Survival and home ranges of woodland birds in restoration plantings

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 three-year mark-recapture project to assess annual survival and site fidelity in restoration plantings and woodland remnants. We supplemented our recapture efforts with resightings of colour-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 ...