University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Survival in the orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster)

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 08:52 authored by Holdsworth, M, Dettmann, B, Geoffrey BakerGeoffrey Baker
Knowledge of demographic parameters, including survival, are fundamental to understanding the population dynamics of any taxon. Here we report on a long-term capture–mark–recapture study of the Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster), one of the world’s most threatened parrots, using capture histories of 848 known-age wild birds. Parameter estimates of survival and probability of recapture were derived using the program MARK 4.1. Mean annual survival of juveniles and adults was estimated at 0.56 (s.e. 0.07) and 0.65 (s.e. 0.14) respectively. There was no evidence for an effect of sex on survival. Survival of three age-classes was estimated at 0.53 (s.e. 0.08) for juveniles, 0.64 (s.e. 0.11) for first-year birds and 0.59 (s.e. 0.09) for adults (2 years and older), indicating that maximum survival occurs in the second year of life, and declines thereafter. Although survival for both adults and juveniles varied considerably across years, there was no evidence of a decline in survival over the 20 years of the study. However, there has been an annual decline in the numbers of adult birds observed each year at the breeding grounds of 12% between 2000 and 2008, current survival rates do not appear to be a factor inhibiting population growth. The observed decline is more likely to result from a decline in female participation in breeding resulting in a decrease in the recruitment of juveniles to the population.

History

Publication title

Emu: Austral Ornithology

Volume

111

Pagination

222-228

ISSN

0158-4197

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

C S I R O Publishing

Place of publication

150 Oxford St, Po Box 1139, Collingwood, Australia, Victoria, 3066

Rights statement

Copyright © 2011 CSIRO

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Other environmental management not elsewhere classified

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC