birding-aus
Phillip Veerman wrote asking for information on the abundance of Grey
Butcherbirds.
I live on the southern shores of Tuggerah Lakes in the urban area of
Berkeley Vale NSW 33 20' 151 26', where the area was once cleared for
dairyfarming but is now urban but has numerous drainage reserves,
timbered creeks, a 40-50m wide foreshore reserve, large timbered school
play grounds etc and the area of open space is reminicent of Canberra!.
The foreshore reserve is 70% cleared and the dominant trees in the open
space areas are Swamp Oak Allocasuarina glauca, Swamp Mahogany
Eucalyptus robustus, Woolybutt E. longifolia, Tee Tree Melaleuca
stypheliodes, planted Broad-leafed paperbarks M. quinquinervia,
Boobialla Myoporum montanum, and on any higher ground Spotted Gum E.
maculata.
My interest arose in Grey Butcherbirds because of my interest in Striped
Honeyeaters which are at the southern end of their coastal breeding
range in NSW. They nest within the foreshore reserve in Swamp Oak groves
generally within 20m of the nest of a Grey Butcherbird. Since 1994 I
have noted the nest sites of the Grey Butcherbirds and can advise that
within an area of 3 sq.km, there are 9 Grey Butcherbird territories and
6 Striped Honeyeater territories. Three of the 9 Grey Butcherbird nests
are actually located in the backyards of houses that are near foreshore
or creek reserves. Other Grey Butcherbirds nest adjacent to but outside
the study area so it is reasonable to say the territory size is about 33
ha, but that includes roads, footpaths, some urban areas with no trees
etc so that actual territory size could be much smaller. At leasat one
pair of Pied Butcherbirds occur within this area too. I can provide more
information.
Alan Morris
Tel 0243 891390 H
Tel o243 244911 W
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