BOOBOOK
Australasian Raptor Association
( Archived Extracts )
Issue 19 - 2 of the magazine included
the following articles :
Table
of Contents : Volume 19 - 2
(Composite)
CONSERVATION
OF OWLS IN
Owls, like most birds of prey, can be difficult
to conserve for several reasons. Sitting close to or at the top of food chains,
they are vulnerable to the cumulative effects of changes at lower levels
whether these be reductions in prey numbers or the introduction of harmful
pesticides. They usually have relatively large home ranges, so tend to be
scattered even in their preferred habitats under natural conditions. Many also
have very particular nesting requirements, often involving tree hollows which
must meet specific criteria and are seldom abundant.
The environmental changes that continue to
take place as a result of forestry, and also of agriculture and urbanisation,
seem clear enough. Logging removes area of habitat, at least in the medium
term, and reduces its quality as habitat for owls by lowering the abundance of
prey and the availability of suitable nesting places. Probably, it also alters
structural aspects that are important for successful foraging. Concern over
logging of old growth forests has mainly been centred on public land but,
increasingly, the demand for products such as woodchips is resulting in the
felling of forests on private land.
These changes must have severely reduced the abundance of most species of owl but the more important question of their impact on the future viability of populations is less easily answered. It could be argued that the changes we are seeing, in Australia, are really no different from those that occurred earlier throughout most of the northern hemisphere and with few exceptions the owls there seem to have survived quite well. However, there are dangers in drawing simple parallels. Most northern hemisphere owls rely on small to medium sized terrestrial mammals for their food supply and, fortunately for the owls, most of these mammals, including microtine rodents, shrews and mice have adapted very well to habitats that have been highly modified by humans. So, woodlands that may have been managed for forestry, sometimes for centuries, and farmland that has only a few trees left standing, can still be rich in owl prey. Not so in Australia, where there is a high dependence on arboreal mammals and on birds that need hollows in which to breed and rest and so may be highly sensitive to the effects of logging. There is another major difference that must be extremely important for some species; mostly northern hemisphere owls do not have to cope with prolonged peruse of severe drought. Droughts are notably the most testing times for many Australian owls. Prey numbers become reduced and probably concentrated in the more mesic areas in river valleys or gullies or around wetlands. Presumably, the survival rates and productivity of owls living outside such areas are significantly reduced. Not surprisingly these moister, more fertile areas are also those most in demand by humans, both for farming and forestry, so it is likely that much critical habitat for owls has already been lost and that the resilience of populations to serious drought has been reduced.
A third important difference between Australian and many northern hemisphere owls is in their life history patterns. Most Australian owls have the characteristics of K-selected species. Although little information is available on survival rates, reproductive rates are exceptionally low with most forest or woodland species laying clutches of one to three eggs and rearing only one or two young a year. Thus they have limited ability to recover or recolonise areas following events that reduce the survival of adults. All of this means that, with perhaps the exception of the Grass and Barn Owls which are not K-selected, most Australian owls are likely to be more sensitive to human induced environmental changes than are most owls elsewhere. Conserving them will need careful planning and considerable caution.
So, are current conservation measures adequate and if not what can be done to improve them? To date, our efforts have been highly biased towards what are seen to be the most pressing needs - the conservation of large forest species, such as Powerful and Sooty Owls, in relation to logging of old growth forests. The approach has basically been to locate individual or pairs of owls and give some level of protection to the habitat within specified ranges around a predefined number of theses sites. The difficulty of achieving this, often in extremely difficult and remote terrain, should not be underestimated. However, on their own these measures do not guarantee the viability of populations. It is now well established for bird populations, in general, that there are often “source’ sites where breeding birds survive and reproduce well enough to produce a surplus and “sink” sites, where either survival or productivity or both are too low to maintain stability. Without detailed long-term population studies, that include the most testing periods for survival such as droughts, we cannot be sure if enough high quality sites have been given protection. Doing such studies would be technically and logistically challenging and extremely expensive. It might be suggested that all we need to do is monitor a sample of sites in timber production areas for many years and, if they continue to be occupied, all will be well. However, there would still be a possibility that all of them were sink sites relying on migration from protected old growth forests elsewhere. Given that the development of suitable population models would inevitably be a lengthy business perhaps considering other approaches might be useful. Comparisons of rates of turnover of breeding birds at sites ranging from untouched old-growth forests, through varying degrees of management, might provide useful indication of the relative quality of sites, assuming that turnover from mortality or movement would be higher in poor quality areas as has been shown for many species. Perhaps adults could be identified without having to catch them, using recording of calls or DNA analysis of moulted feathers?
The concentration of studies on these large
forest species was probably necessary but, in retrospect, it seems likely that
the information was more urgently needed on some of the other species that may
seem at greater risk. Masked and Barking Owls have received little attention,
yet the former is probably more affected by logging than the larger species as
it needs to have access to the forest floor for hunting, and this is reduced by
the dense regrowth following felling. In south-eastern
Barking Owls, especially in south-east
Habitat loss and fragmentation are
undoubtedly the major problems on private farmland but the possible effects of
agricultural chemicals cannot be ignored. Recent events involving the
introduction of broadifacoum based pesticides (in this case with the trade name
“Klerat”) in sugar cane growing areas of north
Dr
I.R. Taylor, School of Environmental and Informational Sciences,
RAPTOR FILE
STATUS
AND CONSERVATION OF RAPTORS ON THE
IN THE ANTSALOVA REGION (abstract)
The study area is located in the western part
of
POST-FLEDGING DEPENDENCE PERIOD BEHAVIOUR AND RANGE MOVEMENTS OF THE
The Madagascar Fish Eagle Haliaeetus
vociferoides exhibits siblicide and probably polyandry. I monitored the
dispersal of six fledglings since 1995 to May 1997, in central-west
Nick Mooney makes a comment regarding
Regional Forest Agreements, as mentioned in the above editorial: Not only do
RFAs allow logging of old-growth forest - they can accelerate it!
CONSERVATION (abstract)
The Madagascar Fish Eagle Haliaeetus
vociferoides is one of the world’s most endangered birds of prey, with a
known population of about 75 breeding pairs and an estimated total of 100-120
pairs. Ten pairs breed on three adjacent lakes on western
R.T. Watson et al 1998 VTH World Conf. BOP & Owls: 29
We investigated Madagascar Fish Eagle Haliaeetus
vociferoides foraging ecology to determine prey preference, and the effect
of fish abundance, on fish eagle foraging rates and foraging success. We
observed fish-eagle foraging behaviour at nine lakes in western
J. Berkelmann, J.D. Fraser & R.T. Watson 1999 The Wilson Bulletin 111 (1): 15
RAREST
OF THE RARE (
By the morning of the third day, all I could think
of was that old proverb ...”Be careful what you wish for, for your wishes may
come true.” Here we were, three ecologists who for years had dreamed of
visiting
The peculiar call was emanating from
somewhere within the inaccessible, dense forest down slope. Our line of sight
was so limited that I had, more or less, dismissed the possibility of actually
seeing the bird, to confirm its identity. Then
We were visiting the
Prior to Russell’s arrival, the very
existence of the Madagascar Serpent-Eagle had been in doubt. Eleven specimens
were collected between 1875 and 1935, and a decomposed carcass was found around
1990. But there had been no confirmed records of a live serpent-eagle in more
than half a century. The
Along with their studies of the serpent-eagle, The Peregrine Fund team has undertaken the first extensive survey of the avifauna of the Masoala Peninsula - and the first in-depth life-history studies of the Madagascar Red Owl Tyto soumagnei, another nearly mythical bird. The discovery of serpent-eagles, and Red Owls, in the Masoala was one reason why the Malagasy government recently set aside a large portion of the peninsula as a national park. Assuming that the park is adequately funded, and protected, in the coming decades (a big “if” in a nation as poor as Madagascar), it could become one of the world’s most important reservoirs of biodiversity, harbouring a fauna and flora that are, quite literally, irreplaceable.
In recent decades, the field of ecology has become increasingly theoretical and experimental. This is by no means an unwelcome development: to a large degree, it marks the maturation of ecology as a science. But one unfortunate consequence is that basic natural history studies are disappearing - for lack of funding and interest - despite the fact that such studies form the empirical foundations for many of our theoretical insights, and are absolutely essential for crafting on-the-ground solutions to urgent environmental problems. As Reed Noss, president-elect of the Society for Conservation Biology, has written...”How can we possibly construct, for example, a successful recovery plan for an endangered bird when we lack basic information on such things as what it eats, where it nests, how sensitive it is to edge effects, how far juvenile disperse, and so on? Collecting these kinds of data is not easy. It requires competent field work by careful, well-trained observers who can get by, often by themselves, for long periods in uncomfortable, and often treacherous, field conditions.”
Today, organisations and agencies willing to support basic field studies are few and far between. Even scarcer are the intrepid men and women who are willing, and able, to do this sort of work. It now occurs to me that the rarest creature we saw in the Masoala Peninsula, on that rainy day in August, was not the serpent-eagle, but Russell Thorstrom himself. D.S. Wilcove 1999 Living Bird Spring 1999: 6
Suggested Reading
Thorstrom, R. & Watson, R.T. (1998), “Avian inventory and key species of the Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”, Bird Conservation International 7 (2): 99-115.
Noss, R.F. (1998), “Does conservation biology need Natural History?”, Wild Earth 8 (3): 10-14.
THE DIET OF THE MADAGASCAR RED OWL (Tyto soumagnei) ON THE MASOALA
PENINSULA, MADAGASCAR (abstract)
Based on pellets collected at the first known nest of this endemic species, data are presented on the diet of the Madagascar Red Owl Tyto soumagnei. This owl feeds almost exclusively on small mammals, the vast majority of which are native to the island. There is evidence that this species hunts at the forest edge and uses open human-degraded habitats. There is virtually no overlap in the diet of the Madagascar Red Owl and the Barn Owl Tyto alba. S.M. Goodman & R. Thorstrom (1998) The Wilson Bulletin 10 (3): 417
It is worth noting, at section’s end, that a major revision of Australasian Ninox species is being conducted by Dr Les Christidis, of the Museum of Victoria, and others, across our nation. I have attempted to add what I know of his work to the temporary owl list on the inside back cover. One question that I put to Les was about the Madagascar White-browed Hawk Owl, which is stated to be a Ninox, superciliaris specifically, above in the lead abstract. Les told me that he has some tissue samples, from that bird, that he has to test to see if it is, on the basis of DNA, actually a Ninox. It has not been done as yet, but Les (like myself) doubts the placement of a Madagascar bird in an Australasian genus. I shall keep in touch with Les, and bring you his findings - Ed.
*
RSD IN THE HARRIERS: NEW DATA TO TEST OLD IDEAS (abstract)
Two prominent hypotheses explain Reversed Size Dimorphism (RSD) in raptorial birds. The first proposes that agility of prey selects for small agile males, who are the main providers for mate’s) and offspring alike. The second proposes that females are larger to win contests for a limiting and essential resource - males who are their main source of food during breeding. The first is an argument for natural selection and the second is an argument for sexual selection. The harriers are the only group of raptors that are regularly polygynous and, thus, in a unique position to test ideas of sexual selection. Harriers also vary in their propensity to take (agile) bird or (less agile) mammal prey, thus providing a way of concurrently testing both ideas. I correlated indices of RSD, based on harrier body mass, with proportion of bird prey and found significant correlations as expected. If agility is important, one would expect higher correlations with the proportion of passerine prey in the diet. This is so: the variation in RSD explained by passerine prey alone increased by 18%. If sexual selection also plays a role, one would expect polygynous species to show higher degrees of RSD than monogamous harriers. This is so: the highly polygynous Hen and Northern Harriers, Circus cyaneus and C. aureginosus, exhibit the highest degrees of RSD with diet held constant. I conclude that both sexual and natural selection play a role in the relatively high RSD found in harriers and the two are not mutually exclusive hypotheses. R.R. Simmons 1998 VTH World Conf. BOP & Owls: 7
TOTAL VS BREEDING DISTRIBUTION: GREY GOSHAWKS Accipiter novaehollandiae IN
TASMANIA (abstract)
The distribution of adult and immature Grey Goshawks Accipiter novaehollandiae, in the past 10 years, were compared to that of the preceding 10 years. The breeding range was essentially a contraction to about 20% of the total range (recorded in 42 cf 207 of 802 10 km grids covering Tasmania). Immatures were more widely distributed than adults (in 163 cf 52 grids) and were recorded in areas not used for breeding. Although the total range and the breeding range were not different over time (in 177 cf 175 and 39 cf 41 grids) there were recent records of breeding in new areas (3 grids), apparently a function of the species now surviving where it had been heavily persecuted. However, this did not reflect a larger overall population since densities had dropped from about 6 pr to about 3 pr/100 km2 in some other areas - mainly due to loss of prime habitat. In yet other areas, the population remained suppressed mainly due to persecution. Thus, the distribution and densities, at any one time, can be heavily influenced by humans and any description of range, and relative densities, in ‘developed’ areas does not necessarily describe the biological potential. N. Mooney 1998 VTH World Conf. BOP & Owls: 50
THE PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus IN FIJI AND VANUATU (abstract)
We studied Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus in Fiji (1985-1997). Preliminary findings (1985-6 and data from Fergus Clunie, Fiji Museum) suggested about 100 pairs for Fiji. By 1987, we adjusted population projection downwards to about 70 pairs. By 1997, we concluded that perhaps only 20 effective breeding pairs probably occur with, possibly, 30 in one year. In 1994, of 6 nests checked, only 1 was active, 2 had lone females; of 6 checked in 1997, 2 were active. Through time, there has been a reduction in nest site occupancy. If our sample is indicative of the entire population, in Fiji, especially for places not checked such as Vanua Levu, Kadavu, and the Lau Group, then the species is extremely rare within Fiji. Other interpretations (e.g., weather, food) that might explain findings of such an apparent downward trend are discussed; and we speculate on this aspect of their biology, compared with better known northern hemisphere populations. Breeding chronology, in Fiji, has been regular - with fledging to mid-September; in Vanuatu, phenology is ca. 6 weeks later - despite its being on the same latitude. Factors regulating breeding, other than photoperiodic control, are discussed. Peregrines in Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, are all allocated to F. p. nesiotes. Those in Fiji show sign of inbreeding; and we discuss differences and similarities in DNA between those of Fiji, Vanuatu and Australia. Such differences are important from the point of view of conservation. C.M. White & D. Ristow 1998 VTH World Conf. BOP & Owls: 51
UNCERTAINTY IN ASSESSING THE VIABILITY OF THE POWERFUL OWL Ninox strenua
IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA (abstract)
A model of the metapopulation dynamics of Powerful Owls Ninox strenua in Victoria, Australia, is described, and its parameters were derived from available data. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the survival rate of adult owls is the most important parameter in the model. Because estimates of this parameter are uncertain, the predictions of the model are uncertain and unreliable. Using the best estimates of the of the parameters, the predicted risk of decline across Victoria is low, and local populations larger than 100 pairs have a low risk of extinction. If the lower estimates of adult and sub-adult survival are used, the abundance of Powerful Owls across Victoria is predicted to decline exponentially - and [the owl] faces extinction from determinate forces. A prohibitively large field programme, involving the monitoring of individually recognisable owls, would be required to obtain an improved estimate of adult survival; and so further use of population viability analysis, to assess the adequacy of particular management strategies, is unlikely to be used for the species. An alternative is to establish a long-term monitoring programme, to document changes in abundance of the species in logged and unlogged landscapes.
M.A. McCarthy et al (1999) Pacific Conservation Biology 5 (2): 144
Nick Mooney thinks thus on the editorial comment that studying Masked Owls, in Tasmania, might assist their present plight in mainland south-east Australia. Such data might not, in fact, be transferable! A lack of large competing Ninox owls in Tasmania results in a very wide niche/habitat use, by that sole large Tytonid, on the Apple Isle. On mainland Oz, Masked Owls are held in a much narrower ecological niche by, in particular, Barking Owls. Would the former decline in numbers, on the mainland, if the latter did well? To Nick, it seems that these two species are in direct competition on Oz proper - but the Barking Owl does not occur in Tassie.
NORFOLK ISLAND BOOBOOK OWL (Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata - slightly abridged)
The rarest owl in the world was once found on the isolated island of Norfolk, in the south west Pacific. The last surviving bird died in 1996, but not before she had raised two hybrid broods, each of two chicks, and founded a new population on the island. I have been involved in the recovery effort of the Norfolk Island Boobook Owl Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata since 1986 when, with a group of friends, I visited the island to recommend some action for the bird’s conservation. Although no owls were found during a survey conducted in the previous year, locals still occasionally heard the distinctive ‘boo-book’ call and so we knew they were still there. We were elated, therefore, when we captured an owl on our first night. After we measured it, took a small blood sample and put two dots of iridescent nail polish on the tail as a temporary marker, we released it back into the night. I do not think any of us were prepared to accept that there was only one bird left on the island, but each time we located an owl, two familiar white dots shone back in the torch light. It was the first of many bitter-sweet experiences working with that bird.
How do you save species with only one individual remaining? Indeed, is it worth saving at all? Because of our desire to preserve some of the owl’s genetic integrity and the islanders’ wish for action, we opted for a low-key recovery program. This involved alleviating the reasons for the owl’s decline, and importing an owl of the opposite sex from a closely related population. But there were some problems: the owl was virtually unstudied, and next to nothing was known of its taxonomic standing, its breeding habits, or even how to sex it. Superficially, it resembled the other small boobooks that nest in tree cavities in Australia and New Zealand. Indeed, 75 per cent of Norfolk Island has been cleared and the remainder selectively logged, so the extreme scarcity of mature trees with suitable nesting holes seemed the most likely cause of the owl’s plight. Apparent vindication of this view came when we hung several nest boxes in the forest, and the owl began using them almost immediately. But was the owl male or female? Several Norfolk Island owls had been collected for museums in the early 1900s and, by referring to them and the measurement of the remaining living individual, we decided it was a large bird and, therefore, probably a female.
The museum specimens also helped us identify the most closely related owl for breeding purposes.
For years, there had been disagreement over whether the Norfolk Island population was a species or a subspecies. Regardless, several features of the plumage, and structural differences such as wing shape, indicated that the smaller-sized boobook from New Zealand was probably closest. We found two birds and had them surgically sexed to make sure they both were male (we decided against using this sexing technique on the Norfolk Island bird because there was a small risk involved), releasing them on the island in late 1987.
In October 1988 the Norfolk Island Boobook laid her first eggs and confirmed, to our relief, that she was indeed a female. However, the eggs failed to hatch. It was not until the following spring that she raised her first brood, and eased our concerns about whether we had chosen a genetically compatible partner. My scientific objectivity was swept aside by the joy I felt, knowing that this lonely bird had paired up and raised a family. Since then we have reached several milestones, including ‘grandchildren’ in 1993. Molecular techniques, which would have been invaluable at the start of the program, have become more accessible in recent years and we can now use DNA from a tiny sample of blood to reliably sex the birds. These laboratory techniques have also reassured us that we made the correct taxonomic assessment. A spot of blood, taken from the original female in 1986, showed her to belong to a distinctive subspecies of the New Zealand Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae, and that both were separable from Boobooks N. boobook on the Australian mainland. Thus, our “guestimates” of a decade ago proved sound; and the current owl population on Norfolk Island was confirmed to be made up of hybrids of subspecies, rather than of full species. At last count, there were 20 owls on the island. This is an extraordinary conservation effort, and can only encourage attempts to conserve other severely endangered animals. Nevertheless, for me, it must be tempered by the realisation that the owls will be dependant upon nest boxes for the foreseeable future, and there will never be sufficient habitat for the population to return to its former, albeit low, numbers.
P. Olsen (ACT)
The above article is a précis of the 1998 Arnold McGill Memorial Lecture, given by Penny. It originally appeared in the NSW Field Ornithologists Club Newsletter of February 1999: 14, as a simplified saga of the events and discoveries, made by Penny Olsen’s team on Norfolk Island. The scientific paper, covering those same events and discoveries. is “Molecular Genetics Confirm Taxonomical Affinities Of The Endangered Norfolk Island Boobook Owl Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata”, by J. Norman, P. Olsen and L. Christidis in Biological Conservation 86 (1) 1998: 33-36. Another article, on the same subject, also by Penny Olsen, can be found in Australian Nature, Winter 1999, pages 20-21 - the latter page consisting of a full page portrait of Ninox n. undulata. Editor - Boobook
FIELD NOTES
Notes From BOP Watch II - (This project continues until at least 31/12/2000)
Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus ~ A weekend campout, of the Darling Ranges Branch of
the Western Australian Field Naturalists Club, began on 30 May 1997. This is
within the Meredin zone, south-west WA. On his way to the campsite
Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura ~ Back in 1987, Tom Wheller (Deniliquin NSW) saw a Square-tail pluck a young Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephalus out of a nest. Tom was in Hattah Lakes National Park, VIC (Ouyen zone). Harold & Hilary Tilton, of Moloolah QLD, in the Gympie zone, saw a Square-tail being mobbed by Australian Magpies Gymnorhina tibicien and smaller birds, on 20/4/98, at 12.45 EST. It was flying over wooded hills, along a river valley interspersed with 1-5 acre house blocks and small holdings. The day was mild to fine, with a light breeze and more than 50% cloud cover. BOPWatch could not use their reporting document, however, because the Tiltons did not indicate how far they had travelled, or their start-finish time. They are not the only defaulters, amongst BOPWatch record keepers!!! A particular person, when driving in key zones such as 16, 18, 30, 31, 32, 34 and 42, constantly omits travelling times and/or mileage for each separate journey - thus wrecking his work on these rarely visited sectors! Every skerrick of data - mandatory and/or useful - should be garnered, when reporting one of the asterisked species! Fortunately, wearing my BOOBOOK Editor’s hat, I made use of some delinquent datasheets - but BOPWatch could not!!! Be ultra, ultra-careful when filling in those datasheets!!!! You are working for BOPWatch - not for BOOBOOK!!! ARA is, only fortuitously, able to access your datasheets.
On 21/8/98, Hans Lutter of Port Macquarie NSW, was in his local zone - Kempsey. He saw two Square-tails mating, at 8.00 hrs, about 1 metre from their nest. When we claim we saw a Square-tail we follow - as best we can - Hans’ example or the exemplary pattern of Ian Fraser & Margaret McJanett, of Turner (ACT). We state the date, time (24-hour clock) and duration of our observation. We say what we saw the subject doing. We provide as exact a location as we can: state, region, location of and mileage from key sites and identifying landmarks, and the immediate map reference of the locale itself. We especially give, if we can, the GPS position. However, to give this position reference, without any description of the specimen he claimed - as a chap from Innisifail QLD did, for a Cape York Peninsula zone “Square-tail” - is equally useless! If we are as astute as Stephen Debus is, we will note any nearby birds, especially raptors, as a size and bulk comparison. Like him, we will declare the optics used to get a good look. We will also note those other essential facts (vegetation, landform, other wildlife nearby, seasonal and climatic factors, human-induced factors, etc.). These will allow an independent judge to evaluate the veracity of our sighting. Once we have done this, we will have made real contribution to the life history of the kite (and the many other rarities of this wide, brown land)! To merely tick off any rarities is to waste time, paper and ink, to likely get our claim rejected - and so to feel like a complete fool!! Only a select few can get away with a mere “claim to have seen”. Most people will never join that elite bunch!!!
Those in receipt of BOP Watch Letter 6 (August 1999) wherein the new co-ordinator - Gudrun Arnold - introduces herself, will have read her pertinent comments on the level of accurate reporting required by the project. I shall not repeat her wise, uncompromising words! I will only remind the participants that her word is law - especially where she treats of the degree of precise detail that is required to support a claim of any of the asterisked species!!! Also read, in Wingspan (Birds Australia), pages 27-30, Rare Birds In 1998, by Tony Palliser, Chair of the Birds Australia Rarities Committee!!! Stephen Debus adds this personal comment: What we need (and this applies to all rarity claims - Ed) is for observers to state the characteristics as they saw them - this is what confirms, or denies, that the species claimed was the species actually seen.
Black Kite Milvus migrans ~ Roger Hick, an Englishman then of Altona Meadows (VIC) saw one on 19/1/98, but not in any northern or western zone! It was soaring over the Royal National Park - the very heart of the Sydney (NSW) zone!! In the Walhollow zone, on 29/6/98, Norm & May Avery (Rolystone WA) saw two kites swooping on a young, live Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides. This was beside a road, about 2 km west of Cape Crawford, in far eastern NT. On 2/7/98, the Nevinson Family (Wanganella NSW) saw 46 kites circling over the Deniliquin NSW tip (in the Hay zone). Tom Lowe (Lake Charm VIC) was in the Ouyen zone, near Kerang VIC, on 1/3/99. He saw a flock of 30 Blacks on an area of fresh irrigation pasture, thereabouts. On 3/3/98 he doubled that count - seeing 60 kites on a different patch of irrigation pasture near Kerang. Here is some anecdotal evidence - together with that of the Nevinsons - that this common “northern” phenomenon, of flocking Black Kites, is spreading towards the south-east.
White-breasted Sea-Eagle Haliaaetus
leucogaster ~ On 26/7/97, in the
Walhollow zone NT, Malcolm Fyffe (then of Weetangra NSW) saw a
road-killed specimen at 10.00 hrs. It was beside the Capricornia Highway, about
4 km eastwards of Cape Crawford NT. Stephen Debus of Armidale NSW, on
28/7/99, saw a sea-eagle in his local Tamworth zone. It was in the “Wild
Rivers” region, going up from Armidale to Wollombi, into the cold and wet
highlands of the Great Dividing Range.
Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax ~ On 19/6/98, 10 kilometres east of Quilpie QLD (Charleville zone), June Harris of Lismore NSW found an electrocuted Wedgie beneath a power pole. Malcolm Fyffe, then of Cook ACT, saw this tableau in the Cairns zone (QLD) on 9/7/98, in a recently harvested cane field. Two Wedgies were feeding on the ground, 3 metres apart. Sixteen Black Kites Milvus migrans were nearby, waiting for left-overs. They would get these only after the White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster, which was also on the ground nearby, took its share of the unidentified food source. Kon Hepers, of Wurtulla QLD, was in the Geraldton zone (WA) on 24/7/98. Driving along, he saw a Wedgie snatch a rabbit off the road - away from competitive corvids. Paul Hyndes & Donna Blyth of Kununurra WA, were in their home Lake Argyle zone, on 25/7/98. Between Kununurra and the Kingston Rest Station, they found a dead cat on the side of the road. Thirty metres further on, they came across a dead Wedgie. It looked as if the bird had been feeding on the cat - and was hit by a vehicle. Herein is a simple, elegant example of the post-calicivirus movement of so many outback eagles to the hazardous, too often fatal, “easy pickings” along country roads. Gillian Steward, of Boronia (VIC) on 11/8/98, saw a Wedgie, in a tree near Langi Deran Park in the Ouyen zone (near Stawell VIC), consuming some prey. From the remains scattered about below, it was determined to be White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhampos. On 4/4/99, in the Sale zone (VIC), somewhere between the Lakes National Park and Dandenong (and, G.R. White, since you saw the episode you should have recorded the precise location!) that lady saw two Wedgies chasing a White Ibis Threskiornis molucca. The pursuit, lasting for 100 metres, was low and fast. One bird caught the ibis, which struggled for a few seconds. The trio was lost to sight, briefly, behind some farm buildings: and the eagles came back into view sans the ibis - so it must have escaped.
Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides: Pam Patterson, of Murgon QLD, had this experience on 23/6/98. She, and her husband, drove from 20 km east of Burketown to Armstrong Creek, approximately 60 k south-west of Normanton, in Queensland’s Gulf Country. This was across vast, warm, windy grasslands within the Burketown zone. Pam counted 156 living kestrels, and one road killed specimen, plus 65 Brown Falcons in that section of her journey. These plains were crawling with legions of grasshoppers, hence the concentration of these insect-eaters and 9 other species of raptor. Those Gulf of Carpentaria towns had been isolated by outback floods - explaining the excellent conditions for grasshoppers. A similar situation prevailed, on 24/6/98, driving 55 km towards Normanton QLD. Of 87 raptors seen, 35 were kestrels and 21 were Browns. It is noteworthy that, during June/July of 1998, other observers in central and northern Queensland reported heightened numbers of these two species, plus Black-shouldered Kites Elanus axillaris. By late July, the kestrels (still in relatively excessive numbers) were on the wing from first light. A sign that food was getting harder to find? From Carnarvon WA, eponymous zone, on 15/7/98, Jenny Walton, of Clifton Park WA, reports that least a dozen Nankeen Kestrels were observed within in this town, after a heavy rain period, engaged in aerial feeding. Six accipiters were seen, similarly engaged. On this day the Carnarvon area was half way through an 8 inch, over three days, downpour. Driving between Narrabri and Boggabri NSW (Tamworth zone), on 27/11/98, John Tracey (of Orange NSW) saw a kestrel swoop, several times, on a snake, before picking it up and dropping it. The Wardens of Eyre Bird Observatory, in the Madura zone (WA), have a tale to tell of cliff-nesting, and roosting, kestrels. On 17/5/99, after a drive from EBO, through the Moodadong Track and the Eyre Highway, they came to Cocklebiddy Cave. There they found 6 kestrels roosting on a rockface, at the entrance. Remains of old nests (which falcons do not construct themselves, but appropriate from previous occupants - especially corvids) were on that same rockface.
Brown Falcon F. berigora ~ Jill Heathcote (of Warrnambool VIC) saw a
Brown harassing a fox Vulpes vulpes in a stubble paddock, adjoining Lake
Barnie-Buloke (Hamilton zone), on 30/4/98. Hans Lutter saw 19 Browns (at
least), standing on the ground, within 1 km of the entrance to Diamantina NP
(Boulia zone, south-west QLD), on 19/06/98. Hans notes that there were neither
trees nor fences - just a very strong wind. Jill Heathcote saw one swoop
a passing Wedge-tail, on 12/9/98, at Curdies Railway Station (near
Grey Falcon F. hypoleucos ~ BOPWATCHERS,
TAKE EXTREME CARE TO DISTINGUISH - AND RECORD - THE DIFFERENCES AND
SIMILARITIES BETWIXT GREY FALCON & BLACK-FACED CUCKOO-SHRIKE. THE
RESEMBLANCE IS ONLY VERY SUPERFICIAL. MOST “GREY FALCONS” WILL PROVE TO BE A
SPECIES OF CUCKOO-SHRIKE!!! However, Ken Schaefer, of
Winmalee QLD, was on a coach tour around the Broken Hill zone NSW, on 22/10/97.
At 13.45 a sighting of four Grey Falcons brought the bus to a crashing
halt, 50 km west of Cameron’s Corner, past Ballard’s Lagoon, in the north-west
of the Sturt National Park NSW. Two adults with two young (perhaps) were
viewed, diving and stooping, for about 5 minutes.
From The Second Atlas & BOPWatch
(2) GREY GOSHAWK IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA - A VERY RARE EVENT!!!
The four URRFs that are the basis of this field note represent a noteworthy range expansion for the Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae. Although Pizzey & Knight, and Simpson & Day, both contain maps showing that this species could reach as far west as Mt Gambier SA, HANZAB (for SA) has mapped only a small node of occasional distribution along the Murray, way to the north of Mt Gambier. The bird is, essentially, a vagrant in South Australia. The first ATLAS has no records for that state. The goshawk is not included in any local bird list of the Mt Gambier district. I provide records from the Telford Scrub Conservation Park, 14 km north of Mt Gambier. This site is eucalyptus with bracken understorey, surrounded by pine plantations and farmland. It is not too heavily frequented by human visitors. I encountered two specimens: an adult grey morph male and a 1st year female of the same morph. I have seen the species there on two previous occasions, outside the Atlas period. Don Mount, of the SA NPWS in Robe, saw the female, on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve 1998, in Telford Scrub CP. My sightings were accepted by the Atlas, and verified by experts at BA HQ.
The first, on 19/12/98, was between 0740 and 0755. I saw the female (which resembled the painting in Simpson & Day) 10 metres up in the canopy, calling to the other (unobserved) goshawk. She was preening, whilst standing on one foot. She seemed hesitant to fly, even with myself close by, preferring to hop between branches. I was 30-40 metes away. The longest distance I saw her cover was 10 metres. The day was sunny and clear, with good visibility.
The Christmas Eve 1998 sighting was between 0920 and 0930. When I encountered the male, this time, he was in vocal contact with another unobserved specimen. The male tried to distract me from this one by calling loudly from the canopy. At first behind me, as I walked along the forest track, he then got in front - all the while maintaining a fixed distance between us. Meanwhile, the unseen one became quiet. This day, too, was sunny and clear, with excellent visibility. Again, I was 30-40 metres away. The next time I went to Telford - between 0845 and 0855 on 28/12/98 - it was overcast and cool to mild. The visibility, however, was fairly good. This time I was about 40-50 metres away. Two birds, in this instance, took flight - one from each side of the walking track. The left hand bird disappeared into thick cover. The other, the male, landed on a canopy perch. He called a couple of times and appeared agitated - then I noticed that he was clutching a small bird. He flew towards where the other had disappeared - whence he was then heard calling.
Two birds were present on New Year’s Day, 1999, for 10 minutes. The sighting was made from between 30 and 40 metres: on a day that was overcast early but clearing to a warm one - with good light conditions. One was heard only. The other, the female, was seen 10 m up a eucalyptus, in the canopy, calling to the unseen one. After perching in three different spots, she flew north-west - in its direction - calling whilst making for (or near unto) the pine block on the northern boundary of the park. R. Green (SA)
I am reminded of one of the few Grey Goshawks that I have seen. It, too, was exploiting a relict scrub block - surrounded by trees, farms and a local football ground, where Bell Miners Manorina melanophrys were utterly legion, on the semi rural south-eastern outskirts of Melbourne VIC, in 1990 - Ed
Noteworthy & Notable Notes
Australian Birding Winter 1998, reports a Bat Hawk Machaerhampus alcinus papuanus seen along the Sankwep Road, Lae, on the Huon Gulf, northern Papua New Guinea, on 13/1/98. This was where a breeding pair was discovered in September 1998. A Grey Falcon Falco hypoleucos was seen unsuccessfully stooping at Spinifex Pigeons Geophaps plumifera at Timber Creek NT, on 27/6/98. A Meyer’s Goshawk Accipiter meyerianus, normal morph, was seen bringing food to two juveniles at Myola PNG, on 19&20/7/98. Summer 1998 reports a quartet of Long-tailed Buzzards Henicopernis longicaudata, on 18/10/98, over forest below Gares Lookout, Varirata NP. These four were climbing high, and descending on folded wings, to just above the canopy - for unknown reasons. Possibly the first sighting for several years, was a New Britain Grey-headed Goshawk Accipiter princeps, on 26/9/98, near the Kulu River area, West New Britain.
Blue Mountains Bird Observer’s Club Newsletter, August 1999, reports the sighting of a “family of four” Peregrines Falco peregrinus in those eponymous mountains. Specifically, the sighting was made, in July 1999, at Tunnel View Lookout, in the Blue Mountains National Park. It lasted for five minutes.
Contact Call (Birds Australia ~ North Queensland Group) - John Munro saw a Rufous Owl Ninox rufa eating a juvenile Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus, 11.00 on 1/2/99, at Whitfield QLD. Greg Bates, next day, saw one, consuming a juvenile Black Butcherbird Cracticus quoyi, at Brimstead Glen QLD. The issue for September 1999 reports that a Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura (on an unspecified date, yet again!) crash-landed in a tree at Cungulla QLD. The bird took away, when it emerged, an unidentified nestling.
Papua New Guinea Bird Society: Biak is an island off the western end of Irian Jaya
province, Indonesia. There, on 29/11/97, Ian
Rare Bits The Newsletter About Threatened Species Work - December 1988 (New Zealand Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai). This anecdote, from the Hauraki Area Office (North Island) is about a New Zealand Falcon Falco novaeseelandiae (Karearea). A Kereru (New Zealand Pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) fell from the sky at the Kauaeranga Valley Visitors Centre. It crashed to ground a few metres from the door. A young Karearea arrived next. It spent an hour, or so, devouring the unlucky Kereru, near the door - giving amazed staff plenty of time for photography - and so to confirm the falcon in the valley.
Western Australian Bird Notes 91 September 1999, says that a Red Goshawk Erythrotriorchis radiatus was seen on the Gardner Plateau, near Wyndham in the East Kimberley WA, on 15/5/99. A description was supplied.
SEA-EAGLE PREDATION OF WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATERS (NSW & QLD)
(1) The following event unfolded close to Tweed Heads NSW, in 1998 [precise date unspecified - Ed]. At sunset, one evening, I had placed myself on a headland, near Fingal Lighthouse, which affords a view of Cook Island, about 1 km offshore. This island is said to be a breeding ground for the Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus [breeding commences from August onwards in northern NSW - Ed]. Certainly, thousands of shearwater-type birds were soaring above the island, at this juncture. A White-bellied Sea-eagle Haliaaetus leucogaster flew directly out from the mainland to the island, plunged out of sight, into the rookery, and re-emerged - in a flurry of bird activity. It seemed to be carrying a dark object, presumably a muttonbird chick. A small flock of seabirds followed the predator halfway back to the mainland, mobbing it to no avail. Hereabouts, another sea-eagle passed it, heading on out to Cook Island. This one, slightly smaller and - presumably - the male of the pair also took a chick from the rookery. Shortly thereafter, on its way back to the mainland, it passed by another sea-eagle - presumably the original predator - on its way to another raid on the rookery. In total, we observed four sorties to the island, that evening. There may have been other before we arrived. Locals informed me that this [predation of the rookery by the local sea-eagles] was a regular, evening event in season. S. Collins (QLD via Birding-aus)
(2) Walking down Main Beach, Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island QLD, early on the morning of 10/5/99, I saw the following episode. It involved a White-breasted Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster and a Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus. It unfolded about 100 metres away from me. The shearwater was herded shoreward, over the shallows, and then pursued, twisting and turning, over the beach - where it was eventually grabbed. By this time I was close enough to interrupt activities (a major naughtiness, my friend, the taking of prey should be allowed to run its course, unhindered - Ed!) and the eagle flew off. The shearwater - very dark, with white toe nails confirming its identity - was in its final throes. My son, some weeks previously, had witnessed another killing, offshore. There a sea-eagle flew under a shearwater, flipped on its back and grabbed the prey, from underneath, with both feet. M. Hines (QLD via Birding-aus)
CRECHING OF HARRIER BROODS IN TASMANIA
In the spring/summer nesting season of 1997, I was alerted to the nest of a Swamp Harrier Circus approximans, in a 10 acre barley field at Wesley Vale, near Devonport, in Tasmania. The site contained three chicks - amidst the ripe-for-harvesting barley. With the farmer in tow, I marked off a non-harvesting zone. About 100 metres further on, the farmer and I then discovered another harrier nest - also with three chicks. The male was (presumably) polygynous! The crop was harvested in the end but, with both sites cordoned off, the nests survived, intact, on the hillside. A few days after those events, I came into possession of another chick of approximately the same age as those mentioned above. I decided to foster it one of those nests. They were safe. The farmer’s sons provided supplementary food, in the form of rabbits and road-killed possums, for the ever-hungry, evenly divided, sextet of chicks. I approached the last-found nest, and was dumbfounded to find it empty. By this time they would have been about five weeks old - and rather difficult to hide in a bare field. I though that they had fallen to farm dogs, or feral cats, and moved on to the first found nest. Hiding in and around the half-flattened barley barrier, and nestling close to the cool earth and shade - to avoid the harsh January sun - were not three, but six, harrier chicks! At some stage, those from the second nest had walked across the open paddock to join their cousins! I added the orphan to their midst - and it was accepted instantly. Two weeks later, at nearly seven weeks, the seven chicks were standing around the harvested paddock, or flying with the three adults, as a big happy family of ten. P. Tonelli (TAS
SWAMP HARRIERS DROWNING PREY (VIC & WA - abridged)
(1) On the afternoon of 20 July 1998, I was at Reedy Lake near Geelong VIC, counting Orange-bellied Parrots Neophema chrysogaster with Jonathon Starks. We were also aware of at least four Swamp Harriers Circus approximans. At any time, two of them, usually, were perched on posts or in reedbeds, whilst the others were flying around. At the edge of a nearby area of shallow water, there was a tight flock of at least 250 Purple Swamphens Porphyrio porphyrio. We became aware that a harrier was standing on a swamphen, in shallow water, only about two metres from that flock. It was on the swamphen’s back, holding its head completely under water. After about a minute, the harrier stepped off the swamphen, stood back, and looked at it. The swamphen stood up, but did not move away. Its head was drooping, its legs were bent, and it looked very groggy. The harrier moved a few metres to a reedbed and perched on the reeds. After a few minutes, it returned and, standing on one leg in the water, used the other to push the prey’s head under water once more. The swamphen did not move again. The harrier remained standing, on its back, for a time before, tentatively, lifting the head to start plucking the swamphen or, perhaps, it was trying to move its meal. It stood in the water, beside the submerged body, and started to pluck the breast. Then the harrier made two attempts to fly off with or drag, the swamphen away, but it was unsuccessful. It could only shift the meal a few centimetres - so it moved off into the reedbed to survey the scene. While all this was going on, the other harriers stayed close together where they were, perhaps two metres away. Those hawks moved around within the flock of swamphens, changing places and peering at their successful conspecific. We did not see the successful harrier feed upon its victim. None of those other harriers approached the swamphen corpse while we were there. M. Cameron Australian Birding Spring 1998: 25
(2) At Lake Campion, near Broome WA, I observed a Swamp Harrier Circus approximans drowning a Eurasian Coot Fulica atra. There were three other Swampies in the area: two in a tree and one gliding, apparently not hunting, above the lake. After we had scanned that lake, and noted down the other species present, I saw a fourth harrier - sitting in water up to its belly. It was very still and calm. We all believed it to be cooling off: as it was high noon, on a hot September day. The bird attempted to take off, but seemed unable to rise from the water. We now wondered if it had weed wrapped round its legs. This explanation seemed unlikely, but the bird was very firmly attached to something under the water. After viewing this for a while through the telescope, I saw a black wing stretch up and out of the water. This caused the harrier to struggle, and force its prey back under the water completely. We could now see, and understand, what was going on. After another minute, or so, the harrier tried again to lift its prey out of the water - but was unable to. The harrier left the coot on the surface and went to sit, five metres away, on the shore of the lake. The other three harriers did not attempt to steal it. We left 10 minutes later: with the harrier hovering over the coot - presumably wondering how it was going to lift the water-logged bird to a suitable place, to feed.
J. Sparrow 1999 Australian Birding Summer 1999: 29
Number 2 is such a good story, above, marred only by the complete absence of YEAR & DATE - unlike the one above it!! Well done, Margaret! I presume the second episode took place this year, or last year. Nevertheless, such a repetition of tales of raptors drowning prey, at home and abroad, calls for the accumulation of evidence in addition to that already supplied - and a proper study paper on this issue. Is there any one, out there, who has the scientific background, and is situated to compose it - Ed?
A REALLY SNEAKY ACT BY A GREY GOSHAWK IN QLD! (edited)
I have heard stories of the white morph of the Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae [exploiting its resemblance to the] Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita but, on our June 1999 safari to Fraser Island QLD, I actually saw interaction between these two big, white birds. We were at Lake Allom, in the centre of the island, having our serenity broken by a large flock of Sulphur-crests “singing’ their dawn chorus. Looking closely, half-hoping for a white morph goshawk, I noticed one of the Sulphur-crests was soaring while the others were flapping. That goshawk was noticeably smaller than the cockies, but was the same colour. There was no bird alarm [from those cockies], such as always announces a goshawk. A couple of the cockatoos dived near the hawk, but he seemed unconcerned. I say “he” because, I believe [that], if it was a “she”, it would have been as large as the cockatoos. We did not see him attack any birds, as he drifted out of view, but we still heard no alarums from the many other birds going about their normal business. A really sneaky act! M. West 1999 QOC Newsletter 30 (7): 5-6
I saw a similar thing, about twenty-two years ago, near Castlemaine (VIC). I was out shooting with a mate, in a hilly and woody paddock when, amongst the flapping, flying and sedentary white cockatoos, I saw two very pale Grey Goshawks, of the grey morph. These birds were soaring around each other in intricate circles - arousing no concern amongst the surrounding parrots - Ed.
Those familiar with “white goshawks” think that they have some sort of social attraction to similar-sized white birds. Many times have I seen them approach white cockatoos, and even egrets, usually disrupting the quiet - but not always! Perhaps these hawks have learnt that it pays to be anonymous - NJM.
RUNNING DUEL WITH A WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE (NSW)
This story comes from a farm 9 miles from Barham NSW. Over 40 years ago, when I was about eight years old, I was sent, one morning, to bring in the cows that were feeding in a paddock, that had a strip of trees on the east side. When I reached them, I looked across at the trees, and there, sitting on an old dry box tree, was a large Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax. I walked up, and had a good look at it, and then walked back to bring the cows home. I had only gone a hundred yards when I heard a noise, and felt a breeze near my head. I turned, and imagine my surprise to see the eagle flying near me. I ran for home, a quarter of a mile away, with the eagle following. Once it hit me and I fell. It landed on me, then on the ground nearby. When I got up to run, it followed me again till I was nearly home. The barking of the dogs must have frightened it, for it then flew back and sat in the same tree. I told my father, he got his rifle, and we both went back to the tree. Father shot the eagle dead. It measured 7 ft 4 in from wing tip to wing tip. I have never heard of another child being chased by an eagle. W.G. Nicholls (NSW) 1999 The Bird Observer 794: 17
My speculations are twofold. First we have a particularly pugnacious eagle, likely a female - possibly protecting eggs, young or domain - whose death cut her behaviour, as an example to follow, out of the immediate environment, and her belligerence out of the local gene pool. Accepting these theoretical circumstances, she might have interpreted the close approach of a fearless young girl, of a similar size to herself, as a threat. Thus she chased, beat up, and drove away the intruder. Recognising that she had reached the domain of this strange intruder, the farm, and believing her job done, she flew back to the original tree. That “she” returned to this former perch is, to me, very significant - a territory had been defined. Comments, please. Remember how dismissive I was, in the previous volume, that Wedgies would ever attack children - Ed?!
Stephen Debus thinks differently. He perceives an inexperienced juvenile attempting predation on an inappropriate prey: as juvenile raptors do - either for play or practice. Nick Mooney offers the following story, from the early 1940s. It unfolded around Branxholm (Tasmania). Here a child was wearing a possum skin hat. An eagle grabbed the child - and the hat fell off. The bird bolted with the hat - not the child! So Nick wonders what Mrs Nicholls was wearing at the time?
Another possibility is that the bird was an escaped or released imprint. It was not uncommon, in those days, for eagle chicks to be taken as pets, then be turned loose - when mature and cantankerous. Maybe, as another alternative, the bird was simply an exceptionally aggressive individual. Remember the female that the Cuppers approached, in 1979, along the Strzelecki Track (SA)? That individual took a piece out of their cameraman - when that fellow got too close for comfort (Hawks in Focus, p: 166). Although not naturally belligerent (it seemed), she was totally unafraid of the interloper around her nest. Also remember that these eagles take child-sized prey, such as young kangaroos. I (your Editor) have seen five adult wedgies in the vicinity of blood stain on the road - near Tibooburra NSW - that had once been a joey. Its mother was nearby.
Moreover, there are genuine (albeit extremely rare) cases of Crowned Eagles Stephanoaetus coronatus taking children. And, finally, let us remember that (according to forensic examination) it is suggested that eagles - not leopards - were the first recorded predators of early humans. In pre-history, the first humans would have been lucky to reach five feet. They were probably about the size of chimpanzees- Ed!
On the island of Sumba, Indonesia, the persistent, animist religion of ancestor worship has widely preserved the traditional thatched house structure. These houses have a striking roof that is low-sided, but high-peaked. The houses associated with clan ancestors have higher roofs, and are preferably placed on hilltops. Traditional villages are scattered throughout the rolling country, much of which is used for extensive cattle and horse raising, but ancestral houses are also in small towns.
During a tour of Sumba, from 10-14 August 1997, I made short visits to nine traditional villages. In five of these, and near traditional houses in Waikabubak (the second town of Sumba, with a population of about 15,000), I found Spotted Kestrels Falco moluccensis. I found no more than one pair at each location and the kestrels called from trees close to the houses or hunted in adjacent fields. In the village of Pragioli, southeast of Waikabubak, I also absolved an adult kestrel enter the top of a roof and emerge, after some seconds, to stand near the presumed nesting cavity. About 10 km to the west, I saw similar behaviour in a village near Morossi Beach; on this occasion the kestrel entered the roof top with a large orthopteran in its bill, and stayed inside for longer. Both houses were occupied, but the upper part of the Sumbanese houses are undisturbed, because the owners believe them to be places reserved for the spirits of their ancestors. I was intrigued by some possible link between this belief and the presence of kestrels, but an apparently well informed local guide was unable to give me any relevant information on this subject.
Although the Spotted Kestrel is already listed among the raptors that are attracted to towns, by opportunities to nest in buildings, finding it nesting in traditional villages suggests much older associations with human dwellings. The distribution of this Indonesian endemic is centred on the biogeographical region called Wallacea. The extensive grassland that is found in this region, which is especially vast on Sumba, may be the result of human activity - but has existed long enough to support a distinctive bird fauna. Although it is a rather opportunistic species, the Spotted Kestrel has shown its preference for open habitat, in Wallacea, in the past when the region was more forested.
During my tour, Sumba’s grassland seemed especially rich in orthopteran prey. However, the Spotted Kestrel probably has to cope with a scarcity of prominent rocks to nest on [in] Sumba, especially where I saw evidence of nesting birds. Also, trees with hollows are scarce in these grasslands. High-peaked thatched roofs, situated on hilltops, probably make up for this deficiency. Unfortunately for the kestrels, the thatching practice is being challenged by longer-lasting, though thermally less insulated, sheet-iron roofs. I found no previous reports of this apparently common nesting habit. This may be because the Spotted Kestrel looks similar to the Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and did not draw the attention of
field naturalists. Sumba is still visited infrequently by tourists, who might report these birds. Sumba’s traditional villages offer many other attractions, that might distract people from the kestrel; and birders avoid human settlement, with Spotted Kestrels, to search for more “memorable” species. In fact, the Spotted Kestrel remains a little known species over much of its range. I thank T. Cade, D.E. Varland, and an anonymous reviewer for text improvement.
T. Londei, Department of Biology, University of Milan, Italy, in The Journal of Raptor Research, 32 (3) 1998, p: 267
PEREGRINE TAKES “RAT WITH WINGS” (VIC - edited)
Columba livia are called in Australia, amongst other things, “rats with wings”. In December 1991, approaching 18.00 hrs on one particular workday evening, I was looking out of my sixth floor office window. This was in Collins Street, in the very heart of the CBD of Melbourne (the state capital). A white “winged rat”, flying at eye level from the sixth floor, suddenly exploded in a shower of feathers - when it was struck by a Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus. The pigeon was seriously wounded, and fell to the ground - where it attempted to run for cover, dragging one wing. There was quite heavy foot traffic across the plaza, at this time of the day. However the predator was not to be deterred, and pursued its prey on the ground in a strange hopping mode. The many pedestrians were oblivious to the drama, as the birds dodged amongst them. Eventually the “rat” found cover, and the falcon departed.
K. Harris 1999 Australian Birding Summer 1998: 29
I still think starlings are the “rats with wings”. Surely pigeons are pudgy “hamsters with wings” - NJM?
SILENCE OF THE PEREGRINES (NSW)
I saw my first Peregrine Falco peregrinus, around the Yass-Boorowa area, in the winter of 1997. She had just caught a Galah Cacatua roseicapilla in a paddock, not far from our house. I was walking in this paddock, when I realised how quiet everything had suddenly become: not a bird noise in the area, not a bird in flight. I then saw the falcon, on the ground with its catch. Coming back from the house, a little later, with my binoculars, I saw the smaller male fly in to join her. She would not share. She flew off, effortlessly, with the prey. I followed; and watched her pluck the galah. I came back, a couple of hours later, to find its sternum, a leg, and naught else. Anytime, now, that I hear a silence, I know that there are Peregrines nearby! M.G. Braidy (NSW)
The importance of this story is less the actual events described, and more the footnote Mark appended to this tale. He stated that the appearance of Brown Falcons Falco berigora and Peregrines F. peregrinus, around Yass, was coincident with a rapid, sudden decline in the numbers of Wedge-tailed Eagles. Mark wrote that they were now a rare occurrence, in local skies. Rabbit calicivirus disease had decimated the bunny and, therefore, the eagle as well. This “cause and effect” argument is a little too simplistic. I showed Mark’s comment to an acknowledged world expert on raptors. He pointed out that there has been a marked increase in cereal cropping, in NSW and elsewhere, in the past 15 years. This results in an increase in the numbers of parrots and other open-country, granivorous birds, which are particular favourites of Australian falcons. More prey leads to more successful falcon breeding, and so to more breeders - increasing, over time, the breeding population, and the continuing output of replacement birds. This situation was coming to a head even as Mark was observing, over the last 5 years, in his home area. Also, this expert, pointed out that the Australian environment has become a lot less toxic, over the past 15 years. Whilst the amount of pesticides that were poured on to our cereal crops cannot compare to the toxins employed in the northern hemisphere, those poisons did have an effect - through the food chain - upon avian predators. That is now being undone, by the passage of time. Breeding of falcons is not interrupted by cracked eggshells and failed nests. And as a consequence, people are seeing more falcons that they have for many a long day: which has to be considered in the light of these long-term factors - rather than the short-term disappearance of a few local eagles - Ed.
HOW FENCES FELL OUR PRECIOUS BIRDS OF PREY (Wedgies - edited)
Barbed wire fences, in rural Australia, are killing precious birds of prey - including giant Wedge-tailed Eagles and endangered raptors - an environmental group says. Up to 19 birds are reported to have been injured on barbed wire fences, this year, up from just one in 1993, according to the New South Wales co-ordinator with the Wildlife Information and Rescue Service, Mrs Lenor Wilbow. Mrs Wilbow said the increase could be attributed to a greater use of high-tensile barbed wire, which was harder for the birds to see. She called on farmers to stop using barbed wire on the top strands of their fences.
Species of wounded raptors brought to Mrs Wilbow include Sooty Owls, Powerful Owls, eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Brown Falcons and Black Falcons. Bats and gliders are also reportedly being impaled, and tangled, on bared wire fences. The figures do not include birds found dead - thought to be far greater than those found alive. “Most of the animals seem to be trapped on the top strand of the fence”, Mrs Wilbow said. “When they see prey, their eyes are like binoculars - everything either in front, or behind, their prey is out of focus.” J. Woodford The Age (Melbourne) 15/9/99: 9
I have seen White-faced Herons Egretta novaehollandiae, Masked Lapwings Vanellus miles, Masked Owls Tyto novaehollandiae and Southern Boobooks Ninox novaeseelandiae trapped on fences in Tassie. The last alive - and hanging by an optic nerve, its eye and lid wrapped around the top strand. YUK - NJM!
On the subject of Southern Boobooks, Nick had a comment upon Boobook 19 (1), page 28. Regarding the article, Boobook Massacre, he noted that these owls often hunted flying insects from the ground or low perches - as the insects can be seen, easily, against the sky. Clearly one underlying reason for the massacre of the small night birds, on that occasion, was the presence of grasshoppers along the road - Ed.
RARE (POWERFUL) OWL FOUND NEAR TRENTHAM (VIC)
Environmentalists hope that the discovery of an endangered Powerful Owl Ninox strenua, in a forest near Trentham, will force the abandonment of plans to log 160 hectares of local forest. The owl, which is bigger than a Wedge-tailed Eagle [which it isn’t, of course, SD], has a range of 1000 hectares a night. There are 25 known protected sites of the bird in Victoria. A spokesperson for Actively Conserving Trentham said, yesterday, that the group was asking the Department of Natural Rescues and Environment to provide 500 hectares of forest for the 26th site. (SD comments: “Bloody Journos - but maybe the source was inaccurate? Seen next piece - Ed.) P. Daley The Age (Melbourne) 9/8/99: 7
Anyone who has been “woo-woofed” at, or had a Ninox strenua “clomp” onto an overhead branch would surely believe that these were the size of wedgies - NJM.
THE ISLANDS OF THE DEAD (US PEREGRINES - edited and abridged)
Merely swivelling my body provided a near 360-degree view of the barren, majestic rocks known as the Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary (off California, outside San Fransico harbour). To the north of me, less than 200 feet away, an adult Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus soared onto ridge lift currents, rose slightly, and then lay motionless with the most commanding of views. It was one of three that dominated the Farallon skies that October (1998?). There were two F. p. anatum (one adult, one immature) and an F. p. pealei. I looked back at the soaring Peregrine just as its wrists jutted forth, dropping the bird into a steep dive down to the glaring white guano-covered mound of basalt known as Sugarloaf. In seconds, the bird had covered the quarter-mile between me and that hill’s nearly vertical face. Veering up from its ocean-bound trajectory, the falcon flushed a migrant Mourning Dove Zenaida mcroura off the pelican-laden rock.
A second Peregrine had appeared from Sugarloaf’s far face, and the two engaged in gracefully violent combat - whilst the dove attempted to escape. The first Peregrine, however, banked hard off a northwesterly wind and - embarking on an all-out, talons first dive - knocked the dove from the sky, into the deep blue water. Second and third splashes followed, as both falcons hit the water to recover the prey. To my astonishment, they appeared impervious to the water’s grip. Facing into the wind, the falcons vigorously flapped to free themselves from the surface tension. Both came out safely, the second carrying the dove. The battle resumed. They were lost to sight, around the back side of Sugarloaf. Gulls became involved, out of sight. Shortly thereafter, a binocular view revealed a falcon deep in white water. Once caught by the aerated foam, the falcon was helpless in the grip of the frigid, saturating ocean. It was being sucked into a narrow and violent surge channel. Wings were thrust like mighty paddles - slowly propelling the bird through the rolling froth.
The island’s head biologist sprinted down to the boom, and was lowering a small boat down the island’s sheer cliffs into the choppy water. I watched impatiently, biting my lip. The choppy water was much too treacherous. Wave after wave washed over the bird, which each time rose to the surface panting, continuing its fierce battle - not for prey now, but for survival. Too quickly, it failed to surface from its final wave. At that very instant, what I took to be the second Peregrine rose up the ridge quickly, from somewhere on the far side of the island, and lay motionless in the air - just as the first one had done. Then it swooped down, and circled the boat - where the biologists were lifting the carcass of the first out of the surge.
I followed the “second” Peregrine with my binoculars. It crossed back over the lighthouse. Facing the wind directly, it rose high on the ridge lift, got into a crosswind and headed west. In seconds, it left the island behind. Over the open ocean, it engaged in a series of sine-arches and dives, falling hundreds of feet before adjusting for a skyward arch. I watched it for several minutes, then it disappeared into the sun. Just then my companion arrived - and I told him the story. He replied that, as much as he hated to say it, there was another dead Peregrine in the sea. Several gulls, harbingers of death, had positioned themselves for a peck of the corpse. I informed the biologist and, this time, went with him. Guided by my companion, from the island, we found the falcon on the brink of disappearing amidst the swells. A perfectly timed swell enabled me to grab the corpse from the sea. It had a leg band - 1807-58513 - that showed it came from twenty-five miles away: and was banded two months previously, on Hill 129, Hawks Lookout in the Marin Headlands. It had been one of only three Peregrines, out of 13,000 raptors, banded in the Headlands.
The live bird I saw, between the two dead specimens, was that third individual. In the commotion, I had lost track of the real second hawk which, in fact, had also fallen into the sea. Whatever had happened on the opposite side of Sugarloaf, once the gulls had entered the fray, had sealed the fate of both original falcons. The second one had floated around Sugarloaf’s seaward side. Later observations revealed that the third bird was an immature male: likely a young drifter, who had avoided those two powerful females. Whether rival or offspring, he had heeded an innate call to the site. The two females, meanwhile, were mounted and sent where they were needed - by those who are studying, and protecting, Peregrine Falcons.
J. Clark 1999 Winging It Newsletter of the American Birding Society, Inc. 11 (9): 4
Once, when a reservoir as drained near Hobart, a Peregrine skeleton was found, with a leg band attached. It was thus proved to be the local resident hen. Perhaps she was trying to catch swallows, and ended up in the water - NJM?
STRANGE DEATH OF A SHIKRA (India - edited)
Deep in the desert, southwest of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, I was watching a Shikra Accipiter badius flying very low over the sandy plain. Suddenly it gained height, dived to the ground, then flew up, with a rodent in its talons. Having settled on an electric wire, the Shikra started feeding. While it was doing so, the rodent’s tail was dangling below. The bird shifted its posture and that tail touched the electric pole-bar below, there was a flash and a spark, and the Shikra dropped to the ground. The body of the Shikra was earthed through the rodent’s tail - resulting in electrocution. The predator had become a prey of man’s electric power. Both animals were collected. The rodent turned out to be an Indian Desert Gerbil Meriones hurrinae (Jerdon).
P.I. Kankane (Desert Regional Station; Zoological Survey of India) in Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Society 96 (1) 1999: 140
RAPTOR WATCHING IN TAIWAN (Grey-Faced Buzzards)
This year around 20,000 people turned out to watch the annual spring migration of Grey-faced Buzzards Butastur indicus through Taiwan. In the 1970s, these birds were persecuted on migration, but a campaign to protect this