Birds in backyards survey - Spring/summer 2005 results
Summary of Spring/Summer 2005/06 Backyard Bird Survey
Participants had a choice of survey methods for the summer 05/06 "Backyard Bird Survey" and were encouraged to submit repeat surveys:
- 346 volunteers submitted one-day surveys
- 385 submitted one-week surveys
- 425 submitted one-year surveys.
Overall, 2249 surveys were completed totaling 22,354 species records!
Eighteen people submitted more than ten one-day surveys and 15 submitted more than ten one-week surveys. Data from these enthusiasts were very useful for determining how many surveys are required to get a good indication of the species that visit a garden (see graphs below).
Four one-day surveys or two one-week surveys are required to detect half the species that regularly visit an individual backyard. This threshold was reached by only 52 and 107 volunteers respectively for one-day and one-week surveys.
There were enough repeat one-week surveys to investigate differences in the bird community across Sydney. Three broad regions could be distinguished by their characteristic bird communities: Northern Sydney, Southern Sydney and the Outer Suburbs.
- Northern Sydney included the northern beaches (e.g. Dee Why), north shore (e.g. Roseville) and north west (e.g. Baulkham Hills), but none of these districts could be distinguished from each other.
- Southern Sydney included the inner west (e.g. Glebe), outer west (e.g. Fairfield), inner south (e.g. Hurstville), and outer south (e.g. Sutherland).
- Outer Suburbs included the central coast (e.g. Woy Woy) and the Blue Mountains (e.g. Hazelbrook)
There were insufficient records from the eastern suburbs and Illawarra to be analysed.
Considerable overlap was apparent in the bird communities of the three regions (see table below), but the species that were most characteristic in separating the regions were:
- Pied Currawong, Noisy Miner and Laughing Kookaburra - more common in northern suburbs (see also Australian King-parrot maps below)
- Rainbow Lorikeet, Spotted Turtledove and Common Koel - more common in south-western suburbs (see also Superb Fairy-wren and Red-whiskered Bulbul maps, below)
- Pied Butcherbird, Crested Pigeon and Indian Myna - more common in outer suburbs.
Percentage of gardens in which each species was recorded in one-week surveys. (Only gardens that were surveyed at least twice are included)
| Species | Northern | Outer | South-western | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Magpie | 82 | 85 | 94 | 87 |
| Rainbow Lorikeet | 88 | 62 | 94 | 81 |
| Sulphur-crested Cockatoo | 61 | 85 | 82 | 76 |
| Noisy Miner | 91 | 46 | 76 | 71 |
| Common Myna | 61 | 85 | 59 | 68 |
| Pied Currawong | 85 | 54 | 65 | 68 |
| Crested Pigeon | 64 | 77 | 47 | 63 |
| Laughing Kookaburra | 73 | 46 | 53 | 57 |
| Grey Butcherbird | 45 | 62 | 47 | 51 |
| Crimson Rosella | 52 | 69 | 29 | 50 |
| Spotted Turtledove | 39 | 31 | 76 | 49 |
| Australian Raven | 42 | 54 | 47 | 48 |
| Magpie-lark | 30 | 54 | 47 | 44 |
| Red Wattlebird | 30 | 69 | 29 | 43 |
| Common Koel | 39 | 23 | 65 | 42 |
| Little Wattlebird | 15 | 69 | 41 | 42 |
| Australian King-Parrot | 52 | 62 | 6 | 40 |
| Galah | 33 | 62 | 24 | 39 |
| Willie Wagtail | 15 | 38 | 47 | 34 |
| Red-whiskered Bulbul | 6 | 31 | 53 | 30 |
| House Sparrow | 9 | 38 | 41 | 30 |
| Superb Fairy-wren | 6 | 54 | 24 | 28 |
| Eastern Rosella | 18 | 31 | 12 | 20 |
| Silvereye | 0 | 23 | 29 | 17 |
| Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo | 12 | 23 | 12 | 16 |
| Channel-billed Cuckoo | 21 | 8 | 18 | 16 |
| New Holland Honeyeater | 3 | 15 | 24 | 14 |
| Red-browed Finch | 3 | 31 | 6 | 13 |
| Satin Bowerbird | 3 | 31 | 0 | 11 |
| Eastern Spinebill | 0 | 31 | 0 | 10 |
| Eastern Yellow Robin | 0 | 31 | 0 | 10 |
| Common Blackbird | 0 | 23 | 6 | 10 |
| Number of species | 12 | 17 | 13 | 14 |
Overall, the average number of species observed in backyards of the outer suburbs was higher (17 species) than in the northern suburbs (12 species) or south-western suburbs (13 species).
Several small species appeared to be much more common in the outer suburbs (e.g. Eastern Spinebill, Eastern Yellow Robin, Red-browed Finch), but because of their relative rarity overall, they were not strong determinants of the difference in bird communities.
At this stage we do not have enough records from other areas of Australia to investigate regional differences, but this situation should change as the number of surveys submitted from these areas increases.
Postcode areas in which the Australian King-parrot was recorded (red dots) in relation to all postcode areas surveyed (open circles).
Postcode areas in which the Superb Fairy-wren was recorded (blue dots) in relation to all postcode areas surveyed (open circles).
Postcode areas in which the Red-whiskered Bulbul was recorded (crimson dots) in relation to all postcode areas surveyed (open circles).
