CWCN is in the process of surveying avian fauna across the catchments and compare the results with historical data gathered between 1960 and 2000 and published in our Symposia papers in 2001. Bird populations are likely to have changed as our catchments area has seen many changes in land use since the 1960s.
Wildlife corridors were interrupted by the construction of the Western Freeway and the Centenary Highway. Developments and infrastructure projects have increased and displaced much habitat. Residential properties tend to be substantially smaller than they were 50 years ago, new houses now come with barely any garden which means more habitat loss and loss of insects which are an essential part of a bird diet. Traffic has increased, roads have become busier and wider. Small birds like little Fairy-wrens are miserable flyers and don’t travel far like i.e. cockatoos are able to. They need vegetation that not only provides insect diet in abundance but also shelter and nesting needs. You will not see small birds where vegetation communities are not suitable, or where dogs, cats and foxes pose a threat, or where other interference with their habitat occurs.
CWCN’s Birder Group visits several sites twice per year to record our local birds and to include changes related to seasonal and altitudinal migration. Click on the link below to gain an overview of current and historical sightings. Please note, the list is reduced to a minimum. More detailed information can be viewed at the CWCN Centre. If you are interested in future bird walks, kindly let us know. We all learn while listening. You don’t need to recognise all calls, there are plenty of experienced birders on the walks. Come along, get to know our beautiful catchments while discovering a very important part of local biodiversity.
Check out the sightings during our bird walks in the CWCN Bird Survey List as per 27th April 2021