Foraging behaviour and success of Black-necked Storks (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) in Australia: implications for management

Abstract

The Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus), Australia's only ciconiid, is currently under threat in many parts of its range. In this study, we describe the behaviour and habitat use of the Black-necked Stork in Kakadu National Park and northern New South Wales, to gain an understanding of its habitat requirements that will aid in conservation efforts. We also provide a selective review of threats to storks world-wide, to generate hypotheses for further work. Foraging behaviours recorded onto video were analysed with respect to foraging success; this was significantly different among locations. Although more work needs to be done, we explain this in the context of prey concentrating in drying wetlands. This result highlights the importance of habitat variability, especially with respect to the drying and filling of temporary wetlands, to the success of Black-necked Storks. The individuals in this study also displayed a high level of aggression during foraging, which has not been documented previously. Although many factors, including power lines and pollutants, probably contribute to the decline of Black-necked Storks in Australia, changes in land-use patterns are likely to be one of the most important influences.