Karina Bull (03)9524-2347 wrote:
>
> Can anyone help me with information on non-wading birds that migrate between
> Western Australia and SE Asia? eg: bee eaters, raptors, cuckoos, tree martins,
> wood swallows (?), wag tails, king fishers etc etc.
>
> Are there any sites that we are assured of seeing any of these birds at
> predictable times of the year? And have there been papers on the migration of
> these species and the weather systems they may use to hitch a ride to
> Australia?
>
> I'd appreciate any info people could send me. Any suggestions as to contacts
> or
> sources I'd be grateful for.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Karina Bull
Hi Karina,
In addition to the information provided by Hugo, there are four other sources
of RAOU
information on migratory movements of bush birds in WA:
1. WA Bird Notes: This is the quarterly newsletter of the WA Group of the RAOU.
Each
issue has a list of interesting and/or unusual bird sightings, especially
relating to
the timing and location of migratory or vagrant bird species.
2. The RAOU Atlas Database: a record of the distribution of every Australian
bird
species collected on a 10-minute or one degree grid square basis. The
information is
rather old now (1977-81) but would give you some idea of the general area and
the
time of year you could find these species. The results of this study are
summarised in
the 'Atlas of Australian Birds' by Margaret Blakers, Pauline Reilly and Stephen
Davies
(published in 1984). However, raw data can be obtained from the Atlas database
at a
nominal cost per record.
3. The Australian Bird Count Database: a record of the seasonal changes in the
distribution and relative abundance of bush birds at around 2,000 sites across
Australia. Data were collected from 1989-95, the results for 150 species are
currently
being written up in the form of a book, the first draft of which should be
completed by
the end of May this year, and hopefully published by the end of the year. I
know this
because I am the senior author of this publication! Like the atlas data, raw
Australian
Bird Count data can be obtained from the RAOU at a nominal cost per record.
4. The WA Office of the RAOU also curate smaller bird databases which are
stored on
computer. Information about these data can be obtained by contacting the RAOU's
WA
Office Manager on (09) 383 7749 in the morning during the working week. The WA
Office
also produces brochures that detail good birding sites found around major WA
townships -
these are very popular and well worth obtaining.
Dr Stephen Ambrose
RAOU Research and Conservation Manager
E-mail: S.Ambrose <> (at work)
(at home)
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