Definition of DY in Aust Wood Ducks

["martin butterfield" <>]

David

 

My operational definition for any species would be being fed by parents (or carers in the case of cuckoos). 

 

That being said I am wondering if there isn't a need for a further code IY,  for Indolent Young.  I have been developing this concept over the last few days watching some young Red Wattlebirds and Noisy Miners in our big Yellow Box.   They look to be full grown and quite capable of looking after themselves and can clearly fly well.  However it seems easirer for them to sit around and squawk all and the parents (or at least an adult member of the same species) periodically turns up and rams an ex-insect into their mouth.  I am counting these as DY for my GBS Chart since I believe there is a fair chance they have bred in the site ar at least close by (and it is my limited skill at nest-finding which has prevented a NE or NY code being earned.

 

Martin.

On Jan 22, 2008 5:21 PM, David McDonald <> wrote:

Greetings. I'm wondering when young Aust Wood Ducks cease being
'dependent young' for the purposes of recording data for our surveys.

Specifically, at present we have a family here, mum and dad and 7
teenage young. They young are about the size of their parents, obviously
they feed themselves as they walk along, but they are very much still
the family group, with one parent at the front and one at the back as
they walk along in single file.

So, they can graze OK - they are not fed by the parents which is what I
normally use as an operationalisation of the DY concept - but are still
looked after by the parents.

Any thoughts? Any clear guidance available form data set managers?

Thanks - David


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