Harper, D. A. T., and Ryan, D. (2001). PAST: Paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontologia Electronica 4, 9pp.
Holmes, R. T., and Recher, H. F. (1986). Determinants of guild structure in an Australian eucalypt forest–woodland bird community. The Condor 88, 427–439.
| Determinants of guild structure in an Australian eucalypt forest–woodland bird community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnson, R. W., and Burrows, W. H. (1994). Acacia open forests, woodlands and shrublands. In ‘Australian Vegetation’. 2nd edn. (Ed. R. H. Groves.) pp. 257–290. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)
Keast, A. (1968). Seasonal movements in the Australian honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) and their ecological significance. Emu 67, 159–209.
| Seasonal movements in the Australian honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) and their ecological significance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Korňan, M., Holmes, R. T., Recher, H. F., Adamik, P., and Kropil, R. (2013). Convergence in foraging guild structure of forest bird assemblages across three continents is related to habitat structure and foraging opportunities. Community Ecology 14, 89–100.
| Convergence in foraging guild structure of forest bird assemblages across three continents is related to habitat structure and foraging opportunities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Leavesley, A. (2008). The response of birds to the fire regimes of mulga woodlands in central Australia. Ph.D. Thesis, Australian National University, Canberra.
Mac Nally, R., Ellis, M., and Barrett, G. (2004). Avian biodiversity monitoring in Australian rangelands. Austral Ecology 29, 93–99.
| Avian biodiversity monitoring in Australian rangelands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Maslin, B. and Reid, J. (2009). Understanding Mulga. Information Sheet 25/Science Division. Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth.
Paltridge, R., and Southgate, R. (2001). The effect of habitat type and seasonal conditions on fauna in two areas of the Tanami Desert. Wildlife Research 28, 247–260.
| The effect of habitat type and seasonal conditions on fauna in two areas of the Tanami Desert.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pavey, C. R., and Nano, C. E. M. (2009). Bird assemblages of arid Australia: vegetation patterns have a greater effect than disturbance and resource pulses. Journal of Arid Environments 73, 634–642.
| Bird assemblages of arid Australia: vegetation patterns have a greater effect than disturbance and resource pulses.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F. (1989a). Specialist or generalist? Avian response to spatial and temporal changes in resources. Studies in Avian Biology 13, 955–962.
Recher, H. F. (1989b). Foraging segregation of Australian warblers (Acanthizidae) in open-forest near Sydney, New South Wales. Emu 89, 204–215.
| Foraging segregation of Australian warblers (Acanthizidae) in open-forest near Sydney, New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F. (2003). WildCountry. Pacific Conservation Biology 8, 221–222.
| WildCountry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F., and Davis, W. E. (1997). Observations on the foraging ecology of a mulga bird community. Wildlife Research 24, 27–43.
| Observations on the foraging ecology of a mulga bird community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F., and Davis, W. E. (1998). Foraging profile of a wandoo woodland avifauna during spring. Australian Journal of Ecology 23, 514–527.
| Foraging profile of a wandoo woodland avifauna during spring.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F., and Davis, W. E. (2002). Foraging profile of a salmon gum woodland avifauna in Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 85, 103–111.
Recher, H. F., and Davis, W. E. (2014). Response of birds to episodic summer rainfall in the Great Western Woodlands, Western Australia. Australian Zoologist 37, 206–224.
| Response of birds to episodic summer rainfall in the Great Western Woodlands, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F., and Davis, W. E. (2018). Foraging behaviour of mulga birds in Western Australia. I. Use of resources and temporal effects. Pacific Conservation Biology , .
| Foraging behaviour of mulga birds in Western Australia. I. Use of resources and temporal effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F., and Gebski, V. (1989). Analysis of the foraging ecology of eucalypt forest birds: sequential versus single-point observations. Studies in Avian Biology 13, 534–548.
Recher, H. F., and Majer, J. D. (1994). On the selection of tree species by acanthizid warblers in open-forest near Sydney, New South Wales. Emu 94, 239–245.
| On the selection of tree species by acanthizid warblers in open-forest near Sydney, New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F., Holmes, R. T., Schulz, M., Shields, J., and Kavanagh, R. (1985). Foraging patterns of breeding birds in eucalypt forest and woodland of south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 10, 399–419.
| Foraging patterns of breeding birds in eucalypt forest and woodland of south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Recher, H. F., Calver, M. C., and Davis, W. E. (2016). Ecology of honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) I: Resource allocation among species in the Great Western Woodland during spring. Australian Zoologist 38, 130–146.
| Ecology of honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) I: Resource allocation among species in the Great Western Woodland during spring.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Root, R. B. (1967). The niche exploitation pattern of the blue-grey gnatcatcher. Ecological Monographs 37, 317–350.
| The niche exploitation pattern of the blue-grey gnatcatcher.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Runge, C. A., and Tulloch, A. (2017). Solving problems of conservation inadequacy for nomadic birds. Australian Zoologist 39, 280–295.
| Solving problems of conservation inadequacy for nomadic birds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Runge, C. A., Tulloch, A., Hammill, E., Possingham, H. P., and Fuller, R. A. (2015). Geographic range size and extinction risk in nomadic species. Conservation Biology 29, 865–876.
| Geographic range size and extinction risk in nomadic species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith, J. E. (2015). Effects of environmental variation on the composition and dynamics of an arid-adapted Australian bird community. Pacific Conservation Biology 21, 74–86.
| Effects of environmental variation on the composition and dynamics of an arid-adapted Australian bird community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tischler, M., Dickman, C. R., and Wardle, G. M. (2013). Avian functional group responses to rainfall across four vegetation types in the Simpson Desert, central Australia. Austral Ecology 38, 809–819.
| Avian functional group responses to rainfall across four vegetation types in the Simpson Desert, central Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turpin, J. M., and Johnstone, R. E. (2017). An isolated population of the southern scrub-robin (Drymodes brunneopygia) in the Great Victoria Desert. Pacific Conservation Biology 23, 95–106.
| An isolated population of the southern scrub-robin (Drymodes brunneopygia) in the Great Victoria Desert.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Williams, J. (2002). Fire regimes and their impacts in the mulga (Acacia aneura) landscapes of central Australia. In ‘Australian Fire Regimes: Contemporary Patterns (April 1998 – March 2000) and Changes Since European Settlement’. (Eds J. Russell-Smith, R. Craig, A. M. Gill, R. Smith, and J. Williams.) pp. 1–58. Australia State of the Environment Second Technical Paper Series (Biodiversity), Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra. Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/90ab/42844f83bde421c5eb6b2c70410acc07ffc9.pdf [accessed 20 January 2017].
Wilson, K., and Recher, H. F. (2001). Foraging ecology and habitat selection of the yellow-plumed honeyeater Lichenostomus ornatus in a Western Australian woodland. Emu 101, 89–94.
| Foraging ecology and habitat selection of the yellow-plumed honeyeater Lichenostomus ornatus in a Western Australian woodland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Woinarski, J., Traill, B., and Booth, C. (2014). ‘The Modern Outback: Nature, People and the Future of Remote Australia.’ (Pew Charitable Trust: Australia.)
