An important consequence of habitat fragmentation for wildlife communities
is the effect of an increase in the ratio of habitat edge to interior. This
study compares the bird communities at forest/farmland edges and in forest
interior at Bunyip State Park, Victoria. Overall, there was a significantl
y higher number of bird species and individuals in forest edge than in fore
st interior sites. The greater diversity of species at edge sites appeared
to be due to an increase in forest-edge specialists, as opposed to an influ
x of open-country species. Four bird species: the white-throated treecreepe
r (Cormobates leucophaeus), the superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus), the gr
ey shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica) and the grey fantail (Rhipidura
fuliginosa) were significantly more abundant in edge sites. There were no s
pecies that were significantly more abundant in interior sites. Differences
between the bird communities in edge and interior sites were attributed to
increased foraging opportunities in the open country adjacent to forest ed
ges.