Bird records for Yunderup, Murray River delta, Western Australia, 1967–2000

Abstract

The Western Australian Naturalists’ Club owns a field station, the Yunderup Naturalists Observatory, on Cooleenup Island in the Murray River delta. Habitats in the area include open woodland and shrubland, saline and freshwater swamps, ephemeral lakes, and extensive sand flats on the western side of the deltaic islands. Club members made detailed bird observations, conducted bird banding and contributed to the Australian Bird Count. These records are collated for 1967–2000, providing a comprehensive bird list for the area. The records are of 149 species, including 38 species of passerines and 111 species of non-passerines. They include both resident and migratory land and water birds. The most frequently recorded birds were Splendid Fairy-wren, Western Gerygone, Broad-tailed Thornbill, Grey Fantail, Eastern Great Egret and Little Pied Cormorant. Unusual birds include Red-tailed Tropicbird, Pacific Swift, Elegant Parrot and Rock Parrot. Banding records show Australian Pelican move from the Peel Inlet to the south coast of Western Australia. It is likely that population pressure on the area from the development of the city of Mandurah and the Shire of Murray, changes to the Peel Inlet following the opening of the Dawesville Channel in 1994 and warming and drying of the climate will impact the bird population of the area in the future.