In This Issue First nest for this season! Curlew Count Breeding Season Searching For Curlews
Volume 2
This Seasons First Nest
On 13 August curlews at Capalaba laid two eggs. This is quite early, especially considering the dry weather and early cold snap. Unfortunately something took the eggs and by the next day the birds had also disappeared. Curlews often hide after a nest is destroyed, or the eggs or young are taken. If the adults are not injured they will often return. If it is still early in the season, they may lay another clutch. Ill be watching this site. Please contact me if you know the location of a nest!
Curlew Summit
More Info And Contacts
facebook.com/BushSton ecurlews
Curlew Count Information Brochure: http://www.scribd.com/ doc/236672445/BushStone-curlew-Survey
Curlews On The Web
http://www.hbw.com/sp ecies/bush-thick-kneeburhinus-grallarius See a species description with map
Volunteers Still Needed for the Curlew Count!
Our objective with this project is to find out where curlews live and what habitats they prefer. Essential information for their conservation. When we do the survey, were looking for where they are and where they arent. There will be more places that dont have curlews, and we want to know about these too. Curlews respond strongly to broadcasts of their calls. So counting curlews can be done from the road verge by broadcasting calls and counting the responses. Its a proven method that does not require too much equipment. Curlew calls are easy to recognise and the birds call strongly, so no special expertise is needed to help count birds. The count is scheduled to take place between May and July 2015. To make this happen, we need volunteers to register their interest as soon as they can. Volunteers will work in teams of two or three in the early evenings. Calls will be broadcast for a short period, and the responses counted. I need people to sign up for at least five evening of work (more preferably, since there are as many as 900 survey points). If you want to participate, I need to know what part of greater Brisbane you can work in (NE;NW;SE;SW) and which evenings you are likely to be available. Griffith University will supply equipment and I will provide instruction. Follow this link for more information: http://www.scribd.com/doc/236672445/BushStone-curlew-Survey Only citizen scientists can make this project happen. Since support for ecological research is hard to come by, and getting harder, the responsibility for this work now lies with me and any volunteers who sign on. So if you can assist, or you want to know more, you can contact me by email or phone as shown on the side bar.
Curlews Nesting- What
to Look For Curlews nest (if you can call them that) on the ground. The eggs are laid straight onto the surface, often on a bed of leaves, sticks or gravel. Nesting on the ground makes curlews vulnerable to predators, so they avoid drawing attention to themselves. The eggs are speckled and blend with the background remarkably well. The adults have cryptic plumage that also helps them to merge into their surroundings. The incubating bird remains very still, and if
A curlew sitting on eggs laid on gravel mulch.
Taken at Victoria Point.
For information, to report
nests or sightings, and to volunteer with the curlew count
Contact Curlews Scott OKeeffe M.S.OKeeffe@optusnet.c om.au Michael.okeeffe5@griffit huni.edu.au
there is any sign of a disturbance, it prostrates itself, disappearing into the
background. The bird that is not on the nest is usually nearby, standing, squatting or sitting quietly, and also trying to remain inconspicuous. However, if the nest is threatened, the bird not on the eggs will often rush at the intruder, hissing or growling and raising its wings and tail in a spectacular threat display. This is, of course intended to distract intruders or predators. The bird will sometimes run a short distance and squat on the ground as if it is sitting on a nest. As the intruder follows, the bird jumps up, runs a short distance and repeats the fake nest display. If an intruder comes too close to the nest, both birds may growl and hiss, rushing at the intruder and spreading wings and tail in threat. If you are looking for nests, the behaviour of the birds is the key. Watch for birds in pairs at this time of the year. They are very territorial. They will call and drive other curlews away. If you observe a bird repeatedly squatting in the same position on the ground, it may well be incubating eggs. Although they seem to tolerate some close approaches, it is better to keep the birds under observation from a distance of at least 5 metres to confirm nesting and make observations. Remember that some predators are attracted to human scent (foxes for example) which they may associate with food. If you approach closely too often, you could possibly lead a predator to the eggs or chicks. When the birds swap incubation duties, you should be able to see any eggs present. Look carefully, they are not always easy to see. Keep your camera handy- these birds are very photogenic and easy to photograph
The Breeding Season
In southeast Queensland, Curlews are suddenly showing signs that they are preparing to breed. Birds are pairing, and moving to the vicinity of their customary nest sites. They are starting to call more so it wont be long. In southeast Queensland curlews can breed anytime between mid-August and January, with most breeding occurring between September and November. The usual clutch size is two, but only one is sometimes laid, and infrequently a clutch contains three eggs. Curlews may lay more than one clutch in a season, particularly if an early clutch is disturbed or fails for some other reason. Eggs hatch after about 27 days of incubation, and second or third eggs usually hatch within 24 hours of the first egg. The chicks are downy and blend well with their environment. For some time after hatching they spend much of their time concealed under a parents wings or body. Like the adults, they freeze and lie flat when danger threatens. Although the chicks are active and develop quite rapidly, they are quite clumsy for the first few days. This makes them vulnerable to predators and accidents such as trampling or falling into drains. It seems common for one of the chicks to be much stronger, and weaker chicks often disappear within a short time of hatching.
Curlew Summit Murray Local Land Services, with support from the Commonwealth and NSW governments the third national Curlew Summit was held on the 20th and 21st of August. It brought together experts in curlew behaviour, ecology and captive breeding together to share information. Since curlews are not well studied, it was important to bring together all the available knowledge, share it, and decide what else we need to know to work for conservation of these birds. In the next newsletter, I will provide a summary of the proceedings.
