Craig & Chapman: Avian drought refugia 
dominant overstorey species on the dune and 
Thryptomene maisonneuvii and A. coolgardiensis were the 
dominant overstorey species in the swale. 
(4) other communities: this included a variety of 
community types that differ greatly from the other three. 
Examples in this study were riverbeds lined with £. 
camaldulensis, chenopod flats, stony plains and 
breakaways. 
Statistical analyses 
The number of species and individuals recorded per 
site was compared using a one-way ANOVA with 
Fisher's PLSD for post-hoc testing. Analyses were 
conducted using SuperANOVA 1.11 (Abacus Concepts 
1993). The a-value for significance was 0.05. 
Results 
A total of 38 species was recorded during the bird 
transects in September 1994 (Table 1), comprising 293 
individuals at an average of 9.3 birds person hr 1 . Some 
species, such as Chestnut-rumped Thornhill, Yellow- 
rumped Thornhill and Southern Whiteface (see Table 1 
for scientific names), managed to maintain relatively high 
numbers despite the dry conditions. However, the 
overall pattern was for low numbers, especially among 
nomadic species and raptors. 
The number of species recorded differed significantly 
(F 317 = 5.33, P = 0.009) between the four habitat groups 
(Table 2). Areas of groving and creekline mulga 
supported a significantly higher number of species than 
the other habitat groups, although there was no 
significant difference between the number of species in 
the remaining three habitat groups (Table 1). The number 
of individuals also differed significantly (F 317 = 5.37, P = 
0.009) between the four habitat groups (Table 2). Again, 
the number of individuals in groving and creekline 
mulga were significantly higher than the other three 
habitat groups which between them showed no 
significant difference (Table 2). 
Table 1 
Numbers of individual species recorded in each of four habitats at Wanjarri Nature Reserve. Values are the mean number of individuals 
per site (± se for species where n > 2; n is the total number of individuals sighted on all sites). 
Species 
n 
Groving mulga 
(5 sites) 
Open mulga 
(5 sites) 
Spinifex 
(4 sites) 
Other 
(7 sites) 
Brown Falcon ( Falco berigora) 
1 
0 
0 
0.25 
0 
Nankeen Kestrel ( Falco cenchroides) 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0.14 
Common Bronzewing ( Pluips chalcoptera ) 
2 
040 
0 
0 
0 
Galah ( Cacatua roseicapilla) 
10 
140 ±1.17 
0 
0 
0.43 ± 0.43 
Port Lincoln Ringneck ( Barnardius zonarius) 
9 
0.60 ± 040 
0 
0 
0.86 ± 0.86 
Tawny Frogmouth ( Podnrgus strigoides) 
2 
0 
0 
0 
0.29 
Red-capped Robin ( Petroica goodenovii) 
5 
0.60 ± 0.24 
0 
0 
0.29 ±0.18 
Hooded Robin ( Melanodryas cucullatus) 
4 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0 
0 
0.43 ± 043 
Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) 
3 
040 ± 0.24 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0 
0 
Grey Shrike-thrush ( Colluricincla harmonica) 
1 
0.20 
0 
0 
0 
Crested Bellbird ( Oreoica gutturalis) 
8 
0.40 ± 0.40 
1.00 ±0.77 
0 
0.14 ±0.14 
Willie Wagtail ( Rhipidura leucophrys ) 
6 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0.60 ± 0.60 
0 
0.29 ± 0.29 
Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush ( Cinclosoma castaneothorax) 
4 
0 
0 
0 
0.57 ± 0.57 
Grey-crowned Babbler ( Pomatostomus temporalis) 
9 
0 
1.80 ±1.80 
0 
0 
White-browed Babbler ( Pomatostomus superciliosus) 
6 
1.20 ±1.20 
0 
0 
0 
Unidentified Fairy-wren ( Malurus sp.) 
3 
0.60 ± 0.60 
0 
0 
0 
Rufous-crowned Emu-wren (Stipiturus ruficeps) 
1 
0 
0 
0.25 
0 
Striated Grasswren ( Amytomis striatus) 
1 
0 
0 
0.25 
0 
Weebill ( Smicromis brevirostris) 
1 
0 
0 
0.25 
0 
Inland Thornbill ( Acanthiza apicalis) 
9 
1.00 ± 0.77 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0.25 ± 0.25 
0.29 ± 0.29 
Slaty-backed Thornbill ( Acanthiza robustirostris) 
13 
240 ±1.03 
0 
0 
0.14 ± 0.14 
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill ( Acanthiza uropygialis) 
70 
7.00 ±1.64 
0.40 ± 0.40 
1.75 ± 1.75 
3.71 ± 0.97 
Yellow-rumped Thornbill ( Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) 
24 
1.00 ± 045 
040 ± 0.40 
0 
2.43 ± 1.66 
Southern Whiteface ( Aphelocephala leucopsis) 
17 
3.00 ± 0.95 
0 
0 
0.29 ± 0.29 
Varied Sittella (Daphoenositta chrysoptera ) 
5 
1.00 ±1.00 
0 
0 
0 
White-browed Treecreeper ( Climacteris affinis) 
8 
1.60 ±0.93 
0 
0 
0 
Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula) 
11 
1.40 ± 0.98 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0.75 ± 0.75 
0 
Singing Honeyeater (Lichenostomus virescens) 
6 
040 ± 0.24 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0 
0.29 ± 0.29 
Grey-fronted Honeyeater ( Lichenostomus plumulus) 
7 
0 
0 
1.75 ±1.18 
0 
White-fronted Honeyeater ( Phylidonyris albifrons) 
4 
0 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0 
0.43 ± 0.43 
Zebra Finch (Poephila guttata) 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0.14 
Black-faced Woodswallow ( Artamus cinereus) 
25 
0 
4.00 ±1.82 
0 
0.71 ± 0.71 
Grey Butcherbird ( Cracticus torquatus) 
2 
0.20 
0.20 
0 
0 
Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) 
8 
0.20 ± 0.20 
0.40 ± 0.40 
0 
0.71 ± 047 
Australian Magpie ( Gymnorhina tibicen) 
1 
0 
0.20 
0 
0 
Little Crow ( Corvus bennettii) 
7 
0 
1.40 ±140 
0 
0 
Torresian Crow ( Corvus orru) 
1 
0 
0.20 
0 
0 
135 
