Patterns and Trends of Invasive Birds of Texas

Daniel Brooks, Ph.D. Houston Museum of Natural Science

What the heck is this +#~*%??

Questionnaire What species? Your name and e-mail (or other contact info.) Where you saw it? When you saw it? What was the habitat? Describe “architecture” where bird was observed How large was the flock? What was the bird(s) behavior? Did you observe any breeding behavior? What was your observation time?

Kindly e-mail observations to: dbrooks@hmns.org

Marketing

List-servs (TEXBIRDS, OG, Texas Ornithology)

Data sheets at birding festivals / Meetings

Newsletters and Meeting announcements: OG, TOS and Audubon (Houston & Austin)

Houston Chronicle / Gary Clarke

HMNS Board Meetings

Marketing

Reports (June 2008 - current)

Red-vented bulbul ~ 195 Egyptian goose ~ 170 Scaly-breasted Munia ~ 885

Monk parakeett ~ 8000 Orange bishop ~ 90 Mute swan ~ 35

Most reports Bernice Hotman: 155 munia reports

Jack Hart: 60 bulbul reports

Dan Brooks: 40 goose reports

Most diverse site Bear Creek Park – Greg Page

Scaly-breasted munia Bronze mannakin Orange bishop Orange-cheeked waxbill Pin-tailed whydah Zebra finch

Non-targeted species: Larger species of birds

Emu Gamebirds

Golden pheasant Indian peafowl

Waterfowl Black swan Bar-headed goose Ruddy shelduck Common shelduck Red-crested pochard

Diamond dove Kookaburra

Non-targeted species: Cage and song birds

Numerous parrots Red-masked parakeet Blue-fronted parakeet Black-fronted parakeet Little corella Cockatiel Budgerigar Rose-ringed parakeet Rosy-faced lovebird

Red-whiskered bulbul Bananaquit Asian glossy starling Finches

Magpie manikin Silverbill Black-rumped waxbill Brimstone canary

Pix are valuable support data

Habitat association

Foraging behavior

Interspecific associations

Social behavior

Seasonal reproduction

Nest structure

Scaly-breasted Munia Data reported June 2008 – February 2015

Nearly 900 reports from 214 individuals Most are single reports, but some submitted >150 several reported seeing munias up to 7 yr prior

Red-vented Bulbul Data reported June 2008 – May 2012

151 reports from 60 individuals Most are single reports, but some submitted up to 60 several reported seeing bulbuls up to 7 yr prior

Activity patterns

Foraging / Feeding = 43%

Perching / Resting = 15%

Calling = 7%

Other = 35%

Activity patterns

Foraging / Feeding = 34%

Perching / Resting = 21%

Calling = 14%

Other = 31%

Habitat association

Majority (N = 470) in urban areas e.g., Backyards with birdfeeders, gardens

About 1/3 (N = 282) in preserves Kleb Woods Nature Preserve (n = 190) Addicks Reservoir/Bear Creek Park (n = 74) Arthur Storey Park (n = 10) various reservoirs, drainage basins (n = 8)

Habitat association

All found in urban areas

96% (N = 76) of reports - bulbuls use residential areas

4% (n = 3) - used small fragments of 2o

growth w/in mosaic of urban park along White Oak Bayou

Perch type Perched in 25 sp. of plants

Most frequently used Oak trees and Crepe myrtle 15 species native to our region 6 exotics from munia’s native range 4 exotics from outside native range Mean perch height = 2.86 m (r = 0.3-7.6, N = 18) More perch low in trees (<5 m, n = 21) than high (>5 m, n = 6)

Perched on 3 different types of abiotic structures

Most frequently perched on feeders Mean perch height = 1.14 m (r = 0.03-1.8, N = 38)

Perch type Perched in 37 sp. of plants

Most frequently used Bamboo, Crepe myrtle, Fig and Tallow 16 species native to our region 15 exotics from bulbul’s native range 5 exotics from outside native range Mean perch height = 6.5 m (r = 1.7-14.5, N = 19)

Perched on 10 different types of abiotic structures

Most frequently perched on utility lines and water baths/fountains

Mean perch height = 3.2 m (r = 1.2-7.3, N = 21)

Adult : Juvenile ratio

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Jan Feb Mar Apr Jun Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Perc

ent o

f adu

lts a

nd ju

veni

les

Month

Monthly flock size

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Mean Median

Monthly flock size

0

5

10

15

20

25Ja

n

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Months

Mea

n an

d M

ax

MeanMax

Mega-flocks (>50) March 2011 – February 2013 100-150 in apartment courtyard in SW Houston 2 with yellow bands – year-round residents Many HOSPs; tried controlling - only possible with cat

February 2011-2013 50-70 in well-planted yard in NW Houston No aggression - BUDG, MODO, WWDO, NOCA, HOSP, BLJA

August 2008–2011 > 2000 in large grassy field in Stafford Many small flocks of < 25 juveniles and adults

accumulated throughout the day, dispersed at night

State Distribution

Local Distribution

Addicks Reservoir/ Bear Creek Park

Distribution Distribution Local Distribution

Cullinan Park

Distribution