Still on the subject of the ABR for 2014-2015, the GBS table is always of interest. The top 12 species might make a suitable Christmas card to send to non-Canberrans later this year. For the ‘top 12’ I believe the number of sites is the
appropriate qualification. If you use ‘abundance’ you will find the Eurasian Coot is the 12th ranked garden bird although recorded at only 17.2% of sites and the Silver Gull is 21st (9.4%). On the other hand all the below twelve species
(not placed in order) were recorded at at least 90% of sites. You might compare this 12 with the top 12 woodland species, but to interpret the comparison you would need to bear in mind that some ‘garden’ sites take in significant areas of woodland (and wetland,
apparently). Further down the list the Noisy Miner is lurking ominously at 59.4%. Give me the coots any day.
