The ecology of the Red-vented Bulbul in Fiji.
type: CreativeWork
description: This research investigated the ecology of the Red-vented Bulbul, an avian introduction to Fiji, and its role as an agricultural pest. The work is also of comparative interest as a study, with intensive sampling, of a tropical passerine. In Chapter One, a background description of the natural history of Fiji is provided. The probable manner of the accidental introduction of the Bulbul into Fiji is discussed and its present status and distribution in the Pacific is described. Chapter two describes the methods used to quantify protein and lipid condition. The total lipid content was obtained by extraction in a soxhlet apparatus and a protein index was derived from the lean dry weight of the wing muscle block. The latter contained four flight muscles; the Pectoralis Major, the Subcoracoideus, the Supracoracoideus and the Corobranch- 1 i "'�ei:1 ialis, together with the Sternum and Coracoid bone. It is Sft6Wll that the c,/oeS ...,.,{ bone component of the wing muscle block is 1cJ:Rlikely t0 undergo weight +I.us changes and~the weight can be accurately predicted by a size measurement. It was necessary to correct the index of protein condition to allow for variation in the body size of collected individuals because there is a close correlation between body size and the lean dry weight of the wing muscle block. No correction was needed for the index of lipid condition since the lipid content and body size are unrelated. The indices of protein and lipid condition are not equivalent to metabolizable reserves although directly related to them. Chapter Three describes the breeding biology. There is a distinct breeding season which occurs during the rains. The Bulbul has a mean clutch size of 2. 5. There is a high rate of egg and nestling loss: 72% of eggs do not hatch and 53% of nestlings do not survive. Bulbuls have an extended period of parental care of fledglings and are unlikely to raise more than one brood in a season. Fledgling survival appears to be good and the annual r…
abstract: This research investigated the ecology of the Red-vented Bulbul, an avian introduction to Fiji, and its role as an agricultural pest. The work is also of comparative interest as a study, with intensive sampling, of a tropical passerine. In Chapter One, a background description of the natural history of Fiji is provided. The probable manner of the accidental introduction of the Bulbul into Fiji is discussed and its present status and distribution in the Pacific is described. Chapter two describes the methods used to quantify protein and lipid condition. The total lipid content was obtained by extraction in a soxhlet apparatus and a protein index was derived from the lean dry weight of the wing muscle block. The latter contained four flight muscles; the Pectoralis Major, the Subcoracoideus, the Supracoracoideus and the Corobranch- 1 i "'�ei:1 ialis, together with the Sternum and Coracoid bone. It is Sft6Wll that the c,/oeS ...,.,{ bone component of the wing muscle block is 1cJ:Rlikely t0 undergo weight +I.us changes and~the weight can be accurately predicted by a size measurement. It was necessary to correct the index of protein condition to allow for variation in the body size of collected individuals because there is a close correlation between body size and the lean dry weight of the wing muscle block. No correction was needed for the index of lipid condition since the lipid content and body size are unrelated. The indices of protein and lipid condition are not equivalent to metabolizable reserves although directly related to them. Chapter Three describes the breeding biology. There is a distinct breeding season which occurs during the rains. The Bulbul has a mean clutch size of 2. 5. There is a high rate of egg and nestling loss: 72% of eggs do not hatch and 53% of nestlings do not survive. Bulbuls have an extended period of parental care of fledglings and are unlikely to raise more than one brood in a season. Fledgling survival appears to be good and the annual r…
author: Watling, Richard John
language: eng
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/a3be1b01-44a1-49ae-88d0-6a23bde78b3e/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 1978-05-02
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:27Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.11465