Where I live on the s.e. slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA autumn is a little like spring in that several bird species migrate from the cooler parts of the Mt Lofty Ranges to the south eastern foothills & plains for the winter. Lately we've had Red-browed Finches, Grey Fantails, Laughing Kookaburras, two appearances of a juvenile Eastern Spinebill & one of a White-naped Honeyeater. Some years ago we used to see Flame Robins around late autumn but for some reason unknown to me they've stopped travelling from the eastern states.
In past years Dusky Woodswallows & Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos have moved on around late January or February but this year both species are still around. Some Woodswallows do over-winter, I believe, so this might be the first year since we began revegetating that this has happened.
I think the Cockatoos are attracted by the greater abundance of Southern Cypress Pine Callitris preissii fruits & Banksia cones as our vegetation matures. The increase in Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo numbers has occurred in spite of my removing a number of Monterey Pine Pinus radiata trees from the grove planted by previous owners & in which the Cockatoos feed. I'm therefore quite pleased about the timing of my Monterey Pine removals.
Interesting observations Woko. Would you say altitudinal migration is more accurate?
Are you saying you don't normally get RBF, GF and Kookaburra's? Kookaburra's occupy the same territory year round so surely you would see them all months of the year?
Flame Robin's seem to be declining in many places (Vulnerable in NSW), which may be why you're not seeing them anymore. "In SA it has become particularly scarce (Paton et al. 1994) where Mt Lofty Ranges population appears to be unviable (Possingham and Field 2001)." This may interest you: http://www.birdsindanger.net/pdfs/Flame%20Robin.pdf
It's interesting to note "Habitat for this species may become unsuitable if dense regeneration occurs after bushfires or other disturbances." What sort of number's did you get?
Good on you for removing those Radiata Pine's, hate the stuff!
Hi Owl. Yes, I think "altitudinal migration" is a very useful term to use.
I'd say that Red-browed Finches, Grey Fantails & Laughing Kookaburras are "normally" here but their "normal" is during the cooler months. That seems to be the case so far, anyway. Yes, I'm surprised that there seems to be a Kookaburra (altitudinal) migration pattern. When they're not at my place during the warmer months it's not unusual to see one or two about 10 km further into the Adelaide Hills. It's certain that available nesting hollows are more available further into the hills so, if I ever get around to making some nest boxes for them, it'll be interesting to see if they stay put for the whole year. In which case we could then have "nesting migration".
Thanks for the link to the article on the Flame Robins. Factors affecting their abundance mentioned in the article seem to be similar, at least to some extent, to where I live on the s.e. slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA. When they used to visit I noticed that, apart from 2 observations, they were seen at the northern end of my property where the vegetation is sparser. In fact, they were mostly seen on the neighbouring sheep grazing land among blue stone outcrops. They would venture closer to my place as evening drew nigh & they seemed to roost in the vegetation I had planted. Even at the southern end of my property where the vegetation is denser an individual was seen on 2 occasions on adjacent grazing land. So, I expect that fire advantages them because it creates more open spaces which they seem to prefer. I do wonder if they were more common at my place before my revegetation took hold. The maximum number I ever saw was, I recall, 6. Usually, they were in a small party of 2 or 3. My last sighting in May 2009 was of an individual female or juvenile, I can't remember which.
I plan to gradually remove all the Pinus radiata trees to allow the maturation of indigenous Hakeas & other food plants preferred by Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. Fortunately, there hasn't been a lot of regeneration of Pinus radiata. In higher rainfall areas in the Mt Lofty Ranges the species is a real pest. Rather than control them to enable native vegetation to flourish local authorities have allowed them to grow into large specimens. However, a few years ago the manager of Mt Crawford Forest (where the species is grown for timber) did respond to my letter suggesting removal of regenerated Pinus radiata from roadside native vegetation by sending out the Pinus radiata extermination squad. My view is that any management of introduced plantations such as introduced pines & olives should include eradication of escapees. This rarely, if ever, happens & the damage from escapees to native vegetation is never, to my knowledge, accounted for in profit & loss statements.
As it stands i reckon if it weren't for the radiatas YTBCs would perhaps be a much rarer bird...
some of their habitat is destroyed to make way for radiata populations, but if it weren't their habitat would have likely been developed for some other purpose leaving the birds with no food source. In WA Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo is hanging on in plantations (maybe if it weren't for them it would have already become extinct).
Interestingly Pinus radiata is endangered in the wild, as is Cupressus macrocarpa, a species which is used as a windbreak in many aust farms.
well done on planting the callitris, i'd like to see a lot of exotic conifers gradually replaced with indigenous species, thing is it takes time and the birds need something to feed on in the interim..
Precisely, zosterops. That's why I'm gradually removing the Pinus radiata. Since I had a batch removed about 2 years ago the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo have been present more often & their numbers are up after summer. I put that down to the maturation of indigenous species & the Banksias in my cut flower patch.
It does take time to replace the exotic conifers. Fortunately, the Southern Cypress Pine Callitris preissii is a fast growing species & regenerates easily so Callitris numbers are increasing without my having to do a thing. Aleppo Pines Pinus halepensis are an absolute pest in SA, at least, & have destroyed a lot of native vegetation, especially along roadsides & around cemeteries. This is ironic in view of their Anzac significance. However, they, too, provide important food for Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos in the absence of native food sources.
It was gratifying some years ago when a nearby farmer planted Callitris preissii as a windbreak - a wonderful example to set for other farmers & so much more in keeping with the local vegetation than the exotic pines favoured in the past.
Kookaburras are such territorial birds it is hard to imagine them moving, but I guess if there aren't many of them around it would make them less territorial. There are a lot of them round here and they seem to spend all day defending their territory.
I wouldn't see black cockatoos here if there weren't any pine trees around. The same goes for gang gangs and cretaegus berries. I planted some stone pines but I don't get many nuts from them, the birds eat most and even if I get some nuts, it is so hard to break the shells it isn't worth the effort for the nuts which are fairly small. I'm not a big fan of radiata pines but at least they produce a good timber for building. It is a bit ironic that blue gums are such a problem around the world, there are huge areas planted for wood pulp.
There's definitely a winter dispersal of Kookaburras east of melbourne. they are largely absent for the rest of the year.
Aleppos haven't naturalised much here, though they were (are?) widely planted as ornamental and steet trees.
Gang-gangs indeed seem to have adapted well to cotoneaster, crataegus and pyracanthas...