Use of space, foraging behaviour and strategies of survival amongst three co-exisiting species of fairy-wrens Malurus)

Tidemann, Sonia (2004) Use of space, foraging behaviour and strategies of survival amongst three co-exisiting species of fairy-wrens Malurus). EMU Austral Ornithology, 104 (1). pp. 31-36. ISSN 0158-5540

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Abstract

Superb, Malurus cyaneus, White-winged, M. leucopterus, and Variegated, M. lamberti, Fairy-wrens co-existing in a semi-arid environment at Booligal, New South Wales, partitioned their use of space. During drought, territories overlapped more than in good years. White-winged Fairy-wrens spent the most time sitting, showed the highest preference for sitting in bushes and allopreened the most. Superb Fairy-wrens foraged the most on the ground, moved up and down to different foraging stations the most rapidly and had the widest variety of foraging stations. White-winged Fairy-wrens foraged mostly on the outer parts of bushes; Variegated Fairy-wrens foraged on the innermost parts of bushes and spent the longest at a foraging station. White-winged Fairy-wrens flew the furthest to a new foraging site. When niche breadths for macrohabitat, foraging heights and foraging stations were represented on orthogonal axes, Variegated Fairy-wrens and White-winged Fairy-wrens are more alike in their use of space than either is to Superb Fairy-wrens and the greatest distance is between Superb and Variegated Fairy-wrens. In terms of survival strategies, Superb Fairy-wrens are 'opportunists', White-winged Fairy-wrens are 'coasters' and Variegated Fairy-wrens are 'stayers'.

Item Type: Article
Field of Research (2008): 06 Biological Sciences > 0608 Zoology > 060801 Animal Behaviour
20 Language, Communication and Culture > 2002 Cultural Studies > 200201 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Studies
05 Environmental Sciences > 0501 Ecological Applications > 050102 Ecosystem Function
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GR Folklore
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Date Deposited: 04 May 2010 01:44
Last Modified: 12 May 2010 01:36
URI: https://eprints.batchelor.edu.au/id/eprint/191

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