OBJECTIVES:  To gather information on the movements, demography and morphology of the birds of the Coutts Crossing area.  This information is continuing to be collected and so far has resulted in 1 374 individuals of 93 species being banded.  One hundred and fifty two birds have been retrapped once, 48 twice and 27 more than twice.  In addition there have been 15 dead recoveries.  One significant movement has been recorded - a Fairy Martin banded at Ingleburn N.S.W. was recovered at Coutts Crossing, 501km away and 1 year 7 months 19 days later.

 

METHODS: The project commenced in November 1985.  A variety of habitats are sampled by the various sites including dry woodland, wet riparian forest, open wetland and village gardens.  The majority of birds were caught in mist nets however 9 birds of three species (Brown Goshawk, Australian Kestrel and Pied Currawong) were caught with a Bal Chatri; 44 birds of 9 species (Black-necked Stork, Tawny Frogmouth, Dollarbird, Common Koel, Jacky Winter, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Pied Butcherbird, Welcome Swallow and Rufous Whistler) were banded as pulli; 1 was caught in protective garden netting (Common Koel); one was a rehabilitated bird (White-headed Pigeon) and 3 were caught in cage traps (1 Australian Magpie and 2 Torresian Crows).  No colour marking has been used, although the band number of one Australian Magpie has been read through a spotting scope four times.  Analysis of data has been confined to the Blue-faced Honeyeater data to date and an analysis of totals etc. for this report.

DISCUSSION: The aims of the study, i.e. to gather information on the movements, demography and morphology of the birds of Coutts Crossing, are being achieved.  The recovery/retrap rate of 16.5% is higher than the average for the scheme as a whole (10% A.N.P & W.S. brochure Feb 87).  The study has also enabled a better understanding of the aging and sexing of the Blue-faced Honeyeater to be achieved.  Details of this have been published.  The recovery of the Ingleburn Fairy Martin constitutes the longest movement recorded for the species (Recovery Round-up Corella 12:65).  Despite the relatively short duration of the study (c. 15 years), a Golden Whistler has been recovered 8 years 9 months after banding and a Lewin's Honeyeater over 5 years 2 months after banding.  The study should provide valuable longevity information in the long term.

S.G. Lane, D. Geering, D. Page, G.E. Richards, B. Tynan, P.Thomson and D.Secomb have also banded within the study area and the birds that they have banded are included in the totals.
 

PUBLICATIONS: Clancy, G.P. (1994). Bird in the Hand - Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon     cyanotis. Corella 18: 28-29.
  Clancy, G.P. & S.G. Lane (1994). A Report on the Banding of Blue-faced      Honeyeaters Entomyzon cyanotis on the New South Wales North Coast.     Corella 18: 25-27.