128 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
April. 1921 
SOME STRADBROKE BIRDS. 
B}^ A. H. Chisholm, State Secretary, R.A.O.U. 
So far as I am aware. Stradbroke Island lias not been 
at all well worked” from an ornithological standpoint. 
Yarioiis bird-men have been on the island from time to 
time, hilt these visits have been only of a spasmodic nature, 
as, for instance, was that of the members of the Royal 
Australasian Ornithologists’ Union in the spring of 1919. 
Something of the same consideration applies in respect 
of the birds themselves. Apparently, a good number of 
species visit the island at suitable periods, but none of 
theso stays for any extent of time; and the total list of 
permanent bird-dwellers would not be lengthy. It is not 
that the distance across from the mainland offers any 
obstacle; the point is that the island is so sandy, and the 
resultant vegetation so limited in variety, that it offers 
aj)]>eal to only a limited variety of birds. 
Eor all that, Stradbroke contains many spjeeies of 
interest, and it would not be surprising to find that several 
of these show sufficient insular variations to warrant them 
being elevated to sub-specific rank.'^ 
A rough census taken on the occasion of the Easter 
ex])edition of the Field Naturalists’ Club gave a total of 
slightly over forty s})ecies for the region adjacent i\lyora 
and Dunwich. Tliis would be considerably added to at 
a more suitable period of the year for sea-birds, but it is 
doubtful whether a complete list of Stradbroke l)irds, 
covering all seasons, would give more than about eighty 
species. * 
Sea-birds were not numerous on the occasion of our 
last visit. A couple of species of the ubiquitous Cor- 
morants fished in the bay, a lone Belicau basked on a 
sandbank, odd Terns flew past, and we saw also a few 
Sea-Curlews and one or two of the big White-bellied Sea 
Eagles. The last-named species breeds on the island; 
there is a fine eyrie in a tree at the south end. Other 
water-] overs listed were a Bittern, a solitary White-necked 
Heron, a small dock of White Ibis — this bird is much 
fonder of salt water than is its commoner relative, the 
Straw-necked species — and a small company of Black- 
throat-d Grebes. These '‘Divers” were noted on one of 
the lone’y lakes toward the interior of the island. They 
are large slieets of water, hut purely sand-fed, and carry 
very little food for birds. 
Stradbroke Island is now a sanctuary. 
