Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

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BYRON FLORA AND FAUNA STUDY, 1999 Appendix 9 A call survey of bats of Byron Shire, NSW H Parnaby, PO Box 2359, Coffs Harbour 2450 September 1998. Report prepared for Landmark Ecological Services. INTRODUCTION A survey of bats was undertaken at 52 sites within Byron Shire during the period 6 April - 7 May, 1998. The survey relied primarily on detection of calls using the Anabat call detection system, and was designed to target species considered to be of particular conservation concern, and/or that were known from few records from the region. The survey targeted a subset of those listed as Vulnerable on Schedule 2 of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 and are listed in Table 1. Table 1 Priority species targeted during the survey First priority species Yellow-bellied Sheathtail-bat Beccari’s Freetail-bat Eastern Freetail-bat Second priority species Golden-tipped Bat Eastern False Pipistrelle Eastern Tube-nosed Bat Hoary Wattled Bat Eastern Cave Bat Large-eared Pied Bat SURVEY METHODS Surveys were undertaken using hand held bat detectors, and calls analysed using the Anabat5 call detection system and software (Titley Electronics, Ballina). The duration of surveys per site varied from 10 to 60 minutes, depending on levels of activity. Manually operated surveys were used rather than automated recording methods, as the operator was able to track the bat and thereby obtain better quality call sequences of longer duration, thereby increasing the ability to obtain species identifications from calls. Bat species recognition is not always possible from echolocation calls. Some call sequences are too distant or indistinct, or too brief to enable species identification. The variation in call types exhibited by some species is still not properly defined and calls of some species are very similar and cannot be reliably distinguished for some species. Consequently, three categories of confidence in species identification are recognised (Parnaby 1992): Definite identification (X): species identity not in doubt; Probable identification (P): species identification most likely, but a low probability of confusion with species with similar call types; Possible identification (): call characteristics are comparable with the species, but a reasonable probability of confusion with one or more similar species. Call surveys were made at a total of 52 sites. Sites less than about 100 m apart were designated as subsites, unless significantly different habitat was sampled. Some sites were resampled, and the total number of censuses was 63, for a total duration of approximately 30 hours. Site location, date, start time and duration of surveys at each site are given in Table 3. 197
A GREENPRINT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE RESULTS A total of 14 species were detected from call surveys (see Table 2). The actual number could be greater than this, because the several species of Long-eared Bats and Little Freetail-bats were not identified to species. The majority of species were recorded from a total of less than ten sites (Table 2). Three species listed as Vulnerable on Schedule 2 of the TSC Act, 1995 (the Golden-tipped Bat, Northern Long-eared Bat (Nyctophilus bifax) and the Common Blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis)) were not detected from calls during this survey, but were captured in a separate opportunistic trapping programme, the results of which are summarised below: Wanganui Gorge, Upper Coopers Creek (AMG 0538241 6839032 ± 46 m). April 11 to 17, 1998. Species: Northern Long-eared Bat; Golden-tipped Bat; Little Bentwing Bat; Eastern Horseshoe Bat; Eastern Forest Bat. Byrangery Grass Reserve (site 20 of this survey). April 20 to 8 May, 1998. Species: Northern Long-eared Bat; Gould’s Long-eared Bat; Eastern Forest Bat; Eastern Horseshoe Bat; Common Blossom Bat. Table 2 Species recorded during survey, and number of sites recorded per species based on definite and probable calls Vernacular name Scientific name Abbreviation Nu. Sites Little Bentwing Bat Miniopterus australis M. aust 30 Large Bentwing Bat Miniopterus schreibersii M. schr 17 White-striped Freetail-bat Tadarida australis Tad 13 Unnamed Freetail-bats Mormopterus species Morm 10 Large-footed Myotis Myotis adversus Myotis 9 Eastern Forest Bat Vespadelus pumilus V. pum 7 Long-eared Bats Nyctophilus species Nyct. spp 4 Large-eared Pied Bat Chalinolobus dwyerii Ch. dwy 3 Gould’s Wattled Bat Chalinolobus gouldii Ch. gld 3 Yellow-bellied Sheathtail-bat Saccolaimus flaviventris Sac. flav 3 Eastern Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus megaphyllus Rhin 3 Greater Broadnosed Bat Scoteanax rueppellii Sx. ruep 2 Chocolate Wattled Bat Chalinolobus morio Ch. mor 1 Eastern Tube-nosed Bat Nyctimene robinsoni N. rob 1 DISCUSSION A number of significant trends are evident from the results of this survey: 1. survey results were dominated by species that roost in subterranean sites such as caves, disused mine tunnels and storm-water drain pipes. The vast majority of bats detected were of the two Bentwing Bat species, and either or both species were detected at 34 of the 52 sites. Both species roost in subterranean sites such as caves or disused mine tunnels. 2. the majority of species in the region roost in hollows or fissures which only form in old trees, which are scarce or absent from much of the Shire. Hollow roosting species were generally 198
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Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 - Byron Shire Council

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