BREEDING BIOLOGY OF THE REGENT HONEYEATER XANTHOMYZA-PHRYGIA IN THE CAPERTEE VALLEY, NEW-SOUTH-WALES

The breeding biology and reproductive success of the endangered Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia were studied over three breeding season s in the Capertee Valley, central New South Wales. Results indicate th at, while severe drought may result in little breeding, the Regent Hon eyeater is not limited by reproductive success which is within the exp ected range for Australian passerines. The breeding season started as early as July although peak egg laying was in September. Nesting early in the season usually coincided with flowering of the mistletoe Amyem a cambagei in a gallery forest of Casuarina cunninghamiana. Nectar fro m Eucalyptus melliodora and E, sideroxylon was also important in suppo rting nesting, particularly later in the season. Renesting by both suc cessful and failed breeders occurred in both the initial breeding terr itory and at distant locations. In 1995, renesting occurred c. 20 km f rom first nests, in remnant trees in open paddocks. Early nests produc ed significantly more fledglings per successful nest than later ones a lthough overall nesting success in 1995 was greater later in the seaso n. Site fidelity was demonstrated for some males although two birds we re found breeding up to 85 km from their site of the previous year.