Birds of Boigu, Saibai and Dauan Islands (Torres Strait)

The Birds of Boigu, Saibai and Dauan Islands (the Top Western group of Torres Strait), are of particular interest to Australian birders because the islands are home to, and visited by, birds which are essentially New Guinea species not found, or only occasionally seen as vagrants, elsewhere on Australian territory. The islands lie only a few kilometres from the mainland of New Guinea, though they are politically part of the state of Queensland, Australia.

Boigu and Saibai are low-lying alluvial islands of swampland and mangroves, subject to periodic flooding, while Dauan is a smaller but higher granite island. From an Australian birder's perspective, local bird specialities include Grey-headed Goshawk, Gurney's Eagle, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Collared Imperial-Pigeon, Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove, Papuan Needletail, Red-capped Flowerpecker, Streak-headed Mannikin and Singing Starling.

Access

Access to these islands is not easy. Permission to visit is required from the island councils. The few birders who visit, do so on pre-organised trips by chartered yacht or, occasionally, on day-trips by chartered light aircraft. Saibai and Boigu have airstrips.

List of birds

The following list is annotated with initials indicating which species have been recorded on the three islands. Because these islands have not been thoroughly surveyed or regularly monitored by birders, it is very likely that the list underestimates the number of species breeding on or visiting them.

* Megapodidae
** Orange-footed Scrubfowl, "Megapodius reinwardt" - B-S
* Anseranatidae
** Magpie Goose, "Anseranas semipalmata" - B-S
* Anatidae
** Pacific Black Duck, "Anas superciliosa" - B-S
** Wandering Whistling-Duck, "Dendrocygna arcuata" - B-S
** Spotted Whistling-Duck, "Dendrocygna guttata" - B
** Radjah Shelduck, "Tadorna radjah" - B-S
* Podicipedidae
** Australasian Grebe, "Tachybaptus novaehollandiae" - S
* Phalacrocoracidae
** Little Pied Cormorant, "Phalacrocorax melanoleucos" - S
** Little Black Cormorant, "Phalacrocorax sulcirostris" - B
* Pelecanidae
** Australian Pelican, "Pelecanus conspicillatus" - B-D-S
* Fregatidae
** Lesser Frigatebird, "Fregata ariel" - S
* Ardeidae
** Great Egret, "Ardea alba" - B-D-S
** Cattle Egret, "Ardea ibis" - S
** Intermediate Egret, "Ardea intermedia" - S
** Pied Heron, "Ardea picata" - B-D-S
** Great-billed Heron, "Ardea sumatrana" - B-S
** Striated Heron, "Butorides striatus" - B-S
** Little Egret, "Egretta garzetta" - B-S
** White-faced Heron, "Egretta novaehollandiae" - B-D-S
** Eastern Reef Egret, "Egretta sacra" - B-D-S
** Black Bittern, "Ixobrychus flavicollis" - S
** Nankeen Night Heron, "Nycticorax caledonicus" - B-D-S
* Threskiornithidae
** Royal Spoonbill, "Platalea regia" - B
** Glossy Ibis, "Plegadis falcinellus" - S
** Australian White Ibis, "Threskiornis molucca" - B
** Straw-necked Ibis, "Threskiornis spinicollis" - S
* Ciconiidae
** Black-necked Stork, "Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus" - B-S
* Accipitridae
** Collared Sparrowhawk, "Accipiter cirrocephalus" - S
** Brown Goshawk, "Accipiter fasciatus" - S
** Grey-headed Goshawk, "Accipiter poliocephalus" - S (not accepted by Birds Australia Rarities Committee)
** Gurney's Eagle, "Aquila gurneyi" - B-S
** Pacific Baza, "Aviceda subcristata" - B-D
** Swamp Harrier, "Circus approximans" - B-D-S
** White-bellied Sea-Eagle, "Haliaeetus leucogaster" - B-S
** Brahminy Kite, "Haliastur indus" - B-D
** Whistling Kite, "Haliastur sphenurus" - B-S
** Black Kite, "Milvus migrans" - S
** Osprey, "Pandion haliaetus" - B-S
* Falconidae
** Nankeen Kestrel, "Falco cenchroides" - B-D-S
** Australian Hobby, "Falco longipennis" - B-D-S
** Peregrine Falcon, "Falco peregrinus" - B
* Gruidae
** Brolga, "Grus rubicunda" - S
* Rallidae
** Chestnut Rail, "Eulabeornis castaneoventris" - B
** Buff-banded Rail, "Gallirallus philippensis" - B-D-S
** Purple Swamphen, "Porphyrio porphyrio" - S
** White-browed Crake, "Porzana cinerea" - B-S
* Turnicidae
** Red-backed Button-quail, "Turnix maculosa" - B-D-S
** Red-chested Button-quail, "Turnix pyrrhothorax" - S – "(old record)"
* Scolopacidae
** Common Sandpiper, "Actitis hypoleucos" - B-S
** Ruddy Turnstone, "Arenaria interpres" - D
** Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, "Calidris acuminata" - S
** Pectoral Sandpiper, "Calidris melanotos" - B
** Red-necked Stint, "Calidris ruficollis" - S
** Great Knot, "Calidris tenuirostris" - S
** Latham's Snipe, "Gallinago hardwickii" - B
** Swinhoe's Snipe, "Gallinago megala" - B-S
** Grey-tailed Tattler, "Heteroscelus brevipes" - B-D-S
** Wandering Tattler, "Heteroscelus incanus" - D
** Eastern Curlew, "Numenius madagascariensis" - B-S
** Whimbrel, "Numenius phaeopus" - B-D-S
** Little Curlew, "Numenius minutus" - B-S
** Wood Sandpiper, "Tringa glareola" - B
** Common Greenshank, "Tringa nebularia" - B-S
** Marsh Sandpiper, "Tringa stagnatilis" - B-S
* Burhinidae
** Beach Stone-Curlew, "Esacus neglectus" - D
* Recurvirostridae
** Black-winged Stilt, "Himantopus himantopus" - S
* Charadriidae
** Grey Plover, "Pluvialis squatarola" - D
** Greater Sand Plover, "Charadrius leschenaultii" - D-S
** Lesser Sand Plover, "Charadrius mongolus" - B-D-S
** Oriental Plover, "Charadrius veredus" - S
** Masked Lapwing, "Vanellus miles" - B-S
* Glareolidae
** Australian Pratincole, "Stiltia isabella" - B-S
* Laridae
** Whiskered Tern, "Chlidonias hybridus" - S
** White-winged Black Tern, "Chlidonias leucopterus" - B
** Silver Gull, "Larus novaehollandiae" - S
** Little Tern, "Sterna albifrons" - B-D-S
** Bridled Tern, "Sterna anaethetus"
** Lesser Crested Tern, "Sterna bengalensis" - B
** Crested Tern, "Sterna bergii" - B
** Caspian Tern, "Sterna caspia" - B-S
** Roseate Tern, "Sterna dougallii" - S
** Sooty Tern, "Sterna fuscata" - D
** Gull-billed Tern, "Sterna nilotica" - B-S
** Black-naped Tern, "Sterna sumatrana"
* Columbidae
** Emerald Dove, "Chalcophaps indica" - D
** Peaceful Dove, "Geopelia striata" - S
** Bar-shouldered Dove, "Geopelia humeralis" - B-S
** Superb Fruit-Dove, "Ptilinopus superbus" - S
** Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, "Ptilinopus regina" - B-D-S
** Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove, "Ptilinopus iozonus" - B
** Collared Imperial-Pigeon, "Ducula mullerii" - B-S
** Pied Imperial-Pigeon, "Ducula bicolor" - B-D-S
** Topknot Pigeon, "Lopholaimus antarcticus" - S
* Psittacidae
** Eclectus Parrot, "Eclectus roratus" - B-D-S
** Red-cheeked Parrot, "Geoffroyus geoffroyi" - B
** Rainbow Lorikeet, "Trichoglossus haematodus" - B-S
* Cuculidae
** Fan-tailed Cuckoo, "Cacomantis flabelliformis"
** Brush Cuckoo, "Cacomantis variolosus" - B-S
** Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, "Chrysococcyx lucidus" - S
** Little Bronze-Cuckoo, "Chrysococcyx minutillus" - B-D-S
** Oriental Cuckoo, "Cuculus saturatus" - B-D-S
** Common Koel, "Eudynamys scolopacea" - B-D
** Channel-billed Cuckoo, "Scythrops novaehollandiae" - D-S
* Centropodidae
** Pheasant Coucal, "Centropus phasianinus" - B-D-S
* Strigidae
** Barking Owl, "Ninox connivens" - S
* Caprimulgidae
** White-throated Nightjar, "Eurostopodus mystacalis" - D
** Large-tailed Nightjar, "Caprimulgus macrurus" - B-S
* Apodidae
** Fork-tailed Swift, "Apus pacificus" - B
** Glossy Swiftlet, "Collocalia esculenta"
** Uniform Swiftlet, "Collocalia vanikorensis" - S
** White-throated Needletail, "Hirundapus caudacutus" - S
** Papuan Needletail, "Mearnsia novaeguineae" - B
* Alcedinidae
** Little Kingfisher, "Alcedo pusilla" - B-S
* Halcyonidae
** Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, "Dacelo gaudichaud" - S (no confirmed records as yet, but sight records)
** Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher, "Tanysiptera sylvia" - B
** Collared Kingfisher, "Todiramphus chloris" - B-S
** Forest Kingfisher, "Todiramphus macleayii" - B-D
** Sacred Kingfisher, "Todiramphus sanctus" - B-D-S
* Meropidae
** Rainbow Bee-eater, "Merops ornatus" - B-D-S
* Coraciidae
** Dollarbird, "Eurystomus orientalis" - B-S
* Pittidae
** Noisy Pitta, "Pitta versicolor" - D
* Pardalotidae
** Mangrove Gerygone, "Gerygone levigaster" - S
** Large-billed Gerygone, "Gerygone magnirostris" - B-D-S
* Meliphagidae
** Rufous-banded Honeyeater, "Conopophila albogularis" - B-D-S
** Varied Honeyeater, "Lichenostomus versicolor" - B-S
** Brown Honeyeater, "Lichmera indistincta" - S
** Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, "Meliphaga notata" - S
** Red-headed Honeyeater, "Myzomela erythrocephala" - B-S
** Dusky Honeyeater, "Myzomela obscura" - B-S
** Brown-backed Honeyeater, "Ramsayornis modestus" - B-S
** Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, "Xanthotis flaviventer" - B-S
* Petroicidae
** Mangrove Robin, "Eopsaltria pulverulenta" - B
* Pachycephalidae
** White-breasted Whistler, "Pachycephala lanioides" - S
** Mangrove Golden Whistler, "Pachycephala melanura" - B-D-S
* Dicruridae
** Frilled Monarch, "Arses telescophthalmus" - B
** Spangled Drongo, "Dicrurus bracteatus" - B-D-S
** Magpie-lark, "Grallina cyanoleuca" - B-S
** Black-faced Monarch, "Monarcha melanopsis" - B
** Spectacled Monarch, "Monarcha trivirgatus"
** Shining Flycatcher, "Myiagra alecto" - B-D-S
** Satin Flycatcher, "Myiagra cyanoleuca" - B
** Restless Flycatcher, "Myiagra inquieta" - S
** Leaden Flycatcher, "Myiagra rubecula" - S
** Broad-billed Flycatcher, "Myiagra ruficollis" - B-D-S
** Willie Wagtail, "Rhipidura leucophrys" - B-D-S
** Mangrove Grey Fantail, "Rhipidura phasiana" - S
** Rufous Fantail, "Rhipidura rufifrons" - B-D
** Northern Fantail, "Rhipidura rufiventris" - B-S
* Campephagidae
** Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, "Coracina novaehollandiae" - B-D-S
** White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, "Coracina papuensis" - B-S
** Cicadabird, "Coracina tenuirostris" - B-D-S
** Varied Triller, "Lalage leucomela" - B-S
** White-winged Triller, "Lalage sueurii" - S
* Oriolidae
** Yellow Oriole, "Oriolus flavocinctus" - B
** Olive-backed Oriole, "Oriolus sagittatus" - D-S
* Artamidae
** White-breasted Woodswallow, "Artamus leucorynchus" - B-S
** Black Butcherbird, "Cracticus quoyi" - B-D-S
* Paradisaeidae
** Trumpet Manucode, "Manucodia keraudrenii" - B-S
* Corvidae
** Torresian Crow, "Corvus orru" - B-D-S
* Motacillidae
** Yellow Wagtail, "Motacilla flava" - B
* Passeridae
** Chestnut-brested Mannikin, "Lonchura castaneothorax" - B-D
** Streak-headed Mannikin, "Lonchura tristissima" - S (no confirmed records but 1 sight record)
** Red-browed Finch, "Neochmia temporalis" - S
** House Sparrow, "Passer domesticus" - B-S
* Nectariniidae
** Yellow-bellied Sunbird, "Nectarinia jugularis" - B-D-S
* Dicaeidae
** Red-capped Flowerpecker, "Dicaeum geelvinkianum" - B-S
* Hirundinidae
** Fairy Martin, "Hirundo ariel" - S
** Red-rumped Swallow, "Hirundo daurica" - B
** Welcome Swallow, "Hirundo neoxena" - B-S
** Tree Martin, "Hirundo nigricans" - D-S
** Barn Swallow, "Hirundo rustica" - B-D
* Sylviidae
** Golden-headed Cisticola, "Cisticola exilis" - B-D-S
** Zitting Cisticola, "Cisticola juncidis" - S
** Tawny Grassbird, "Megalurus timoriensis" - S
* Zosteropidae
** Pale White-eye, "Zosterops citrinellus" - B-D
* Sturnidae
** Singing Starling, "Aplonis cantoroides" - B-D-S
** Metallic Starling, "Aplonis metallica" - B-S

References

* [http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/ Birding-Aus Mailing List Archives]
* [http://users.bigpond.net.au/palliser/barc/barc-home.html Birds Australia Rarities Committee – decisions and case summaries]
* Clarke, Rohan H. (2004). The avifauna of northern Torres Strait: notes on a wet season visit. "Australian Field Ornithology" 21: 49-66.
* Clarke, Rohan H. (2006). Papuan Spine-tailed Swifts "Mearnsia novaeguineae" on Boigu Island, Torres Strait, Queensland. "Australian Field Ornithology" 23: 125-129.
* Clarke, Rohan H. (2007). An Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove, "Ptilinopus iozonus", on Boigu Island, Torres Strait: The First Record for Australian Territory. "Australian Field Ornithology" 24: 44-48.
* Draffan, R.D.W.; Garnett, S.T.; & Malone, G.J. (1983). Birds of the Torres Strait: an annotated list and biogeographical analysis. "Emu" 83: 207-234.
* Morcombe, Michael. (2000). "Field Guide to Australian Birds". Steve Parish Publishing: Brisbane. ISBN 1-876282-10-X