We can’t be sure that Noisy Pittas are altitudinal migrants for, as far as I
know, we haven’t had any long distance or altitudinal movement recoveries of
banded Pittas. It is interesting because the species turns up in good numbers
on the NSW North Coast during the autumn-winter but unlike the southern
migrants (Grey Fantail, Golden Whistler, Silvereye etc.) the Pitta doesn’t
occur in southern Australia and the numbers south of the north coast would
appear to be small so it is unlikely that the north coast birds have arrived
from the south. The most likely explanation is that they move down from the
high country but another possibility is that they migrate south from
Queensland. Southward movement of birds in the winter is rare but the Spangled
Drongo does go south as well as north during the autumn-winter. If the Noisy
Pitta is an altitudinal migrant it is likely that not all individuals migrate.
It appears that adult male Eastern Spinebill stay in the high country while
adult females (with a few exceptions) and young birds move to the lowlands.
Again we need more proof from banded birds but that is what appear to happen.
Eastern Spinebills also appear to be latitudinal migrants. There is just so
much that we don’t understand about migration in Australian birds, particularly
autumn-winter migration.
Regards
Greg
Dr Greg. P. Clancy
Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide
| PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460
| 02 6649 3153 | 0429 601 960
http://www.gregclancyecologistguide.com
From: Marc Anderson
Sent: Friday, September 06, 2013 7:42 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Noisy Pittas
My only observation of Noisy Pittas on a visit to the Border Ranges in July
this year was in one of the highest (altitude) sections of the area, near the
Pinnacle Lookout. This made me question the altitude migration theory.
--
Marc Anderson
Wild Ambience
Sydney, Australia
P +61 (0) 430 072 299
E
www.wildambience.com
facebook.com/wildambience
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