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noisy friarbirds ..... incoming !!

To: "Bill Stent" <>, <>
Subject: noisy friarbirds ..... incoming !!
From: "Philip Veerman" <>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:40:34 +1000
Message below asks: Are Noisy Friarbirds known to migrate? Is anyone interested 
in the timing of such a thing?

Yes to both. Absolutely they migrate. Although the "New Atlas" doesn't 
obviously show that. This is what my book "Canberra Birds: A Report on the 
first 21 years of the Garden Bird Survey" says about them. Relevant bits 
highlighted in bold. (Is bold permitted to go through the filters?). Though 
this is just based on Canberra.
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus

In its conspicuous size and aggressive dominance of the honeyeater community 
this species is the only rival of the Red Wattlebird and when present the two 
species display considerable mutual aggression. However the abundance patterns 
of the two species are totally different. This species is very consistent each 
year in showing the typical double peak of common summer migrants. If there is 
a reason why this species migrates, it may relate to the bald head of this 
species and the cold Canberra winter. There are very few between May and 
August, in some years there are none. Numbers rise rapidly in September to peak 
in October, then they dip in November and December as many birds go into nearby 
woodland to breed. January to March has a second peak before the birds almost 
all depart during April. Abundance was high in Year 1, especially high in Year 
2 as with many summer migrants but has declined smoothly since then to a low in 
Year 13, then increased slightly again with another small peak in Year 19. It 
may relate to changing conditions in northern Australia or the impact of the 
increasing population locally of the Red Wattlebird.

This species has the most breeding records by far of any summer migrant. 
Breeding frequency was low only in Year 2 (because of drought) and Years 10 to 
14. Their nest can be conspicuous and this species can be aggressive, even 
attacking people, in defence of their nest. Dependent young are conspicuous by 
their calling. Activities at nest commence soon after arrival with some nest 
building as early as third week of September but most start later. There are a 
few dependent young from the end of October. The majority of records are of 
activities at nest before December and dependent young from early January until 
late February with just a few in late March.
Graphs on page: 98, Rank: 12, Breeding Rank: 7, Breeding graph on page: 106, A 
= 0.97264, F = 94.15%, W = 44.2, R = 39.240%, G = 2.48.

Philip




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