Further to my earlier message. Could people seeing colour-banded Regents
please also notify me ASAP.
I was informed by Edwin Vella of a colour-banded Regent at Castlereigh NR
on the survey weekend 9-10 May. Although the details were incomplete,
sufficient information was available to determine that this bird came from
the Capertee Valley. The details in Chris's posting are also not complete
but unfortunately this time the missing information is critical.
In most cases banded Regent Honeyeaters will carry a metal band (silver)
and a colour band on one leg and two colour-band on the other legs. If all
bands are recorded correctly it is possible to positively identify the
individual bird. It can take some time to get all colours and be sure of
their position if the birds are actively foraging in the canopy but it can
be, and regularly is, achieved. It is important to record which colours
are on which leg. This is best written down immediately as it is easy to
become confused. Please record colours thus: Left leg: x over metal
Right leg y over z. These are the BIRDS right and left. Please note that
the metal band can be on either of the legs. The leg carrying the metal
band and the colour with it identifies the location of banding, the other
two colours the birds exact identity.
We are after as much information as possible to build up a more complete
picture of the movements of these birds. It is not necessarily enough to
say that a Regent Honeyeater moved from the Capertee Valley to Castlereigh
NR. The full identity of the bird allows us to put together complete life
histories of individuals. Will these birds return to the Capertee Valley
or turn up elsewhere to breed in 1998?
We already have good information about pre- and post-breeding movements
within the Capertee Valley, some evidence for fidelity in breeding sites as
well as some quite dramatic changes in breeding sites between years. In
addition to the Capertee Valley birds are being individually colour-banded
in northern NSW, Chiltern in Victoria and, in 1995, at Canberra.
If anyone has more information about the colour-banded Regents at
Castlereigh NR, or elsewhere, could that please let me know.
Thanks
David Geering
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator
Phone: (03) 9412 4297 or Freecall 1800 621 056
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