Gang-gang Cockatoo Survey

An adult male gang-gang inspects a potential nest hollow

Today saw the launch of the Canberra Ornithologists Group's Gang-gang Cockatoo survey. The survey organiser, Chris Davey introduced the project to a group of birders at Corroboree Park, then naturalist Ian Fraser added a few details and anecdotes to inspire people to go out, find the birds and log their results in the online survey - http://canberrabirds.org.au/observing-birds/gang-gang-survey/. All records of Gang-gangs in the ACT and surrounding district are welcome, including negative ones, and there are already hundreds entered. The project runs for eighteen months to cover all seasons fully and we hope to have a clearer picture of where the birds breed, overwinter, and what habitats need to be preserved if the birds are to be here in the future. So if any one in the area can add information to the survey please do, it's easy, and rewarding. 

I was involved in the design and production of the survey brochure, a fold-out introduction to the bird and project. See below.

Huge deposits of pumice on the beaches

Piles of pebbles of pumice lie on the tide-line along the new South wales south coast

The sandy beaches and hidden coves of the New South Wales south coast are presently littered with pumice pebbles. They have come from 4000 km out in the Pacific Ocean, north of New Zealand, where a submarine volcano on the Havre Seamount, near the Kermadec Islands erupted last July. This caused a raft of pumice covering 20,000 sq km to form and gradually drift west on the currents. When they reached the Australian coast they were washed up and concentrated on the tide-line. 

The pumice formed as lava erupted under water and air trapped in tiny pockets in the rock makes the it buoyant. This was the largest such eruption in the region for over fifty years. There were all sorts of plant and animal life attached to some of the larger and rougher pieces, and I wonder what land-based life will find a niche in the new rocky tide-line. 

The pumice is light and floats like the bladders of the seaweeds which it lies with on the shore

Most of the pebbles are small, but some are as large or larger than a cricket ball

The pumice floated from north of new Zealand to the south east coast of Australia

A few art lessons from Melbourne

Add your name if this is your work, I don't want the credit, just spread the word
Street art on Hosier Lane 14th February 2014

It has been a hot few weeks in Melbourne and I was down to look around some Tawny Frogmouth sites with Marian Weaving who is studying them there, out in suburbia. Then once I did that I went into town to look up the recent artwork. The collections in the galleries were as good as ever, but there were great environmental messages going on out on the streets, especially in and around Federation Square.

In the middle of the square is a triptych sculpture of Dogman and Rabbitgirl riding a rhino, the creations of artists Gillie and Marc. I am familiar with their work, and it is good to see this plea to help save rhinos in such a high profile.

Rabbitgirl and Dogman ride a rhino for life

Thousands of people pass through the square every week, day? Many took photos of themselves in front of the sculpture, but unfortunately very few took the time to read the message. I know, I watched them. Most were tourists from around the world; what apathy from people who profess to enjoy the planet.

Thanks for the message Gillie and Marc

Impressive art for an impressive animal

Meanwhile over on the pavement across from Flinders Street Station, Chris Jordan had built a sculpture of a mobile phone with old mobile phones about to be re-cycled. He was in town to add his voice and skills to the Sustainable Living Festival, to see more on that click this.

A mobile phone made with mobile phones

Re-cycle your old phones!

Chris was giving a talk in the Deakin Edge theatre on various topics concerning our waste and the damage we cause to other animals on the planet. Part of his presentation included a viewing of his powerful video on the effect plastic is having on albatrosses  This was uploaded on line two years ago now, but the message is still the same. If you haven't seen this and would like to watch it, click here, but be warned it is sad, very sad.

More on aging and sexing Rufous Whistlers

Following some interesting feedback on the previous piece on aging and sexing Rufous Whistlers Pachycephala rufiventris, I have added a few more examples of details to look for when doing so.

Adult female Rufous Whistler
Charcoal Tank, NSW, Oct 2010

This first adult female (3+) shows the features of a dark red eye, dark black bill, white throat streaked with dark grey and streaked breast.

Left - Adult female, right Immature (unsexed)
Charcoal tank, NSW, Oct 2010

The shot above shows a second adult female (3+) alongside an immature, unsexed bird (2). Her eye is clearly red compared with the young bird's brown eyes. Her head is grey streaked with black, her belly is pale buff, almost white, and she has very little streaking on her undertail coverts. In comparison, the young bird has a grey/buff head with finer black streaks, its belly is a creamy orange and there is definite streaking on the undertail coverts. The immature bird would have hatched in the Spring two years previous to that when the shot was taken, but as it was still early in the breeding season when the bird was caught, October, and as sub-adult males can breed in their second year while in such a plumage, the bird cannot be sexed. It might yet moult into sub-adult male plumage later in or after the breeding period.

The photograph below shows the heads in profile of the same two birds. Note the female's grey head versus the young bird's brownish colour. Her iris is red, the other bird's is brown. Her bill is black on the outside upper and lower mandibles, and inside. The young bird's bill is dark, almost black on the upper mandible, brownish grey on the lower, and with a pale yellow inside the roof. Also her bill is worn with use, with chips and flecks taken out of it, while the young bird's bill is smooth edged and clean-looking with pale margins.

Left - Adult female, right Immature (unsexed)
Charcoal Tank, Oct 2010

In comparison of the two adult birds, the second adult female has a brighter shade of red in her eye, her breast is less rufous, her belly is paler, and her undertail coverts are less streaked. This might simply be normal variation in colouring between individual birds. However, she might be an older bird, so further study needs to be done on the features listed here on re trapped birds of known age, to help clarify this point.

How to age and sex Rufous Whistlers

Two Rufous Whistlers - but what age and sex are they?
Charcoal Tank, NSW. March 2010

I have recently been in correspondence discussing how to age and sex Rufous Whistlers Pachycephala rufiventris, so considering that they are one of the most widespread bird species in Australia, I thought I should post a simple guide to this dilemma. 

The problem arises from their plumage moult sequence over the first years of their life. For they take three years to attain full adult plumage, and during the first two years, the males and females are alike (to our eyes and criteria so far discerned). Do the birds know which sex each other is, I'm sure they do, so why can't we tell?

This is not a complete description, indeed there might be errors. However, during future banding trips, I hope to photograph birds of known age (from previously banded birds) and note details which will help to further understand how to age and sex these common birds. The page will then be updated as fits new points to consider.  

Juvenile Rufous Whistler
Charcoal Tank, NSW. January 2011

Juvenile (J) Rufous Whistlers are recognisable by their bright yellow gape, the skin at the base of their bill, light-coloured bill and heavily streaked breast. These are usually being closely attended by adult birds.

Eye - dark brown iris

Bill - pale grey upper mandible, pink/yellow/grey lower  

         mandible, orange yellow inside

Breast - buff and heavily streaked

Throat - grey streaked with dark grey

First-year or Immature  Rufous Whistler
Charcoal tank, NSW. Sept 2012

First-year (1 or 2-) birds, or immature, those in the first year of their life have a similar plumage to the juveniles and adult females. Also the sexes are indistinguishable. The orange/yellow inside of the bill is the most diagnostic feature when in the hand, but not so useful in the field. Then, the pale lower mandible below the darker, but not dark black bill is the best feature to look for.

Eye - brown

Bill - dark grey on top mandible, pink/brown lower mandible.

Breast - pale buff streaked with dark grey.

Throat - grey streaked with dark grey/black.

Adult female Rufous Whistler (3+)
Charcoal tank, NSW. Nov. 2012

Adult female (3 or 3+) birds can be recognised by their black bill, dark red iris and lightly streaked breast. Their throat is white rather than grey as in a first-year bird. However, second-year males (2), i.e. those more than one year since hatching, look very similar. Banded birds can be aged with reference to when previously caught, otherwise behaviour is perhaps the only clue to sex in the field. In spring and summer try to determine whether the bird is behaving like a male or female. And beware of this piece of confusing knowledge - male Rufous Whistlers (and females?) can breed in their second year while in sub-adult plumage or in that similar to females.

Eye - dark deep red

Bill - black top, lower, and inside, pale palate

Breast - light rufous streaked with dark grey

Throat - white, streaked with dark grey

Sub-adult male Rufous Whistler
Charcoal tank, NSW. Sept 2012

Second-year, or sub-adult male (2) i.e. those more than two years since hatching, but less than three. These birds show the beginnings of adult male plumage coming through the immature plumage which was similar to that of a female. A dark grey or black breast band spreads across the top of the breast, and black feathers come in around the face. The throat whitens and loses its streaks. And the iris is red, but not as bright as that in an adult male's eye.

Eye - dull red

Bill - black on top, lower and inside, pale palate

Breast - rich rufous, with narrow dark streaks, faint or

             incomplete breast band

Throat - white and lightly streaked, dark feathers

              around face

Adult male Rufous whistler
Charcoal tank, NSW. Sept 2012 

Adult male (3 or 3+) Rufous Whistlers are the easiest to identify, not only to species but to sex. They have a distinctive rufous breast, belly and undertail coverts, a bright white throat and a black breast-band with linked black feathering up the sides of the throat and across the face. The eye is bright red and the bill glossy black.

Eye - rich red iris

Bill - black top, lower and inside

Breast - rich rufous with a black breast-band

Throat - pure white