Banded Stilt breeding information

By Birding-Aus, on November 8th, 2014

I have recently seen large aggregations of Banded Stilt, firstly at Rottnest Island off Perth (I estimated the total number of birds on the Rottnest salt lakes to be in the many thousands) and then at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria (where the numbers are less but still many hundreds to a thousand). What is of interest apart from the uncommonly large numbers is the high proportion of juvenile birds present, as evidenced by the number of birds with no or incomplete chestnut bands. I presume that this reflects a recent major breeding event on some inland lake (probably in Western Australia). However, I have not read or heard any report/s of any such breeding event this year. Does anyone have any information about Banded Stilt breeding events this year? Regards. Richard Richard NOWOTNY Port Melbourne, Victoria M: 0438 224 456

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richard.nowotny

November 11, 2014 at 9:32 pm

Thanks Ian. I have been misinformed (and unfortunately in turn have misinformed others). I was led to believe that the band was acquired with adult plumage and was then permanent. Clearly this is not correct. You of course are correct. I have (somewhat too late) now read the relevant plumage information in HANZAB which confirms that non-breeding adult plumage, while variable, shows lesser degrees of completeness and brightness of the band compared with breeding-plumaged birds. And as you say, the presence of grey legs is the key feature for identifying juveniles. I must now modify/retract my recent posting re the proportion of juvenile birds in the flocks of Banded Stilt seen at Rottnest Island and the Western Treatment Plant. Having not taken particular note of their leg-colour I am unable to make any informed comment about the proportion of juveniles present in those flocks and hence my enquiry becomes inappropriate. Thanks again. I have learned what I really should have known. Regards. Richard Sent: Monday, 10 November 2014 3:33 PM Cc: Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org Hello Richard The most reliable feature to field ID juvenile Banded Stilt is “Grey legs” (not pink as in adult birds) with no visible breast band. Adult birds lose their breast band in non breeding condition and attain a full rich chestnut breast band in breeding plumage. When suitable flood events occur, birds will quickly molt into breeding plumage over several weeks. Partially banded birds are mostly in the process of molting their breeding garb; however the situation is confused because some birds (probably older individuals) retain their chestnut breast band permanently. See also http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/2002-07/msg00022.html Regards Ian May St Helens, Tasmania 7216 0428337956 _____ Richard Nowotny wrote: I have recently seen large aggregations of Banded Stilt, firstly at Rottnest Island off Perth (I estimated the total number of birds on the Rottnest salt lakes to be in the many thousands) and then at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria (where the numbers are less but still many hundreds to a thousand). What is of interest apart from the uncommonly large numbers is the high proportion of juvenile birds present, as evidenced by the number of birds with no or incomplete chestnut bands. I presume that this reflects a recent major breeding event on some inland lake (probably in Western Australia). However, I have not read or heard any report/s of any such breeding event this year. Does anyone have any information about Banded Stilt breeding events this year? Regards. Richard Richard NOWOTNY Port Melbourne, Victoria M: 0438 224 456

birding

November 10, 2014 at 2:32 pm

Hello Richard The most reliable feature to field ID juvenile Banded Stilt is “Grey legs” (not pink as in adult birds) with no visible breast band. Adult birds lose their breast band in non breeding condition and attain a full rich chestnut breast band in breeding plumage. When suitable flood events occur, birds will quickly molt into breeding plumage over several weeks. Partially banded birds are mostly in the process of molting their breeding garb; however the situation is confused because some birds (probably older individuals) retain their chestnut breast band permanently. See also http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/2002-07/msg00022.html Regards Ian May St Helens, Tasmania 7216 0428337956 ———————————————————————— Richard Nowotny wrote:

sdooley

November 9, 2014 at 9:49 am

Hi Andrew and Richard, As we reported in the June issue of Australian Birdlife, the Lake Ballard breeding event apparantly failed. There must have been another successful event elsewhere on some remote inland lake that nobody discovered. Just another example of how enigmatic birds these are! Cheers, Sean —–Original Message—– Andrew Hobbs Sent: Saturday, 8 November 2014 5:59 PM On 8/11/2014 8:21 AM, Richard Nowotny wrote: this year. This report might interest you. http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/goldfields-deluge-attracts Cheers Andrew — *********************************************************** Andrew Hobbs pardalote@iinet.net.au ***********************************************************

Andrew Hobbs

November 8, 2014 at 4:58 pm

On 8/11/2014 8:21 AM, Richard Nowotny wrote: This report might interest you. http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/goldfields-deluge-attracts-thousands-of-breeding-banded-stilts/story-fnhocxo3-1226833885415 Cheers Andrew — *********************************************************** Andrew Hobbs pardalote@iinet.net.au ***********************************************************

roscoedj

November 8, 2014 at 11:15 am

Hi Richard, I am pretty sure I remember seeing talk of a breeding event out on the salt lakes near Kalgoorlie earlier this year after some heavy rains filled up the local lakes and got them all breeding. Reece Pedler is probably the person to talk to as been doing research on their breeding and has banded 950 of them at Lake Torrens late last year. He is also doing some satellite tracking of them on. He’d probably be interested to hear about your sightings too. His email is reece.pedler@deakin.edu.au Cheers, Ross Sent from Windows Mail Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎8‎ ‎November‎ ‎2014 ‎8‎:‎21‎ ‎AM I have recently seen large aggregations of Banded Stilt, firstly at Rottnest Island off Perth (I estimated the total number of birds on the Rottnest salt lakes to be in the many thousands) and then at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria (where the numbers are less but still many hundreds to a thousand). What is of interest apart from the uncommonly large numbers is the high proportion of juvenile birds present, as evidenced by the number of birds with no or incomplete chestnut bands. I presume that this reflects a recent major breeding event on some inland lake (probably in Western Australia). However, I have not read or heard any report/s of any such breeding event this year. Does anyone have any information about Banded Stilt breeding events this year? Regards. Richard Richard NOWOTNY Port Melbourne, Victoria M: 0438 224 456

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Banded Stilt breeding information

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