The latest issue of Emu has Stuart Rae's paper on Frogmouth
nesting density
Robin Hide
Rae, Stuart. (2009). “Comparisons between nesting densities of Tawny
Frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) in open- and closed-canopy
woodlands.” Emu 109(4): 327-330.
Abstract: The Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) is a common and
familiar bird, yet there is little known of their densities in
different woodland habitats. Nests of Tawny Frogmouths were surveyed in
partly cleared open grassy woodland, open-canopy grassy woodland and
closed-canopy dry sclerophyll forest in 2006-08. Thirty-nine nesting
attempts were recorded. In 2008, when all sites were thoroughly
searched, more nests were found in the open-canopy grassy woodland
(0.02 nests ha-1) than in closed-canopy dry sclerophyll forest (0.006).
The highest recorded density was 0.05 nests ha-1 in the partly cleared
woodland in 2006. Nests were evenly spaced but at different densities
in the different habitat types, with the mean nearest-neighbour
distance shorter in the open-canopy grassy woodland (594 m) than in the
closed-canopy dry sclerophyll forest (1322 m). Overall, Tawny
Frogmouths nested at highest densities in partly cleared grassy
woodland, which grows on moderately rich loamy soils, at intermediate
densities in open grassy woodland, which grows on similar soils, and at
lowest densities in closed-canopy dry sclerophyll forest, which grows
on shallow infertile soils. These findings provide a baseline against
which results of future surveys of Tawny Frogmouths can be compared and
so assist in monitoring the status of the species in relation to
changes in the environment.
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