A comparison of the passerine avifaunas of a rehabilitated minesite and a nearby reserve in south-western Australia

Published source details Comer S.J. & Wooller R.D. (2002) A comparison of the passerine avifaunas of a rehabilitated minesite and a nearby reserve in south-western Australia. Emu, 102, 305-311.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Restore or create forests Action Link

Restore or create forests

A controlled study from July 1996 until January 1997 in Western Australia, Australia (Comer & Wooller 2002), found that bird assemblages were similar, but not identical in a former 300 ha mineral sands mine site, planted with native vegetation in 1977-83 and in a nearby Banksia woodland-mixed heath reserve. A total of 603 birds (36 species) were recorded in two areas (9 and 10 ha) of the reserve and 533 (33 species) in two areas (8 ha and 5 ha) of the mine site (28 species common to both). The same common insectivores were present in both areas and at similar abundance. The same species of honeyeaters occurred in both areas but at the mine site larger nectarivores were far more numerous (e.g. two commonest species: 102 vs. 29 in the reserve) whilst small spinebills much less common (e.g. western spinebill Acanthorhynchus superciliosus, 7 vs. 61). This was in part due to vegetation differences, but also as nectar-providing shrubs and trees in the restoration area had been planted in clumps, thus allowing the larger honeyeaters to dominate these nectar sources.