Habitats and Densities of Nomadic Birds

Abstract

Some nomadic bird species are confined to particular arid zones, whereas other species are not restricted to arid ecosystems but occur widely in other grassland and shrubland ecosystems. This raises the question of whether the birds are seeking out particular habitats, or particular foods, or are they adaptable enough to cope with a range of habitat and climatic conditions but not adaptable enough to cope with drought and diminishing resources as the resident species do. A large proportion of species of birds that are nomadic over large geographical areas are granivores, or omnivores that include seeds and insects in their diet (Maclean 1974; Davies 1984). Nectarivores and frugivores in arid ecosystems are locally nomadic, tracking patches of flowering or fruiting plants, although some nectarivores in Australia are nomadic over wider areas (Rowley 1974).

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