Avian biodiversity across Auckland’s volcanic cone reserves

Figures & data

Figure 1. Map of the nine volcanic (maunga) cone reserves that were the subject of the avian biodiversity surveys conducted within this study. Locations of the volcanoes are shown in relation to Auckland Central Business District (CBD).

Table 1. An overview of the nine Auckland volcanic (maunga) cone reserves surveyed in this study, indicating the area of the study site (including the mean ± standard error of the mean) and the number of bird counts conducted at each site.

Volcanic cone reserve Tūpuna Maunga	Reserve area (ha)	Bird count stations	No. of replicates at each station	Total no. of counts	Area (ha) per station
Maungakiekie – One Tree Hill	48.5	6	3	18	8.1
Maungawhau – Mount Eden	27.5	6	3	18	4.6
Maungarei – Mount Wellington	26.7	6	3	18	4.5
Ōtāhuhu – Mount Richmond	20.8	3	3	9	6.9
Ōhinerau – Mount Hobson	14.5	3	3	9	4.8
Ōwairaka/Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura – Mount Albert	9.5	3	3	9	3.2
Pukewīwī/Puketāpapa – Mount Roskill	9.1	2	3	6	4.6
Te Tātau a Riukiuta – Big King	7.3	2	3	6	3.7
Takarunga – Mount Victoria	6.8	2	3	6	3.4
		Total: 33		Total: 99	Mean: 4.9 ± 1.6

Table 2. Percentage cover of different general land-cover types of the nine Auckland volcanic cone reserves (maunga) in this study.

Volcanic cone reserve Tūpuna Maunga	Native ‘forest’	Exotic or mixed ‘forest’	Exotic or native treeland	Pasture	Road, car park and buildings
Maungakiekie – One Tree Hill	6%	2%	40%	45%	7%
Maungawhau – Mount Eden	26%	0%	26%	36%	12%
Maungarei – Mount Wellington	1%	18%	0%	79%	2%
Ōtāhuhu – Mount Richmond	1%	18%	36%	34%	11%
Ōhinerau – Mount Hobson	1%	13%	14%	70%	2%
Ōwairaka/Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura – Mount Albert	18%	13%	21%	42%	6%
Pukewīwī/Puketāpapa – Mount Roskill	2%	7%	17%	67%	7%
Te Tātau a Riukiuta – Big King	14%	14%	23%	49%	0%
Takarunga – Mount Victoria	9%	5%	37%	42%	7%

Table 3. Bird species recorded at nine surveyed volcano (maunga) sites within the Auckland Metropolitan area.

Bird species recorded	Relative species abundance	Detection probability (%)
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)	0.0173 ± 0.0043	100
Common myna (Acridotheres tristis)*	0.0146 ± 0.0035	100
Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)	0.0125 ± 0.0032	100
House sparrow (Passer domesticus)*	0.0124 ± 0.0019	100
Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)*	0.0054 ± 0.0009	100
Eastern rosella (Platycercus eximius)*	0.005 ± 0.0017	89
European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)*	0.0043 ± 0.0008	100
Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)*	0.0039 ± 0.0019	100
European greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)*	0.0031 ± 0.001	89
Southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus)	0.0031 ± 0.0017	89
Rock pigeon (Columba livia)*	0.003 ± 0.0013	100
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)*	0.0028 ± 0.0007	89
New Zealand fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa)	0.0025 ± 0.0008	78
Sacred kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)	0.0024 ± 0.0004	100
Grey warbler (Gerygone igata)	0.0023 ± 0.0006	100
Welcome swallow (Hirundo neoxana)	0.002 ± 0.0011	67
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)*	0.0019 ± 0.0008	67
Spotted dove (Streptopelia chinensis)*	0.0011 ± 0.0004	67
Song thrush (Turdus philomelos)*	0.0011 ± 0.0003	78
Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis)*	0.0011 ± 0.0008	33
California quail (Callipepla californica)*	0.001 ± 0.001	11
Spur-winged plover (Vanellus miles)	0.0009 ± 0.0005	67
Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)*	0.0008 ± 0.0003	56
Red-billed gull (Larus novaehollandiae)	0.0006 ± 0.0003	33
Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)*	0.0004 ± 0.0003	22
Pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus)	0.0004 ± 0.0001	56
New Zealand pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)	0.0003 ± 0.0001	56
Variable oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor)	0.0003 ± 0.0001	11
White-fronted tern (Sterna striata)	0.0002 ± 0.0002	11
Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)*	0.0002 ± 0.0001	33
Shining cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus)	0.0002 ± 0.0001	33
Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia)	0.0001 ± 0.0001	11
Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)*	0.00004 ± 0.00004	11
Black shag (Phalacrocorax carbo)	0.00004 ± 0.00004	11
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)*	0.00004 ± 0.00004	11
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)*	0.00004 ± 0.00004	11
Pied shag (Phalacrocorax varius)	0.00004 ± 0.00004	11
White-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)	0.00004 ± 0.00004	11

Notes: Species are listed in decreasing order of total relative species abundance across all sites (mean ± standard error of the mean) per 10 minute count (total number of individuals detected = 2389). Detection probabilities are also shown.

*Non-native species.