Chapter 5 Feeding Ecology of the Australian Raven on Rottnest Island

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with Storr first observing <strong>the</strong>m in 1955. The gerygone rapidly colonised all suitable habitats, favouring <strong>the</strong> plantations <strong>of</strong> tuarts (Serventy and Storr 1959), and by 1960 were noted to be more plentiful than Golden Whistler (Storr 1965), and is now one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most commonly encountered bush birds on Rottnest. 2.3.2 Species <strong>of</strong> conservation concern Seven species were identified by Saunders and de Rebeira (2009) to be <strong>of</strong> conservation importance. These being <strong>the</strong> Golden Whistler, White-browed Scrubwren, Western Gerygone, Red-caped Robin, White-fronted Chat, Singing Honeyeater and Rock Parrot. In addition, <strong>the</strong> Golden Whistler and Red-caped Robin has been proposed as an indicator species for <strong>the</strong> natural environment <strong>of</strong> Rottnest (Ma<strong>the</strong>r 2010). These species, with <strong>the</strong> exception <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Rock Parrot that does not nest in bush land, are used in this study as models for conservation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bush birds <strong>of</strong> Rottnest Island. The distribution and abundance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se key species are examined below. 2.3.3 Distribution and abundance <strong>of</strong> bush birds On Rottnest <strong>the</strong>re is a strong preference by Golden Whistler, Red-capped Robin and Western Gerygone to occur in revegetated areas (Figure 2.3). This is supported by Birds Australia WA recorded increases, in particular in reforested areas, <strong>of</strong> Golden Whistler, Singing Honeyeater, Western Gerygone and Red-caped Robin during recent surveys (Ma<strong>the</strong>r 2009). With <strong>the</strong> exception <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Singing Honeyeater, passerine species strongly avoid areas that are disturbed including <strong>the</strong> Thompson Bay Settlement. During surveys in 2010 <strong>the</strong> only o<strong>the</strong>r passerines encountered in <strong>the</strong> settlement were resident species not regarded to be <strong>of</strong> concern, <strong>the</strong> Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena and Grey-breasted White-eye (Silvereye) Zosterops lateralis. A single Western Geryone was recorded in <strong>the</strong> settlement in August 2011. In comparison, <strong>the</strong> introduced Laughing Turtledove and invasive <strong>Australian</strong> <strong>Raven</strong> have a broader distribution, favouring <strong>the</strong> urban and disturbed areas (Figure 2.4). The sites fur<strong>the</strong>st from <strong>the</strong> settlement (Site 3, Site 5 and Site 6) are also those that had <strong>the</strong> highest frequency <strong>of</strong> species <strong>of</strong> conservation concern, with <strong>the</strong> settlement showing a reduced 26
diversity (Figure 2.5). These sites included well connected, though <strong>of</strong>ten sparse, woodland or grassland habitats. Conversely, Site 1 is severely fragmented, is in close proximity to accommodation and recreational areas, and had a species composition similar to <strong>the</strong> central settlement. The Singing Honeyeater was <strong>the</strong> only key species recorded at this site. Singing Honeyeater and Western Gerygone were <strong>the</strong> most frequently recorded species over <strong>the</strong> sites visited, with <strong>the</strong> Singing Honeyeater recorded across all sites and <strong>the</strong> gerygone recorded most frequently. White-browed Scrub-wren and White-fronted Chat preferred habitats with suitable understory or dense vegetation. White-fronted Chat preferred vegetation fringing or near water (Site 5). Red-caped Robin and Golden Whistler preferred habitats with tall or dense woodland. The trend for Golden Whistler was particularly obvious at Site 3 where <strong>the</strong>y were only recorded within a fenced area <strong>of</strong> mature revegetated forest, and not on <strong>the</strong> swale. Evidence <strong>of</strong> breeding was recorded at Site 1, Site 4, Site 5 and Site 6 in 2010 and 2011. Red- capped Robin were observed feeding recently fledged young at Site 5 in September 2010, and Site 4 and Site 6 October 2010. Singing Honeyeater with begging young were recorded at Site 1 in October and November 2010, and at Site 2 in November 2010. Pairs <strong>of</strong> Western Gerygone were observed at each <strong>of</strong> Site 4, Site 5 and Site 6 in November 2010. 27
Page 1: Ecological Impacts of</stro
Page 5 and 6: Abstract The Australian</st
Page 7 and 8: Contents Acknowledgements vii <stro
Page 9 and 10: 5.2.2 Laboratory examination <stron
Page 11 and 12: Acknowledgements My sincerest thank
Page 13 and 14: Chapter 1 Introduc
Page 15 and 16: 1.2 Why is the <st
Page 17: Chapter 5 Investig
Page 20 and 21: 2.1.2 History Archaeological eviden
Page 22 and 23: Figure 2.1: Rottnest Island in rela
Page 24 and 25: Figure 2.2b: Rottnest Island with t
Page 26 and 27: Early observers did not document <s
Page 29 and 30: 2.2 Methods 2.2.1 Literature review
Page 31 and 32: 2.3 Results 2.3.1 History o
Page 33 and 34: Genus species Common Name Habitat S
Page 35 and 36: Gerygone fusca Western Gerygone W R
Page 37: Increases Twelve species have incre
Page 41 and 42: 13 Figure 2.5: Combned monthly freq
Page 43 and 44: some species, but causing t
Page 45 and 46: smaller in size than the</s
Page 47 and 48: Pest Management Plan, with 180 indi
Page 49 and 50: within the settlem
Page 51 and 52: Figure 3.1: Age characteristics <st
Page 53 and 54: highest daily frequency of<
Page 55 and 56: individuals in the
Page 57 and 58: pair of Osprey als
Page 59 and 60: There were a higher number
Page 61 and 62: and multiple nests support
Page 64 and 65: Chapter 4 Nest Pre
Page 66 and 67: 4.1.3 Hypothesis t
Page 68 and 69: To reduce the impa
Page 70 and 71: The outside of <st
Page 72 and 73: Five nests, one of
Page 74 and 75: 4.2.8 Control - naturally occurring
Page 76 and 77: Total Settlement (a) Nests SITE 1 5
Page 78 and 79: Figure 4.4: Linear regression test
Page 80 and 81: This can be explained by th
Page 83 and 84: Chapter 5
Page 85 and 86: conducted in 2011 (May - September)
Page 87 and 88: Figure 5.1: Sources of</str
Page 89 and 90:
Figure 5.2: Raven
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Food Category (i) Seed/Plant Grit/
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Initially, culling was conducted at
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settlement for foraging, roosting a
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6.3 Recommendations for future rese
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Given that several bush bird specie
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Program may already be influencing
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Appendices Appendix I Characteristi
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49 2 B 49 11/10/2010 GW Exposed YES
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101 5 C 101 8/11/2010 LTD Exposed Y
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Appendix II Summary: Nest predation
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Appendix IV Summary: Nest predation
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References Alexander, W.B. (1921).
Page 117 and 118:
Burbidge, A.A. (2010). Australia’
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Glauert, L. (1929). Contributions t
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Major, R.E., Pyke, G.H., Christy, M
Page 123 and 124:
Ricklefs, R.E. (1969). An analysis
Page 125 and 126:
Skutch, A.F. (1966). A breeding bir
Page 127:
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Chapter 5 Feeding Ecology of the Australian Raven on Rottnest Island

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