MALLEE EMU-WREN

Photograph near the Nowingi Track, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, Victoria February 2016.

757             MALLEE EMU-WREN              Stipiturus mallee

Australia            (601)

Found in spinifex, with mallee gums, native cypress, on sandhill swales, slopes; also tall heathland with tea-tree, broom, fringe-myrtle, spinifex. 13-15 cm, incl. tail (8-9 cm). Range: region s. of Murray R. in NW Vic.-se SA: from Hattah-Kulkyne NP (Vic) s. to Wyperfield NP-Big Desert Wilderness; w. into SA, from c. Nadda-Peebinga s. to Ngarkat Cons. Park, n of Keith, w. to Carcuma Cons. Park, ne of Cooalpyn.

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE

Photographed at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee January 2016

 756             RED-NECKED PHALAROPE                Phalarope lobatus

Australia             (600)

Also known as Northern Phalarope. 18-19 cm. In Aust. found in shallow pools; in commercial salt fields; tidal mudflats, beaches, salt marsh, freshwater wetlands. Range: breeds around Arctic; winters at sea. East Siberian population migrates to Celebes Serfdom s. Philippines, e. to PNG and Bismarck Arch. Irregular summer migrant to Aust. (Aug-Apr), regular in nw WA, but many sight records in se Aust. Odd birds over-winter acquiring breeding plumage. 

NOTE: Bird number 600!!!!!! And such a rare bird in southern Australia. I was a little disappointed, after following the bird for a couple of days these were the best photos I could get because its such a small bird and stayed out in the centre of the pond most of the time.

NORFOLK ISLAND GERYGONE

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016

755                NORFOLK ISLAND GERYGONE            Gerygone modesta

Australia          (599)

Also known as Grey Warbler, or locally as ‘peurty’. Endemic to Norfolk Island. 10-11 cm. Found in most environments with tree or shrub cover, feeds in canopy of trees and shrubs, hover gleans from outer foliage. Common but regarded as Near Threatened because its whole population is on one island.

KERMADEC PETREL

Photographed on Phillip Island (near Norfolk Island) January 2016

754          KERMADEC PETREL             Pterodroma neglecta

Australia         (598)

38 cm; wingspan c. 90 cm. Range: breeds across s. Pacific from Lord Howe I (Ball’s Pyramid) and Phillip Is. near Norfolk Is. to Juan Fernandez (se Pacific). Disperses throughout warmer Pacific waters. Rare visitor summer-autumn-winter to coastal e. Australia from se Q to about Jervis Bay (NSW).

GREY TERNLET

Photographed on Phillip Island (near Norfolk Island) January 2016

753              GREY TERNLET            Procelsterna albivitta

Australia          (597)

Also known as Grey Noddy. 25-30 cm; wingspan 50-60 cm. Found on oceanic islands and surrounding seas. Range: tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean, incl. Lord Howe and Norfolk Is. Casual alive or beach washed e. coast Aust., usually after storms.

NORFOLK ISLAND LORIKEET

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016

   752              NORFOLK ISLAND PARAKEET             Cyanoramphus cookii

Australia            (596)

Also known as Green Parrot and Tasman Parakeet. 25-30 cm; wingspan 32-38 cm. Found in remnant tall Araucaria forest and adjacent gardens and eucalyptus plantations. Range: confined to Norfolk Island where very rare; critically endangered. Extinct Lord Howe Is.  

FERAL DUCKS

NOT COUNTED AS A WILD POPULATION

FERAL GEESE

Photographed on Norfolk January 2016

NOT COUNTED AS A SPECIES ON THE AUSTRALIAN LIST

Submission No 809: Greylag Goose Anser anser Nofolk Island. Free ranging and breeding for at least 20 years prior to January 2014.

This case is unusual in that it deals with an introduced species rather than a rarity. It deals with the possibility of including Greylag Goose Anser anser as a new feral species to the Australian List. The submitter intentionally investigated evidence to determine if the geese were feral or not on Norfolk Island. 

After investigation and personal observation it was concluded that the birds on Norfolk Island were feral and had been breeding at the locality for more than 10 years. In total at least 43 birds were present at Kingston Common, six at the Watermill Pond, and at least 32 at the Missionary Pond on Norfolk Island.  A photograph taken by B. Dawson was provided along with a table of sightings dating back to the year 2000.

Members were divided in their opinion on how to treat this case. Five voted against acceptance and three voted in favour.  Those that voted against did so because: (a) it was quite clear the birds were not Greylag Geese but rather just Domestic Geese (with hybrid origins) with a hint of “greylag” in the mix, given that many were clearly oversize and white in colour; (b) even though they may be breeding outside captivity they are not necessarily free flying; and (c) we cannot be sure that these birds derive 100% from Greylag Geese as some appear to have ties closer to Swan Goose Anser cygnoides. A hybrid origin would preclude the population from being treated as a ‘species’ on the Australian checklist. Understandably, the submission makes no attempt to identify the goose strain.

As pointed out within the submission the most common criteria for declaring a species as feral is ‘a period of 10 years breeding in a wild state without dependency from humans’. Admittedly Greylag Geese are considered feral in New Zealand, but there is little information available on their origins or ecology there (Heather & Robertson 2006).

This is the first time that BARC has considered a submission dealing with the potential establishment of a feral population. 

Verdict: Not Accepted

FERAL FOWL

Photographed on Norfolk Island January 2016

333              FERAL FOWL (RED JUNGLEFOWL)             Gallus gallus

Australia         (595)        See Nepal   (10)

Known locally in the Philippines as Labuyo. Range from Tamil Nadu, South India east across southern China and into Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Thought to be ancestor of domestic chicken. feral population of domestic fowl established on Norfolk Island.

SLENDER-BILLED WHITE-EYE

Photographed Norfolk Island January 2016

751              SLENDER-BILLED WHITE-EYE             Zosterops albogularis

Australia            (594)

Found in rainforests, palm forest, tall regrowth; replaced by Silvereye in gardens and edge habitat. Range: endemic to Norfolk Island., mostly in the NP in the n.

NORFOLK ROBIN

Female Norfolk Robin, photographed Norfolk Island January 2016

750                 NORFOLK ROBIN        Petroica multicolor

Australia            (593)

Also known as Pacific Robin, Norfolk Island Scarlet Robin and Norfolk Island Robin. It was considered cospecific with the Scarlet Robin but was separated in 1999 and became part of the Pacific Robin family. In 2015 it was determined to be a distinct species. Found in native sub-tropical rainforests, with lower densities in other wooded habitat; it prefers areas with a dense understory and an open ground layer with deep, moist litter for foraging. Range: endemic to Norfolk Island, restricted to Mt Pitt section of NP, and nearby pockets of remnant forest.

Male, Norfolk Robin

Male, Norfolk Robin

Female, Norfolk Robin