I’ve heard that “Western Wattlebird” is now considered a separate species to “Little Wattlebird” although some websites, notably https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Anthochaera-chrysoptera still calls it a subspecies.

Is it the case that all western birds that look like little wattlebirds are now called western wattlebird?

When did Western Wattlebird come to be accepted as a separate species? Was it 2017?

mollwollfumble said:

I’ve heard that “Western Wattlebird” is now considered a separate species to “Little Wattlebird” although some websites, notably https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Anthochaera-chrysoptera still calls it a subspecies.

Is it the case that all western birds that look like little wattlebirds are now called western wattlebird?

When did Western Wattlebird come to be accepted as a separate species? Was it 2017?

I wonder what they will think of next

Just to be sure, we are discussing differences between Anthochaera lunulata and Anthochaera chrysoptera?

roughbarked said:

Just to be sure, we are discussing differences between Anthochaera lunulata and Anthochaera chrysoptera?

Yes.

I’ve got a collection of sightings over seven years of “western wattlebird” and “little wattlebird”. The number of sightings for “western wattlebird” doesn’t make sense (eg. for one year there are no sightings at all) and I’ve been wondering if a percentage of the “little wattlebird” sightings should be relabled as “western wattlebird”.

In addition, the “backyard birds” website of “little wattlebird” gives atlas number 712 to little wattlebird when another source gives 710 to little wattlebird and 712 to western wattlebird.

mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

Just to be sure, we are discussing differences between Anthochaera lunulata and Anthochaera chrysoptera?

Yes.

I’ve got a collection of sightings over seven years of “western wattlebird” and “little wattlebird”. The number of sightings for “western wattlebird” doesn’t make sense (eg. for one year there are no sightings at all) and I’ve been wondering if a percentage of the “little wattlebird” sightings should be relabled as “western wattlebird”.

In addition, the “backyard birds” website of “little wattlebird” gives atlas number 712 to little wattlebird when another source gives 710 to little wattlebird and 712 to western wattlebird.

I don’t have either of them here.

roughbarked said:

mollwollfumble said:

roughbarked said:

Just to be sure, we are discussing differences between Anthochaera lunulata and Anthochaera chrysoptera?

Yes.

I’ve got a collection of sightings over seven years of “western wattlebird” and “little wattlebird”. The number of sightings for “western wattlebird” doesn’t make sense (eg. for one year there are no sightings at all) and I’ve been wondering if a percentage of the “little wattlebird” sightings should be relabled as “western wattlebird”.

In addition, the “backyard birds” website of “little wattlebird” gives atlas number 712 to little wattlebird when another source gives 710 to little wattlebird and 712 to western wattlebird.

I don’t have either of them here.

I certainly have lots of little wattlebirds here. Noisy buggers at times.

Michael V said:

roughbarked said:

mollwollfumble said:

Yes.

I’ve got a collection of sightings over seven years of “western wattlebird” and “little wattlebird”. The number of sightings for “western wattlebird” doesn’t make sense (eg. for one year there are no sightings at all) and I’ve been wondering if a percentage of the “little wattlebird” sightings should be relabled as “western wattlebird”.

In addition, the “backyard birds” website of “little wattlebird” gives atlas number 712 to little wattlebird when another source gives 710 to little wattlebird and 712 to western wattlebird.

I don’t have either of them here.

I certainly have lots of little wattlebirds here. Noisy buggers at times.

Red Wattlebird
Count X
22 Aug 2021
Leanne Huxley
Campbells Swamp (Griffith)

OK that’s very close to me (approx 3-4km) but I haven’t seen them or heard them in my village

roughbarked said:

Michael V said:

roughbarked said:

I don’t have either of them here.

I certainly have lots of little wattlebirds here. Noisy buggers at times.

Red Wattlebird
Count X
22 Aug 2021
Leanne Huxley
Campbells Swamp (Griffith)

OK that’s very close to me (approx 3-4km) but I haven’t seen them or heard them in my village

I have had people tell me that other wattlebirds are here but haven’t seen any proof.

Dang it.
Still a count of zero Western Wattlebirds from the year 2016.
I’m missing about 1,500 birds.

At least now the other years make sense.

mollwollfumble said:

Dang it.
Still a count of zero Western Wattlebirds from the year 2016.
I’m missing about 1,500 birds.

At least now the other years make sense.

I think I’ve got it.

In the year 2016, a batch of 320 bird surveys had been “corrected” by somebody from “little wattlebird” to “red wattlebird”.
When instead they should have been corrected from “little wattlebird” to “western wattlebird”.

The result is an excess of red wattlebird sightings in the year 2016. And no “western wattlebird” sightings at all in 2016.

I think there’s enough information in the survey data for me to fix it.

Fingers crossed that those mis-corrected entries are all from WA.

mollwollfumble said:

mollwollfumble said:

Dang it.
Still a count of zero Western Wattlebirds from the year 2016.
I’m missing about 1,500 birds.

At least now the other years make sense.

I think I’ve got it.

In the year 2016, a batch of 320 bird surveys had been “corrected” by somebody from “little wattlebird” to “red wattlebird”.
When instead they should have been corrected from “little wattlebird” to “western wattlebird”.

The result is an excess of red wattlebird sightings in the year 2016. And no “western wattlebird” sightings at all in 2016.

I think there’s enough information in the survey data for me to fix it.

Fingers crossed that those mis-corrected entries are all from WA.

> I think there’s enough information in the survey data for me to fix it.

Nope. We’re stuffed. The only sensible choice is to discard all Western, Little and Red Wattlebird sightings from 2016 in my dataset. :-(

“Australia’s oldest Carnaby’s black cockatoo recorded in Midwest WA”: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-08/australia-oldest-carnaby-black-cockatoo-recorded-coomallo-creek/100523668

Cymek said:

“Australia’s oldest Carnaby’s black cockatoo recorded in Midwest WA”: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-08/australia-oldest-carnaby-black-cockatoo-recorded-coomallo-creek/100523668

35 years in the wild and still going strong, well done that bird.

Bubblecar said:

Cymek said:

“Australia’s oldest Carnaby’s black cockatoo recorded in Midwest WA”: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-08/australia-oldest-carnaby-black-cockatoo-recorded-coomallo-creek/100523668

35 years in the wild and still going strong, well done that bird.

Thanks I should have previewed it first