Bird Study Methods

Three main approaches are being used and a fourth is being considered: 
​1. Measure bird use of three replanted areas, two reference sites and a control site over many years to measure changes in bird use between years and as vegetation matures in the planted sites  Measure bird use in 10 sites of varying ages (0-20+ years) in a rapid survey undertaken over one breeding season to establish general trends Record miscellaneous sightings of selected (rainforest)species In the future, also consider focusing on habitat use and requirements of the most sensitive species, e.g. chowchilla, eastern whipbird and noisy pitta.
In the five main study sites (and two mosaics) a baseline survey was completed during October 2012 to September 2013 involving 15 x 40 minute early morning counts in each. Counts will be repeated for the three key restoration sites in 2013-14 keeping as close as possible to the same weeks in the baseline year. The Oct-Dec 2013 period will include the references and 6 rapid survey sites.

We are currently examining in more detail into why some of these patterns might be occurring, e.g. in the case of the fruit-doves their arrival appears to coincide with abundant fruiting of quandong (Elaeocarpus). With the cryptic insectivorous birds however, perhaps it will turn out to be combinations of factors e.g. understory density, amount of leaf litter, presence of gullies and so on, but we need to do more work to figure out all this. ​