Hello Simon,
This is a common conservation focus these days- ie. looking at the
ecosystem (especially including the more common species) rather than
individual rare species. This seems to me to be the current trend. An
argument could be put forward for the decline of many common bird species
in Australia. Many birds that are usually thought of as common have
suffered declines certainly on local scales. For example, I know that
Red-browed Finches suffered a massive decline around Blackbutt Reserve in
Newcastle within a few years of my having finished my Honours study on them
back in the mid 90's. I take the point that the rate of the decline is
important.
I have to say that I'm not entirely convinced that focusing on declining
common birds is always the way to go. Its too tempting to go for the broad
bat approach covering as many species as possible without really knowing
whether the measures being applied will be favourable to all the target
species. Its easier to study a common species and apply its ecological
requirements to the rarer species hoping that you can cover all. Easy
options are often sought because they are cheaper. Rare birds are hard to
study- after all they are rare and hard to find in the first place.
My problem with looking at the common species lies in the complexity of
ecological relationships and requirements. The more I feel I understand how
birds tick the more complicated I think many of the systems really are. I
think its often a mistake to assume that because one bird species has
particular requirements then similar bird species will have the same or
similar requirements. I think its even a mistake to assume that because a
species behaves in one way at one location that it will behave the same way
in other locations. The level and scale of variation is massive in all
directions- between individuals, between populations, between species. When
you multiply this by the number of species in an ecosystem (insects etc.),
which also varies across the landscape I find it mindboggling!
My point is that I don't think that there are many easy solutions out
there. We do need to develop some idea of how things work on an ecosystem
level while recognising that our knowledge won't be complete. However, we
also need to know how individual species cope with the environment around
them as a separate issue. I think this is especially the case with the rare
species which likely have very specific requirements that can only be
discovered by concerted effort directed at them alone. Conserving places
won't always conserve what's in them if the underlying problems are still
present. So I think we need both approaches. One that looks at a bigger
picture- including common species- and one that specifically targets the
rare species.
Anyway, thats my two bob's worth! I'm probably out of step with everyone
else but so be it!
Cheers
Mick Todd
Griffith, NSW
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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