BasicBirdListjune2003

June 20, 2003

Birds of Maroubra Beach and the Malabar Headland

This is a basic list of birds seen in Maroubra Beach and Malabar Headland area from 1998 to 2003, with some observations from previous years.

For the purposes of this list, Maroubra Beach is bounded by Mistral Point in the north and the north shore of Long Bay in the south. The inland boundary is Malabar Road to Torrington Avenue in the north, and the northern part of Marine Parade from Torrington Avenue.

The list below includes all birds seen in and from this area, including birds flying over and birds seen out to sea. A total of 201 species (plus 2 escapes) has been recorded in the area.

Major habitats at Maroubra Beach and the Malabar Headland include:

1 The beach itself, which, particularly when not crowded, is a resting place for gulls and terns, as well as cormorants and occasionally waders and herons (the last three especially at the rocks at the quieter southern end of the beach).

2 Jack Vanny Memorial Park, the coastal strip to the north of the beach, as far as Mistral Point, with grassy areas and a little remnant heathland vegetation.

3 Broadarrow Reserve and Arthur Byrne Reserve behind the main beach area. The native bush areas in the latter in particular attracts a good variety of land birds.

4 The heath area with swamp at the south end of the beach, on the north side of the rifle range. The swamp in particular is a remnant wetland that attracts waterbirds, sometimes rare ones.

5 The rifle range, which provides an area of grassland, and is visited mainly by commoner and introduced birds.

6 The heathlands of Malabar Heads, around Magic Point and Boora Point, which has populations of commoner and some less common heathland birds, and has also attracted a good variety of birds of prey, as well as migrating landbirds, including some rare ones.

7 The western heathland on the west side of the rifle range, a significant area of remnant bushland.

8 Cromwell Park, Malabar and Pioneer Park, and area of grassland, on the south side of the study area. In the north-west corner of Pioneer Park is a small swamp, Lake Malabar, which was not surveyed until 2002.

9 Long Bay, a sheltered bay which attracts cormorants, gulls and terns and egrets and herons on the rocks.

9 The headlands of Mistral Point, Magic Point and Boora Point, which are amongst the best places in the Sydney area from which to observe seabirds. 61 species of seabirds have been observed from these headlands over the past eight years.

Species in bold are not on the list of native birds recorded in the Randwick Council area (to June 1998), prepared by Anthony Fabbro, and are thus new species for the Council area.

Birds with English names in italics are introduced species (introduced birds are not on the Fabbro list).

Additional records by Paul Chatterton, Dion Hobcroft, Michael Hunter, Roger McGovern, Louise McGovern, Dave Mitford, Dave Nevitt, Pauline Newman, Trevor Quested and Edwin Vella.

No.	Species
1	Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
2	Black Swan Cygnus atratus
3	Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
4	Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
5	Australasian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis
6	Grey Teal Anas gracilis
7	Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
8	Hardhead Aythya australis
9	Australasian Little Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
10	Little Penguin Eudyptula minor
11	Common Diving Petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix
12	Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus
13	Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli
14	Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides
15	Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica
16	Cape Petrel Daption capense
17	Kerguelan Petrel Lugensa brevirostris
18	Great-winged Petrel Pterodroma macroptera
19	White-headed Petrel Pterodroma lessonii
20	Providence Petrel Pterodroma solandri
21	Kermadec Petrel Pterodroma neglecta
22	White-necked Petrel Pterodroma cervicalis
23	Antarctic Prion Pachyptila desolata
24	Slender-billed Prion Pachyptila belcheri
25	Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur
26	Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas
27	Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus
28	Buller's Shearwater Puffinus bulleri
29	Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes
30	Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
31	Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris
32	Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia
33	Hutton's Shearwater Puffinus huttoni
34	Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis
35	Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans
36	Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora
37	Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophrys
38	Shy Albatross Diomedea cauta
39	Grey-headed Albatross Diomedia chrysostoma
40	Yellow-nosed Albatross Diomedea chlororhynchos
41	Buller's Albatross Diomedea bulleri
42	Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus
43	Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda
44	Australasian Gannet Morus serrator
45	Brown Booby Sula leucogaster
46	Darter Anhinga melanogaster
47	Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
48	Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius
49	Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
50	Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
51	Australasian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
52	White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
53	Little Egret Egretta garzetta
54	Eastern Reef Egret Egretta sacra
55	White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica
56	Great Egret Ardea alba
57	Cattle Egret Ardea ibis
58	Striated Heron Butorides striatus
59	Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
60	Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
61	Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes
62	Osprey Pandion haliaeetus
63	Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
64	Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
65	White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
66	Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis
67	Swamp (Marsh) Harrier Circus approximans
68	Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus
69	Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrhocephalus
70	Brown Falcon Falco berigora
71	Australian Hobby Falco longipennis
72	Peregrine Falco peregrinus
73	Australian (Nankeen) Kestrel Falco cenchroides
74	Buff-banded Rail Rallus philippensis
75	Lewin's Rail Rallus pectoralis
76	Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla
77	Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis
78	Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
79	Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
80	Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
81	Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
82	Whimbrel Numenius arquata
83	Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
84	Turnstone Arenaria interpres
85	Red Knot Calidris canutus
86	Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
87	Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata
88	Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
89	Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
90	Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
91	Double-banded Plover Charadrius bicinctus
92	Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
93	Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
94	Brown (Great) Skua Catharacta (lonnbergi) skua
95	Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
96	Arctic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
97	Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudis
98	Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
99	Kelp Gull Larus dominucus
100	Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
101	Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
102	Crested Tern Sterna bergii
103	Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
104	White-fronted Tern Sterna striata
105	Common Tern Sterna hirundo
106	Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
107	Little Tern Sterna albifrons
108	Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata
109	White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucoptera
110	Brown (Common) Noddy Anous stolidus
111	Grey Ternlet Procelsterna albivittata
112	White Tern Gygis Alba
113	Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) Columba livia
114	Spotted Turtle Dove Streptopelia chinensis
115	Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
116	Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans
117	Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
118	Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
119	Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus regina
120	Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus
121	Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
122	Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris
123	Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
124	Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
125	Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
126	Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna
127	Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
128	Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
129	Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor
130	Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus
131	Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
132	Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx basalis
133	Shining Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
134	Common Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
135	Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae
136	Barn Owl Tyto alba
137	White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
138	Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
139	Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
140	Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
141	Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
142	Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
143	Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus
144	Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
145	White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
146	White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea
147	Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
148	Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana
149	Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
150	Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
151	Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
152	Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops
153	White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus
154	White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus
155	New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
156	Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus renuirostris
157	Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
158	Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
159	Grey Shrike Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
160	Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons
161	Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
162	Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
163	Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
164	Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
165	White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor
166	Figbird Sphecotheres viridis
167	Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus
168	Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
169	Australian Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
170	Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
171	Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
172	Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
173	Common Skylark Alauda arvensis
174	Australian (Richard’s) Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
175	House Sparrow Passer domesticus
176	Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
177	Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis
178	Nutmeg Mannikin Lonchura punctulata
179	European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
180	European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
181	Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
182	Tree Martin Hirundo nigricans
183	Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
184	Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
185	Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
186	Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis
187	Little Grassbird Megalurus gramineus
188	Rufous Songlark Cinclorhamphus mathewsi
189	Brown Songlark Cinclorhamphus cruralis
190	Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
191	Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
192	Common Blackbird Turdus merula
193	Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
194	Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

The following records are historical, from before 1996.

195	Blue Petrel Halbaena caerula
196	Red-backed Button-quail Turnix maculosa
197	Australian Bustard Ardeotis kori
198	Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
199	Orange-bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster
200	Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus
201	Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Phylidonyris melanops

In addition the following species has been recorded, two probable escapes.

202	Cockatiel Leptolophus hollandicus
203	Mallee Ringneck Barnardius barnardi

Total of 201 species (plus two escapes) have been recorded in the Maroubra Bay area, 190 if introduced species are excluded. Of these, 62 are seabirds and 139 land birds. Seven are historic records.

Of these, 60 species sighted since 1996, all natives, were not on the 1998 Fabbro list of native bird species recorded in the Randwick Council area, which has 172 species on the list. In addition six historical records, marked with an asterisk in the list above, are not on the Fabbro list (See Hoskin, E. 1991. Birds of Sydney. Sydney: Surrey Beatty). The records in this list raise the total for the Randwick Council area to about 239 species.

Of the birds on this list, several have required submission to the rarities committee of the NSWFOC. Of these, the first Southern Fulmar and Antarctic Petrel have been accepted, the latter being the first record for NSW. One Royal Albatross was rejected and another accepted, and the second Kermadec Petrel was put on file (no decision). The other Southern Fulmar records were not submitted. Roseate Tern awaits decision.

Rod Gardner

420 Beauchamp Road

Maroubra 2035

02 9661 7884 (H) 02 9385 1454 (W)

0405 435 820 (M) email: rod.gardner@unsw.edu.au