Seasonal abundance and habitat use of Australian parrots in an urbanised landscape

Certain native species are able to tolerate the urban landscape to the point where they are sometimes found in higher abundance in cities than they are in the surrounding natural vegetation. To improve understanding of the resource requirements of Australian parrots, we investigated the seasonal abundance and habitat use of 13 species in different landscape units in the major urban centre of Sydney, Australia. The urban landscape was divided into four urban zones and 528 surveys were conducted over a period of two years throughout four habitats of remnant vegetation, golf courses, street scapes and recreational parks, as well as the surrounding natural landscape, during both breeding and non-breeding seasons. Significant seasonal differences in abundance existed for two granivorous and one nectarivorous species. Abundance was significantly higher in the outer urban zone than in the non-urban zone and species assemblage differed significantly between all urban zones and the non-urban zone during the breeding season but only between the city and non-urban zone during the non-breeding season. Remnant vegetation was also characterised by a significantly different community assemblage to other habitats during the breeding season. Understanding how fauna utilise the urban landscape, particularly high profile fauna such as parrots, has the potential to assist in both management and conservation of urban diversity.

► Abundance of the Corellas and Musk Lorikeets was higher in the urban landscape during the non-breeding season with the abundance of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo higher during the breeding season.
► Greater differences in community assemblage between the urban and non-urban landscape during the breeding season than the non-breeding season.
► Diversity was lower in the city than the outer zone and the non-urban zone.
► Abundance did not vary between habitats.
► Species assemblage between habitats varied with season.