Royal National Park

["Philip A. Veerman" <>]

Whether or not "Sydney's Royal National Park has around 279 species" has absolutely nil bearing on the suggestion (which I strongly suspect is an urban myth, based on nil evidence) that our birdlife is on the decline in Australia's largest city. (No doubt some species have declined, others increased, others constantly change up and down.) Number of species that have been recorded in an area is irrevelant to an assessment of change to population levels of many species. Anyway, where are the long-term detailed population studies of Sydney's birds? No-one at my 28-4-2001 talk to SNAG in Sydney, about COG's GBS said anything like "we have something like this in Sydney"!

-----Original Message-----
From: Vella <>
To: <>
Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2001 18:48
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Royal National Park

It has been boasted on the radio today (on Sydney's newest radio station Nova 96.9), that despite the thought of many people thinking that our birdlife is on the decline in Australia's largest city, bird watchers can be happy to find that Sydney's Royal National Park has around 279 species. 

 

I have not yet obtained Steve's new book on the Royal NP, which mentions the 279 species. I suppose this number of species may include some vagrants! Can anyone comment?

 

I have made a list of birds in my local shire - Blacktown shire and have currently a list of 206 species (over 90 percent would have been seen in the last 10 years. Has anybody else made a list of the birds of their own shire/local area?.

 

Edwin Vella