Nesting activity and demography of an isolated population of malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata)

Author:

Priddel David,Wheeler Robert

Abstract

Nesting activity of a population of malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata), isolated within a small mallee remnant in central New South Wales, was monitored annually between the summers of 1986–87 and 1998–99. A total of 148 nesting events was recorded. Only once was a new mound constructed rather than an old one reworked. Birds began and finished work on the mound progressively later each month (October to January). Nest-site fidelity was highly variable; some pairs persisted with the same mound for up to nine years while others relocated between a cluster of two, three or four mounds. Males displayed greater nest-site fidelity than females. After the loss of a partner, males tended to continue to use mounds they had used previously whereas females often relocated to a new mound. All individuals were monogamous. Pair bonds were maintained for life but, following the death of a partner, new bonds were quickly established with another unattached individual. Established pairs occasionally failed to breed, all such failures being coincident with years of low rainfall. Pairs that did not breed generally began construction of a nest but failed to complete the task. As far as can be ascertained, unpaired birds did not construct nests. The malleefowl population was characterised by a rapid turnover of breeding individuals, a high rate of adult mortality and a lesser rate of recruitment. The maximum longevity recorded for breeding adults was 12 years; average longevity was 7.5 years. Twenty-five adults were lost from the breeding population over a period of 9 years; meanwhile, 14 birds entered the breeding population. Thus, the ratio of adult mortality to recruitment was 1.79 : 1.00. Between 1986–87 and 1997–98 the population declined from at least 32 breeding adults to 14, at an average exponential rate of decrease of 0.075. Large population decreases were coincident with years of low rainfall. This population of malleefowl is predicted to become extinct by 2008.

Publisher

CSIRO Publishing

Subject

Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3