Movement Patterns of Honeyeaters Foraging Alone and in Flocks for Nectar of Astroloma conostephioides in Hale Conservation Park, South Australia

Summary

Australian honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) and other species were observed foraging for nectar of Astroloma conostephioides in flocks of up to 100 individuals during the 1992 flowering season. Birds were classified as belonging to flocks of five or more birds (‘flock’ birds) or to small flocks of one to four birds (‘single’ birds). Observations of distances flown while feeding and angles between forward flight of successive flights of 299 flock birds and 173 single birds were made. Most flights (90%) were between 0 and 9 m and distributions of flight distances had a modal distance class of 0.51-1.0 m (maximum distance = 20 m). Distributions of flock and single bird flight distances were not significantly different for honeyeaters weighing < 45 g, but were significantly different for Striated Thornbills and all observed birds. Distributions of angles of turn of all single and all flock birds were significantly different from each other and were not evenly distributed in all directions. Flights to distant neighbouring plants were much less frequent (4–11% of all flights) than other studies have reported.