Life Sciences Commons^™

Analysing Intonation Of The Pied Butcherbird, Jean-Michel Maujean

Theses : Honours

Native to Australia, the Pied Butcherbird has been extensively studied and transcribed by previous composers, notably including Olivier Messiaen. This may be due to richness and diversity in each bird’s repertoire, along with parallels drawn from Western Tonality. Hollis Taylor has conducted extensive study in this field, notably with an analysis of a transcription made by Messiaen, that was incorporated in his piece Éclairs sur l'au- delà (1988-91). Coupled with the original field recording, Taylor’s analysis and Messiaen’s score, this study will reanalyse the original recording from which Messiaen made his transcription.

Zoomusicology is a practice that represents the …

A Study Of The Abundance, Distribution And Daily Activities Of The Australian Raven (Corvus Coronoides) In Urban Wetland Parks, Desiree L. Moon

Theses : Honours

Habitat destruction as a result of urbanisation has resulted in the population decline of some bird species. However, the Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides), has adapted well to the urban environment and is thriving. Although naturally occurring seasonal food sources are at times restricted in an urban setting, this adaptive species finds alternative food sources. As carrion-eaters this includes roadkill, as well as refuse discarded on the ground and into bins. Coupled with few natural predators, the species enjoys optimal conditions for breeding and survival. This biogeographical study investigated whether seasonal-influxes of populations of ravens cause problems at three urban wetland …

Locational Factors Determining The Distribution Of Nesting Sites For A Colony Of Wedge-Tailed Shearwaters, Puffinus Pacificus, On West Wallabi Island, Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, Julie Davis

Theses : Honours

West Wallabi Island in the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, provides significant breeding habitat for the largest colony of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Puffinus pacificus, in the Eastern Indian Ocean. The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) surveyed the Island in 1992 and estimated the population to be in excess of 1,117,000 pairs of breeding birds. Recent proposals to open the Abrolhos area to a larger number of visitors has identified the need for more detailed investigations into the relationship of birds and habitat. An understanding of this relationship provides a means of determining the ways in which populations will respond to …

The Birds And Habitat Of Kings Park, Bradley W. Cox

Theses : Honours

Kings Park is a large urban park in the centre of Perth with extensive areas of semi-natural bushland. The park is an important refuge for birds in the metropolitan area but is losing species through habitat disturbance. Understanding the way in which birds are related to their habitat helps to understand the effect of habitat disturbance on the bird community. The aim of this project was to generate guidelines which will aid in the management and conservation of birds in the park, through an understanding of the relationship of the birds to their habitat. The avifauna and various habitat factors …

The Birds Of Perth's Urban Parks : Factors Influencing Their Distribution And Community Attitudes Towards Them, Jodi S. Mansell

Theses : Honours

Knowledge of the general responses of bird populations to urbanisation and an understanding of their habitat requirements is necessary to ensure the continuation of bird life in urban areas. Most of the literature on urban birds around the world has concentrated on birds in streets and remnant patches. Urban parks provide much potential habitat for birds, although there are few publications addressing this issue. The aims of this project were to determine the terrestrial avifauna of Perth's northern suburban parks, investigate physical factors that might influence the distribution of birds, and determine the attitudes of park users towards birds in …

The Foraging Ecology And Habitat Selection Of The Yellow-Plumed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus Ornatus) At Dryandra Woodland, Western Australia, Kellie Wilson

Theses : Honours

The foraging ecology and habitat selection of the Yellow-plumed Honeyeater was examined using observations and vegetation surveys at Dryandra Woodland, Western Australia. Foraging ecology data was collected over three seasons (autumn, winter and spring) in 1997 at three sites within Dryandra. Habitat selection studies involved 156 sites being surveyed for the presence or absence of the Yellow-plumed Honeyeater. The vegetation characteristics of the site were measured. Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters foraged by gleaning foliage most of the time. Bark and aerial foraging were also common. Birds clearly selected for tree height, preferring to forage on larger (older) trees which may be because …

Some Aspects Of The Ecology Of An Urban Corvid : The Australian Raven (Corvus Coronoides) In Metropolitan Perth, P. J. Stewart

Theses : Honours

The relatively recent and noticeable increase in abundance and distribution of the Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) in the Perth metropolitan area, has led to an increase in the amount of problems associated with the bird resulting in a need to quantify its ecology in an urban context. This research documented the abundance and distribution of the raven, possible reasons for its increase, the basic nesting characteristics, peoples attitudes, basic morphology, food items and problems associated with the bird in Perth and Kings Park. These aims were achieved by using observational field data, culled birds, a newspaper questionnaire and Geographic Information …