Seasonal changes in the abundance and body condition of honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) in response to inflorescence and nectar availability in the New England National Park, New South Wales

McFarland, David C.

doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.1986.tb01403.x

Cited by 38 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…McFarland (1986) found that many species increased in body mass and fat deposits during autumn and remained at their heaviest throughout late autumn and winter. Hence, this pattern appears to be relatively common amongst this family in temperate climates.…”

Section: Body Mass and Fat Depositionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Food consumption, body mass and fat deposition in captive regent honeyeaters, Xanthomyza phrygia (Meliphagidae), during the non-breeding season

Munro

McFadden

2004

J Ornithol

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The regent honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia) is a large endangered honeyeater from eastern and south-eastern Australia. Little is known about the ecology of this bird during the autumn-winter period, when it is absent from its breeding areas. In this study, food consumption and body condition of captive regent honeyeaters were studied during this period. Nectar was the dominant component of the regent honeyeaters' diet and varied significantly throughout the study, peaking in early July. Fruit and mealworm consumption also showed significant seasonal shifts with maxima in late June and early March, respectively. In general, immature birds consumed significantly more protein-rich food than adults. The average body mass of the male birds varied significantly with season. Female birds did not show a significant seasonal change in body mass but, similarly to males, attained their highest mass in late April. Fat deposition changed significantly over months, with highest levels of fat recorded from late April until late June. These seasonal trends, independent of food abundance, may suggest that body condition within this species is controlled endogenously.

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Section: Body Mass and Fat Depositionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Food consumption, body mass and fat deposition in captive regent honeyeaters, Xanthomyza phrygia (Meliphagidae), during the non-breeding season

Munro

McFadden

2004

J Ornithol

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“…However, these studies were not designed to measure changes in the aggressiveness of the birds toward one another and did not attempt to distinguish between the many factors that could account for changes in amounts of aggression observed. Changes in nectar availability are often accompanied by changes in abundance and species composition of honeyeaters (Ford and Pursey 1982;Ford 1983;Collins et al | 984;Ford and Paton 1985;Newland and Wooller 1985;Pyke 1985;McFarland 1986c;Pyke and Recher 1988;Ramsey 1989) and may be accompanied by changes in age structure, sex ratio, and activity patterns. Any of these factors could alter the number of aggressive acts per time or the proportions of time budgets spent on aggression.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aggressiveness of breeding territorial honeyeaters corresponds to seasonal changes in nectar availability

Armstrong

1991

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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On the east coast of Australia, new holland and white-cheeked honeyeaters experience huge seasonal changes in nectar availability over their breeding periods. I observed breeding males of both species to determine whether levels of territorial aggressiveness varied with these changes in nectar availability. I watched individual males repeatedly and assessed their aggressiveness by recording their responses to birds that came within 30 m of them. Almost all attacks were on unfamiliar birds; males never attacked their mates or offspring and rarely attacked other birds that were resident in the area. Intruders were most likely to be attacked if they were conspecifics, if they landed rather than flying by, and if they came near the centers of males' territories. Taking into account the types, behaviors, and locations of intruders, there were pronounced seasonal changes in the probability of an intruder being attacked by a territorial male. Males were least aggressive when nectar was abundant, suggesting that territorial aggression could be at least partially a response to scarcity of nectar. Seasonal changes in aggressiveness were not accounted for by breeding cycles or by changes in frequency of intrusions.

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“…The diseased sites clearly showed that there was an almost complete loss of the dominant overstorey Banksia (a very important source of nectar for birds in these woodlands) and a reduction in the flowering of understory plants. Although we did not measure actual nectar content, it is a reasonable assumption that flower availability is strongly correlated to nectar availability (McFarland, 1986). Given the importance of Banksia species for nectarivorous birds in our study system (Newland and Wooller, 1985;Ramsey, 1989), and that seasonal flowering events can lead to densities of nectarivorous birds that are much higher than surrounding areas (Newland and Wooller, 1985), the ongoing loss of Banksia species due to P. cinnamomi is a major concern.…”

Section: Are Changes In the Bird Community Related To Dieback-inducedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nectar availability is a key driver of population dynamics in bird communities dominated by nectarivores such as in south-western Australia (McFarland, 1986;Newland and Wooller, 1985) and South Africa (Symes et al, 2008). Although previous studies have suggested a potential impact of P.…”

Section: Are Changes In the Bird Community Related To Dieback-inducedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Phytophthora-dieback on birds in Banksia woodlands in south west Western Australia

Davis

Valentine

Craig

et al. 2014

Biological Conservation

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Invasive plant pathogens have impacted forest and woodland systems globally and can negatively impact biodiversity. The soil-borne plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi is listed as one of the world's worst invasive species and alters plant community composition and habitat structure. Few studies have examined how these Phytophthora-induced habitat changes affect faunal communities.We examined bird communities in Banksia woodland with, and without, Phytophthora dieback in a biodiversity hotspot, southwestern Australia. Seven sites along dieback fronts, with paired 1-ha plots in diseased and healthy vegetation, were surveyed monthly for birds over seven months. Vegetation assessments showed that diseased sites had reduced plant species richness, litter, shrub, tree and canopy cover, high bare ground and significantly lower flowering scores, than healthy sites. Bird community composition differed significantly between diseased and healthy sites, although total bird abundance, total species richness and foraging guilds, did not. Average species richness of birds per survey and the abundance of brown honeyeaters, western spinebills and silvereyes was lower in diseased than healthy sites. The tawny-crowned honeyeater had higher abundances in diseased sites.Similarity matrices of habitat structure, flowering scores and bird assemblages were congruent, indicating that habitat structural differences were influencing bird community composition. Our results suggest that this pathogen is potentially a serious threat to avian biodiversity and especially for nectarivores, and populations in fragmented landscapes. Since elimination of the pathogen is not currently possible, management should focus on methods of preventing its spread until techniques to eliminate the pathogen are developed.

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Seasonal changes in the abundance and body condition of honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) in response to inflorescence and nectar availability in the New England National Park, New South Wales

Cited by 38 publications

References 15 publications

Food consumption, body mass and fat deposition in captive regent honeyeaters, Xanthomyza phrygia (Meliphagidae), during the non-breeding season

Food consumption, body mass and fat deposition in captive regent honeyeaters, Xanthomyza phrygia (Meliphagidae), during the non-breeding season

Aggressiveness of breeding territorial honeyeaters corresponds to seasonal changes in nectar availability

Impact of Phytophthora-dieback on birds in Banksia woodlands in south west Western Australia

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