wrote:
I've seen three individuals in 20 years birding.
All during the day. Most would be seen at night I reckon and I don't go
birding at night much. I tap on hollows occasionally but never get any
results.
Owlet-nightjars can be locally abundant in parts of Victoria. I'm
thinking of places like the Brisbane Ranges, Inverleigh Common and bits
of the Otway Ranges - where to be out at night and not hear one (some)
is the exception rather than the rule. They are quite noisy at times!
Seeing them of course is a rather different matter. In hundreds of
hours of spotlighting for mammal surveys etc., I've probably only seen a
couple of dozen (heard 100s). Seeing them from the car while driving
through some open woodland areas seems to be a matter of serendipity,
but more successful overall than spotlighting.
Steve has alluded to the time honoured method of tapping on hollow
trees. This is by far the most successful method of seeing
Owlet-nightjars - but also undoubtedly the most disruptive (as far as
the birds are concerned). If you know of a hollow with ONjs inside -
please don't tap it too often - they will desert the roost if disturbed
enough - it also exposes them to daytime predators and mobbing passerines.
I've noticed that in areas where goannas occur (particularly Tree Goanna
_Varanus varius_), just walking past a roost tree or brushing up against
it will cause a rapid exit by any roosting ONjs.
--
=================================
Lawrie Conole
Senior Ecologist
Ornithology & Terrestrial Ecology
Ecology Australia Pty. Ltd.
Flora and Fauna Consultants
88B Station Street
FAIRFIELD VIC 3078 Australia
E-mail:
Internet: http://www.ecologyaustralia.com.au/
Ph: (03) 9489 4191; Mob: (0419) 588 993
Fax: (03) 9481 7679
ABN 83 006 757 142
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