Transcript CHASA-2015-Duck-Season-insights.pps

CHASA
2015 Duck Season insights
2015 Duck Season insights
The Eastern Australia Waterbird Survey 2014 (Porter et al 2014)
has recorded the lowest breeding index and dry conditions in
the northern survey region since surveys began.
2015 Duck Season insights
The 2007 and 2008 EAWS also recorded low breeding index and
dry conditions in the northern survey region.
2007 Species Breeding 2
2008 Species Breeding 5
2014 Species Breeding 1
Breeding index 469
Breeding index 180
Breeding index 12
2015 Duck Season insights
Where are waterbirds distributed in Australia in dry years, and what is their
abundance?
The National Waterbird Survey of 2008 provides some answers.
Towards the end of 2008 (October, November) during the
Millennium Drought, Kingsford, Porter and Halse (2012)
surveyed the waterbirds in the wetland regions of Australia.
RT Kingsford, JLPorter and SA Halse (2012). National Waterbird Assessment 2012. Waterlines Report Series
No. 74, March 2012.
NWS 2008 insights
The 6 major game species in South Australia, Grey Teal,
Pink-eared Duck, Hardhead, Pacific Black Duck, Australian
Shelduck and Wood Duck were in the 20 most abundant
waterbirds recorded in Australia.
A total of 4.6million waterbirds including 874,640 ducks
(of the 6 major species) were counted on approximately
10% of Australia’s wetlands, providing an important
indication of their total abundance Australia wide, and
the increase in population size in wetter years.
2015 Duck Season insights
In dry years (ie 2008 drought) the 6 most important
game species in SA were widely distributed and highly
abundant throughout Australia. Each of the 6 duck
species were in the 20 most abundant waterbirds in
Australia.
In Southern South Australia, there are record numbers of
ducks in 2014 (October) due to drying conditions in the
north and wetter/permanent wet conditions in the
south.
2015 Duck Season insights
Because “the 6 main species of ducks” are highly mobile
and responsive to inland rain events, it is highly likely
that many of the birds counted in SA in October 2014,
will disperse to wetter inland rainfall events.
Because “the six main species of ducks” are abundant
and well dispersed throughout Australia in dry years
(2008 National Water bird survey), there is no “hunting”
risk to abundant species in dry years.