@article{c345b975d70b41a38a69281801036935,
title = "Ongoing declines of woodland birds: Are restoration plantings making a difference?",
abstract = "Woodland birds are a species assemblage of conservation concern, and their persistence in fragmented agricultural landscapes is dependent on both the preservation of existing woodland remnants and the implementation of restoration plantings. However, little is known about the habitat-use and persistence of birds in fragmented agricultural landscapes. We present a detailed, population-oriented study of woodland birds in temperate eucalypt woodland restoration plantings and remnant woodland patches in the South-west Slopes bioregion of New South Wales, Australia. First, we undertook a 3-yr mark–recapture project to assess annual survival and site fidelity in restoration plantings and woodland remnants. We supplemented our recapture efforts with resightings of color-banded individuals. Second, we tracked individual birds of two species, Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) and Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), and documented snapshots of their home ranges and movement patterns during the breeding season. Annual survival in the woodland bird assemblage was lower than expected (51%). Home ranges of the Superb Fairywren were positively correlated with patch size, and were constrained by patch edges in linear sites. Superb Fairywrens and Willie Wagtails were more likely to travel longer distances between substrates while foraging in linear sites. Willie Wagtails engaged in significant gap-crossing (up to 400 m) between adjacent habitat patches. Our findings indicate that (1) patch isolation and certain patch configurations place resident birds at an energetic disadvantage, and (2) in our study area, woodland bird populations are continuing to decline. We recommend landscape-scale habitat restoration programs aim to address ongoing population declines. Studies such as ours conducted over longer time periods would provide a deeper understanding of habitat use and population processes of woodland birds in fragmented agricultural landscapes.",
keywords = "animal movement, mark–recapture, population dynamics, ringing, territory",
author = "Belder, {Donna J.} and Pierson, {Jennifer C.} and Rudder, {Ashwin C.} and Lindenmayer, {David B.}",
note = "Funding Information: We are grateful for the feedback of two anonymous reviewers, which helped improve an earlier version of this manuscript. This work was undertaken with approval from the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme and the Australian National University{\textquoteright}s Animal Ethics and Experimentation Committee, and under NSW Scientific Research Licence #SL101588. Richard Donaghey was the A‐class banding project coordinator, and we are grateful for his assistance. The collection of home range data was greatly assisted by the contributions of Matt Gale and Ira Dudley‐Bestow. We thank the many volunteers who assisted with bird banding: Richard Allen, Cat Young, Mark Clayton, Lachlan Duncan, Damian Lettoof, Jas Allnutt, Ann‐Elise Gimpel, Nick Shore, Gary Belder, Lyn Belder, Emma Belder, Tom Bradley, Joel Allan, Jamey Creighton, Ding Li Yong, Brenton von Takach Dukai, and Hayden Stevens. We are grateful to Lyn Belder for assisting with data entry. We also thank the landowners who permitted access to their properties. This work was funded by the Riverina Local Land Services via a research grant to D. B. Lindenmayer, and a Margaret Middleton Fund Award, Lesslie Scholarship, and Australian Bird Study Association small research grant to D. J. Belder. Funding was also contributed by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub (via the Australian Government{\textquoteright}s National Environmental Science Program). Funding Information: We are grateful for the feedback of two anonymous reviewers, which helped improve an earlier version of this manuscript. This work was undertaken with approval from the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme and the Australian National University?s Animal Ethics and Experimentation Committee, and under NSW Scientific Research Licence #SL101588. Richard Donaghey was the A-class banding project coordinator, and we are grateful for his assistance. The collection of home range data was greatly assisted by the contributions of Matt Gale and Ira Dudley-Bestow. We thank the many volunteers who assisted with bird banding: Richard Allen, Cat Young, Mark Clayton, Lachlan Duncan, Damian Lettoof, Jas Allnutt, Ann-Elise Gimpel, Nick Shore, Gary Belder, Lyn Belder, Emma Belder, Tom Bradley, Joel Allan, Jamey Creighton, Ding Li Yong, Brenton von Takach Dukai, and Hayden Stevens. We are grateful to Lyn Belder for assisting with data entry. We also thank the landowners who permitted access to their properties. This work was funded by the Riverina Local Land Services via a research grant to D. B. Lindenmayer, and a Margaret Middleton Fund Award, Lesslie Scholarship, and Australian Bird Study Association small research grant to D. J. Belder. Funding was also contributed by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub (via the Australian Government?s National Environmental Science Program). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 by the Ecological Society of America",
year = "2021",
month = apr,
doi = "10.1002/eap.2268",
language = "English",
volume = "31",
pages = "1--14",
journal = "Ecological Applications",
issn = "1051-0761",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "3",
}