Responses of Eastern Yellow Robins 'Eopsaltria australis' to translocation into vegetation remnants in a fragmented landscape

Abstract

Many species of Australian robins (Petroicidae) are declining in wooded landscapes across southern Australia, perhaps because they are unable or unwilling to disperse across the matrix between remnants, or because they experience high mortality while doing so. Eastern Yellow Robins 'Eopsaltria australis' have declined in parts of southeastern Australia, and have gone extinct in some woodland remnants. We translocated adult Yellow Robins to remnants from which they had disappeared, and followed their survival and behaviour. Nine Yellow Robins were translocated to a 100 ha remnant in 2001 (seven birds) and 2002 (two birds). One bird disappeared immediately and a second after 2 weeks, but the rest stayed for at least 2 months, with two birds surviving to at least 4 and 5 years. One reintroduced pair bred each year from 2001 to 2005, producing six fledglings. Two colour-banded Yellow Robins also arrived unaided from another remnant 7 km away. Fifteen Yellow Robins were translocated to nine small remnants (<60 ha) in 2005-06. Seven birds disappeared within 3 days of their release, apparently killed by predators. The remainder survived for up to 7 weeks, but none was found breeding. Translocated Robins moved up to 3 km from their release sites through natural or planted corridors, and up to 1 km through a matrix of scattered trees. Small remnants, which surviving Robins ultimately vacated, had fewer shrubs than sites where they bred. The results suggest that Eastern Yellow Robins can disperse through a landscape with corridors or scattered trees. However, they may suffer predation and reject sites that are too small or of poor habitat quality. Management to retain Eastern Yellow Robins in a fragmented landscape should enlarge remnants, protect scattered trees, plant or regenerate strategic clumps of trees and shrubs in gaps between remnants, and allow shrubs to regenerate within remnants.