Register      Login
Wildlife Research Wildlife Research Society
Ecology, management and conservation in natural and modified habitats
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > WR > WR10047
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 37(3)

Population and breeding trends of an urban coloniser: the Australian white ibis

John Martin A B C , Kris French A and Richard Major B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Institute for Conservation Biology and Law, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

B Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: jmm84@uow.edu.au

Wildlife Research 37(3) 230-239 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR10047
Submitted: 8 March 2010  Accepted: 24 March 2010   Published: 18 May 2010

Abstract

Context. In the Sydney region, the population of Australian white ibis has dramatically increased from rare observations in the 1950s to a breeding season peak of 8900 in 2008, resulting with human–wildlife conflicts. Within natural habitats across the eastern states, the ibis population has declined, yet within urban environments ibis have been lethally managed for over 30 years. However, limited ecological and no regional population data are available for the Sydney region.

Aims. The present study of ibis in the Sydney region aims to (1) establish the abundance of the population during the breeding and non-breeding seasons, (2) determine whether the population is increasing, and (3) identify the importance of different foraging and roosting sites.

Methods. Across the Sydney region, we surveyed 54 discrete sites for 2.5 years. At each site, we recorded the number of adult, juvenile and nestling ibis as well as the number of active nests. The 54 sites were grouped into 15 areas consisting of five landfills and 10 suburbs, which were assessed with ANOVA.

Key results. The ibis population of the Sydney region doubled from a peak of 4200 in 2006 to 8900 in 2008. Seasonal fluctuations saw adults migrating in to the region to breed, and adults and juveniles dispersing following breeding. On average, 44% of the population was located foraging within landfills, whereas 80% of nesting activity occurred within ‘urban-natural’ habitats.

Conclusions. Seasonal fluctuations indicated that the ibis population of Sydney is connected with the broader state and national population. Landfills provided an abundant foraging resource that supported extended breeding, including consistent nesting for a 19-month period.

Implications. The present study indicated that any localised population management has consequences beyond the immediate or regional population and, consequently, regional management plans or actions need to consider the long-term status of the eastern states’ population. Urban conflicts need to be resolved with human education and a conservation agenda, preferably with the provision of refuge habitat where birds are not disturbed.


Acknowledgements

We thank the W. V. Scott Charitable Trust, the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) and the Australian Museum for financial support. Thanks go to Geoff Ross and Cici Legoe of DECCW, Judy White of Waste Services NSW, Helene Forsyth of Bankstown Council and Judy Harrington of SOPA for assistance. Thanks go also to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. This research was conducted in accordance with the University of Wollongong Animal Care and Ethics Committee (AE05-15r8) and NPWS Scientific Licence (S12568).


References

Adams, L. W. (2005). Urban wildlife ecology and conservation: a brief history of the discipline. Urban Ecosystems 8, 139–156.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Australian Transport Safety Bureau (2002). The hazards posed to aircraft by birds. Unpublished report for the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services, Canberra, ACT.

Barrett G. , Silcocks A. , Barry S. , Cunningham R. , and Poulter R. (2004). ‘The New Atlas of Australian Birds.’ (Birds Australia: Melbourne.)

Beilharz M. I. (1988). Individual variation in reproductive success in the sacred ibis. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Melbourne.

Belant, J. L. (1997). Gulls in urban environments: landscape-level management to reduce conflicts. Landscape and Urban Planning 38, 245–258.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CSIRO (2008). Water availability in the Murray–Darling Basin. A report from CSIRO to the Australian Government. CSIRO Murray–Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project, Canberra.

Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW (2007). Flying-fox camp management policy. Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW, Sydney.

Dixon, J. , and McGill, A. (1979). Sydney district spring bird count (November). NSW Field Ornithologists Club Newsletter 42(Suppl.), 1–6.
Ecosure (2009). Ibis Management Program 2009 Annual Report. Report to Ibis Management Coordination Group, West Burleigh, Qld.

Environment Protection Authority (1996). Environmental guidelines: solid waste landfills. Waste Management Branch, Environment Protection Authority, Sydney.

Fakes J. (2005). Impact of the grey-headed flying-fox on trees in the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. The Tree School, Burwood, NSW.

Frederiksen, M. , Lebreton, J. D. , and Bregnballe, T. (2001). The interplay between culling and density-dependence in the great cormorant: a modelling approach. Journal of Applied Ecology 38, 617–627.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Krebs C. J. (1999). ‘Ecological Methodology.’ (Addison Wesley Longman: New York.)

Leach, G. J. (1994). Effects of dam size on waterbirds at farm dams in south-east Queensland. Corella 18, 77–82.
Lowe K. W. (1984). The feeding and breeding biology of the sacred ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus in southern Victoria. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Melbourne.

Marchant S. , and Higgins P. J. (Eds) (1990). ‘Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Vol. l: Ratites to Ducks – Part B. Australian Pelican to Ducks.’ (Oxford University press: Melbourne.)

Martin, J. M. , French, K. , and Major, R. E. (2007). The pest status of Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) in urban situations and the effectiveness of egg-oil in reproductive control. Wildlife Research 34, 319–324.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Porter J. L. , Kingsford R. T. , and Hunter S. J. (2006). Aerial survey of wetland birds in eastern Australia – October 2003–2005. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper No. 37.

Ramos, R. , Ramírez, F. , Sanpera, C. , Jover, L. , and Ruiz, X. (2009). Diet of yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) chicks along the Spanish western Mediterranean coast: the relevance of refuse dumps. Journal fur Ornithologie 150, 265–272.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Ross G. A. (2004). Ibis in urban Sydney: a gift from Ra or a pharaoh’s curse? In ‘Urban Wildlife: More than Meets the Eye’. (Eds D. Lunney and S. Burgin.) pp. 148–152. (Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales: Sydney.)

Ross G. A. , and Legoe C. (2006). Management of Australian white ibis in the Sydney region. In ‘Ibis Management Conference’. pp. 34–38. (Ecosure: Gold Coast, Qld.)

Savard, J. L. , Clergeau, P. , and Mennechez, G. (2000). Biodiversity concepts and urban ecosystems. Landscape and Urban Planning 48, 131–142.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Shaw P. (1998). Ibis management program annual report – July 1998. Ecosure Pty Ltd. Gold Coast, Qld.

Shaw P. (1999). Integrated management systems for Australian white ibis Threskiornis molucca on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In ‘Bird Strike 1999 Committee – USA/Canada Proceedings, First Joint Annual Meeting’. (Ed. B. Mackinnon.) pp. 139–147. (Vancouver, BC.)

Skórka, P. , Wójcik, J. D. , and Martyka, R. (2005). Colonization and population growth of Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans in south eastern Poland: causes and influence on native species. The Ibis 147, 471–482.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Smith A. C. M. (2009). Population ecology of the Australian white ibis, Threskiornis molucca, in the urban environment. PhD Thesis, University of Technology Sydney.

Smith, G. C. , and Carlile, N. (1993). Food and feeding ecology of breeding silver gulls (Larus novaehollandiae) in Urban Australia. Colonial Waterbirds 16, 9–16.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Svensson, E. (1995). Avian reproductive timing: when should parents be prudent? Animal Behaviour 49, 1569–1575.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Thomas, G. J. (1972). A review of gull damage and management methods at nature reserves. Biological Conservation 4, 117–127.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Walker, K. F. (1985). A review of the ecological effects of river regulation in Australia. Hydrobiologia 125, 111–129.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Williams, A. J. , and Ward, V. L. (2006). Sacred ibis and grey heron predation of cape cormorant eggs and chicks; and a review of Ciconiiform birds as seabird predators. Waterbirds 29, 321–327.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |





Appendix 1.  Sites surveyed within the Sydney region for Australian white ibis
Click to zoom