Activity budget of non-breeding Helmeted Honeyeaters
Runciman D
Emu 96: 62-65 (1996)

The Helmeted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops cassidix is a rare meliphagid found at only one location, the Yellingbo State Nature Reserve and immediate environs in southern Victoria (Blackney & Menkhorst 1993). In 1987 it was estimated that the entire population numbered less than 50 individuals, prompting the initiation of an intensive recovery programme in July 1989 (Menkhorst & Middleton 1991). By March 1993 the population had recovered to around 84 individuals. As part of the recovery programme, some birds were radiotracked over the autumn and winter months of 1992 to investigate dispersal patterns (Runciman et al. 1995). As an adjunct to that study, individually recognisable birds were observed to determine activity budgets and to quantify the effects of time of day, sex and transmitter load on these for individuals that did not disperse. Birds with transmitters appeared to spend more time moving and less time flying than those without transmitters. No other differences were detected.