BirdLife WA Speakers Night
Trends in the bird assemblage of Whiteman Park 1990 to 2025 – Mike Bamford
Whiteman Park is a large bushland reserve on the outskirts of Perth and has gradually been surrounded by urban development. Bird censusing in Whiteman Park began in 1990 as part of a CSIRO environmental study on the site; Mike Brooker began the surveys and passed the programme on to Mike Bamford in 2003. There are 51 census points along seven transects, and censusing takes place four times a year. Up to 2025, there had been 9,511 point counts (each of three minutes) totally 476 hours of census time. These have yielded 58,904 records of 96 species. It is possibly one of the longest and most intensive bird census projects in Australia. So, what has it told us?
Number of species per survey: stable from 1990 to 2001, followed by a decline. Species richness per survey now less than half what it was in the early 1990s.
A lot of variation in abundance perhaps linked to rainfall.
Some species more or less stable (Red Wattlebird, New Holland Honeyeater, Splendid Fairy-wren).
Some species have declined/almost disappeared (Singing Honeyeater, cuckoos).
Some species have increased (Rainbow Lorikeet, Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Weebill).
Why…? Will be discussed.
Dr Mike Bamford is a self-employed wildlife biologist, scientific illustrator and author. He has been a member of BirdLife Australia since 1978, has been Chair of the WA Group several times, and has served on the National Board. He has a particular interest in waders (shorebirds), and the relationship between wildlife and changing environments.
Entry by gold coin donation, light refreshments will be provided.
Western Australian Ecology Centre, 165 Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat. Please enter the Tamala Room from the car park as the front door will be closed at that time.
