The conservation implications of bird reproduction in the agricultural `matrix: a case study of the vulnerable Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) of south-eastern Australia

Abstract

Where agriculture has recently been imposed on natural systems, habitats that are modified, but not destroyed, within the agricultural matrix, are often, undervalued for their conservation benefits. Ecological research in the agricultural matrix in such landscapes has been limited in many countries. Yet many organisms live and breed in these landscapes. This paper outlines a large-scale case study of the vulnerable superb parrot that breeds in trees in the agricultural matrix of south-eastern Australia. Superb parrot nest trees were located, measured and compared with a set of randomly chosen non-nest trees. Increasing tree diameter had the largest influence over whether a superb parrot nested in a tree. There was a strong preference for nesting in dead trees and Blakely's red gum. There was limited eucalypt regeneration surrounding trees. The large size and poor health of nest trees requires urgent habitat management to provide alternative nest sites and regenerate trees across the whole agricultural matrix. This will require a long-term vision on the scale of centuries.