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Breeding Biology of the Striated Fieldwren
(Calamanthus fuliginosus)
Background:
The Striated Fieldwren, Calamanthus fuliginosus, is a little studied bird despite its distribution being primarily in populous south-eastern Australia.
On Rotamah Island and Little Rotamah Island it is associated almost entirely with saltmarsh areas where there are sedges and reeds present, only occasionally venturing into nearby Melaleuca ericifolia thickets.
The bird is often obvious in its presence, particularly during the breeding season when it sings from the tops of reeds. At this time, there is an excellent opportunity to observe colour bands on the leg of the bird.
The species can be sexed in the hand by the colour of the supercilium and throat.
Aims:
To collect data on the breeding season, clutch size, incubation period, parental care and other observable aspects of the breeding biology of the Striated Fieldwren.
Morphometric data and information on plumage and moult are also collected.
Methods:
Nests are located by walking through the saltmarsh areas that are known Striated Fieldwren habitat sites.
This is done weekly from late July, which is the start of the breeding season for the species on Rotamah.
Markers are placed at a distance from the nest, to minimize the threat of predation, and these marked nests are monitored regularly during the breeding season.
Longer observations are conducted on some occasions to look at the division of breeding and feeding labour between male and female Striated Fieldwrens.
Mist netting is conducted in order to colour band as many of the Striated Fieldwrens as possible to enable identification of individual birds in the field.
Sightings of colour banded birds allows for the determination of range size during breeding and non-breeding periods for this species.
Site:
The study sites are in the flat saltmarsh areas on the Southern side of Rotamah Island, the northern side of the mainland coastal strip and on Little Rotamah Island.
Rotamah Island and Little Rotamah Island are within The Lakes National Park and the adjacent coastal strip is within the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park.
Project supervisor: Don Ripper - Banders: Don Ripper, Jim Reside.
