Hi, everybody -
If anybody has the time and inclination to spend a week in late November
looking for and at small, rare, green parrots in rainforest, read on. We
are assisting the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service recruit volunteer
observers for a survey of Coxen?s Fig-Parrot (the endangered southern
subspecies of the Double-eyed Fig-Parrot) in north-eastern New South Wales
from Saturday 22 to Saturday 29 November 1997. The following information
comes from NSW NPWS:
Coxen?s Fig-Parrot is recognised as one of Australia?s rarest and least
known birds. Although its northern relatives are relatively common, Coxen?s
Fig-Parrot has, in recent years, only rarely been reported from its
south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales range.
Literature reviews indicate that Coxen?s Fig-Parrot feeds predominantly on a
variety of fig tree species and may exhibit altitudinal movements in
response to the fruiting phenology of these species. Studies of breeding
habits between August and December in this and related subspecies suggest
that Coxen?s Fig-Parrot may prefer ecotonal boundaries between dry,
sub-tropical or littoral rainforest and more open areas, and that relatively
small home ranges are occupied during this time.
The paucity of recent plausible sightings, less than 20 in the last ten
years, has led to concern about the subspecies? long term viability. There
have been recommendations that a captive breeding program be implemented,
with the aim of releasing birds back into the wild. However, insufficient
information is known about the ecology and population levels of the
subspecies to allow implementation of this proposal, and the nest and eggs
of the bird are yet to be formally described.
A Recovery Team was formed in 1993 at the initiative of the then Queensland
Dept. of Environment and Heritage, under the guidance of the Commonwealth
Endangered Species Program administered and funded by the then Australian
Nature Conservation Agency. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
(NPWS) is represented on the Recovery Team which is continuing to identify
and map critical habitat.
In 1996, the Recovery Team contracted a botanist to map and identify the fig
trees occurring around the locations of the 14 most recent and reliable
observations of Coxen?s Fig-Parrot in NSW. At the seven top priority sites,
all fig trees have been individually located, identified and tagged within
an area of approximately 20 hectares surrounding the observation point.
Effective conservation action is hampered by a lack of knowledge of the
bird, its whereabouts and ecological requirements. This community survey
aims to make a significant contribution towards knowledge of all three
things by placing as many observers as possible into the field in the
vicinity of the tagged trees at three of the top priority sites, namely
Mebbin State Forest, Cambridge Plateau and Tooloom Scrub.
It is also intended to collect opportunistic information about other
threatened rainforest species, including the pigeons, large owls and
mammals, on a voluntary basis where time permits.
ITINERARY:
Saturday 22 November 1997.
>From 9.00am: Observers meet at the Dept. of Agriculture Tropical Fruit
Conference Centre, 3km east of Alstonville along Bruxner Highway on the
north side. Lecture about fig-parrots. Search methodology and SAR
procedures. Allocate observers to search areas. Lunch. Travel to base
camps and set up. Catering provided at each camp.
Sunday 23 November to Tuesday 25 November.
Survey work each day, with time to roam and relax between shifts
Wednesday 26 November.
Rest day and travel to alternative area. Mid-survey briefing by each area
coordinator on site.
Thursday 27 November to Friday 28 November.
Survey work each day, with time to roam and relax between shifts
Saturday 29 November.
Pack up. Group debrief at Dept. of Agriculture Tropical Fruit Conference
Centre. Formal lunch at Alstonville Hotel. Depart.
NOTES:
· Catering will be provided for all meals while at base camps.
· Bring your own personals, tent, sleeping bag etc.
· Ensure you have a compass, whistle and torch, first aid kit and day
pack/water bottle/matches. Photocopied maps will be provided.
· Bring a pillow, groundsheet, mossie cream etc. to lie on forest floor and
make the tree surveys more comfortable.
· All participants will be required to register at the Alstonville briefing
and to report to the area coordinators at each shift change. It is very easy
to get lost in rainforest.
· Each base camp will have a mobile phone and radio link-up to the NPWS
Alstonville or Kyogle District Office.
· The Survey Leader is John Martindale.
The registration deadline is Monday 17 November 1997. For further
information and to register please contact Mick Fendley, Threatened Bird
Network, at: <>, or the address below.
Regards, Hugo.
Hugo Phillipps,
Birds Australia Conservation & Liaison,
Australian Bird Research Centre,
415 Riversdale Road,
Hawthorn East, VIC 3123, Australia.
Tel: (03) 9882 2622. Fax: (03) 9882 2677.
o/s: +61 3 9882 2622. Fax: +61 3 9882 2677.
Email: <>
Web Homepage: http://www.vicnet.net.au/~birdsaus
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