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The effect of a major rainfall event on Hooded Plovers on a salt-lake in Western Australia

Version 2 2024-06-03, 13:13
Version 1 2017-08-03, 11:24
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-03, 13:13 authored by Mike WestonMike Weston, MA Elgar
Rainfall, and associated flooding, is thought to influence the movements and breeding of wading birds in the interior of Australia. We describe opportunistic data collected before, during and after ex-cyclone Bobby passed over a salt-lake in south-western Australia in February 1995. Rainfall influenced a range of habitat variables: water levels increased, water temperature dropped and pH increased. The substrate became harder and cooler after rain. Hooded Plovers that were at the lake were forced to forage in higher densities, although their numbers did not decline immediately after the rain. Rainfall effected their foraging behaviour; during and after the rain success rate was above pre-rain levels. Other behaviours (aggression, drinking, bathing) are described. Lake Gore is the single most significant site for Hooded Plovers yet discovered and nothing has been previously published on the general and foraging ecology of this rare species on salt-lake habitats.

History

Journal

Emu

Volume

100

Pagination

64-69

Location

Collingwood, Vic.

ISSN

0158-4197

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2000, Royal Australian Ornithologists Union

Issue

1

Publisher

CSIRO Publishing

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