Habitat selection by helmeted honeyeaters

Abstract

The realised niche of the helmeted honeyeater, in terms of the floristic and structural attributes of the vegetation, was determined using logistic discrimination. The vegetation was divided into two communities, Eucalyptus camphora swampland and E. viminalis-dominated riparian forest, based on differences observed in other studies on foraging behaviour within these two communities. The variables describing the realised niche of the helmeted honeyeater in the E. camphora community were a high bark index, a large number of E. camphora stems and the presence of surface water. The results for the E. viminalis community were less conclusive, but suggest that a deep eucalypt canopy may be important. These variables relate to the feeding and breeding biology of the helmeted honeyeater. Habitat models of this form will allow appropriate habitat management strategies for Yellingbo State Nature Reserve to be developed, as well as allow the suitability of potential helmeted honeyeater release or relocation sites to be assessed.