Thanks for pointing this out Michael. My observations are my own having lived
and
worked on outback stations for years, where I had the opportunity to see
numerous
nests in the western Simpson Desert, the Gibson Desert and the central Tanami
Desert
areas. Normally there is only one egg in a nest but occasionally in exceptional
seasons there are two. I have only seen breeding happen in years of higher
rainfall
and have only seen one chick fledge from a clutch. Perhaps Bustards do lay more
eggs
in higher rainfall areas, im not sure about that. Im surprised about the atlas
results showing such a decline because up until two years ago there was no
obvious
decline in any of the areas that im familiar with, and my work took me
extensively
across the Australian outback. I wont argue against atlas results but to be
comparable in relation to commenting on decline of Bustards or Emus, I would
have
thought that the recording methodology should be exactly the same. Perhaps
organisers
could supply interested atlas participants "and others", with survey sheets for
Bustards and Emus using identical methodology as the first atlas, at least
while the
project continues. Emus were not very common outside the dogfence and it is
likely
that dingo's influence their numbers. If predators have turned on Bustards due
to the
eradication of rabbits, their previous major food source, then its probable that
Bustard declines are only beginning to show up in the last couple of years and
if so
then i eat humble pie and apply for permission to join the herd. I will have
another
look around this year before commenting further.
michael hunter wrote:
>
> Peter,
> The only reference I have here is Pizzey & Knight, saying that
> Australian Bustards lay 1 to 3 eggs; from where did you source your
> information that they lay only one?
> Regards
> Michael
>
> Michael Hunter
> Mulgoa Valley
> 50km west of Sydney Harbour Bridge
>
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