Journal articles on the topic 'Swift parrot'

Numerous pollinators are declining across the world. One of these, the swift parrot (Lathamus discolor) is a critically endangered Australian bird that feeds largely on the nectar and pollen of Eucalyptus trees. The Swift Parrot Recovery Plan includes competition for food from introduced social bees as a threatening process, although little evidence exists in support of this. Here, we present the strongest evidence yet to support this theory. We examined nectar standing crops in the species of trees that are important to swift parrots during their breeding season, Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) and black gum (E. ovata). By comparing the amounts of nectar between flowers exposed to visitors and those bagged to exclude visitors throughout the day, we discovered that introduced honey bees (Apis mellifera) and bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) consumed most of the nectar and that exposed flowers often contained little nectar. Honey bees were the more common species, but bumble bees had greater per capita rates of nectar consumption. However, at low densities these bees had no effect on standing crops of nectar, and in such situations some nectar could be harvested by managed honey bees without reducing nectar availability for swift parrots. Although this study suggests that introduced social bees may pose a threat to swift parrots, further work is needed to determine whether our results are indicative of the impacts of bees across greater scales of time and space and whether these affect the reproductive success and conservation status of the swift parrot.

The critically endangered swift parrot (Lathamus discolor) is among the best studied Australian threatened species. Despite extensive outreach to the public and policy makers, conservation management has not kept pace with advances in knowledge and scientific evidence. Here we summarise policy and management failings that allow swift parrot breeding habitat in Tasmanian forests to continue to be logged. This practice continues in spite of extensive evidence demonstrating that the cessation of logging of swift parrot breeding habitat in Tasmania is urgently required to secure the species.

The foraging ecology of the Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor in the box-ironbark forests and woodlands of Victoria was investigated over three years. We sought to identify features that characterized Swift Parrot foraging habitats. A total of 159 foraging sites was found, mainly in box-ironbark forests or nearby woodlands, and were located at a disproportionately high frequency on drainage lines, and a correspondingly low frequency on ridges. The species was observed foraging on 12 eucalypt and one Acacia species, but more than 90% of observations were of birds using Red Ironbark Eucalyptus tricarpa, Mugga Ironbark E. sideroxylon, Yellow Gum E. leucoxylon or Grey Box E. microcarpa. Nectar, lerp and other food from eucalypt foliage were frequent dietary items. Foraging and random sites were broadly similar in tree size-class structure. However, Swift Parrots selected trees in larger size classes for foraging more often than expected given the relative abundance of such trees. Larger trees flowered more reliably across the study area in all years. The habitat of the Swift Parrot in the study area is extensively fragmented and degraded, and management to increase the density of larger trees is recommended. We found considerable between-year variation in regional distribution and relative use of prinCipal tree species. The five identified regions within the study area all supported a significant percentage of the population in at least one of the three years. As a result, recovery measures will need to target important sites across the geographical extent of the study area.

The endangered Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor breeds mostly in coastal south-eastern Tasmania, an area whereurban development is common and the city of Hobart is situated. Hobart’s suburbs are visited regularly by foragingSwift Parrots that nest in the surrounding forests. The reproductive success of Swift Parrots depends largely on theavailability of the birds’ major dietary items, the nectar and pollen of Eucalyptustrees. This study investigated therelative value of suburban trees and those in adjacent native forest in Hobart as food sources for Swift Parrots. Tothis end, we compared flower production between mature trees in suburban and bushland areas for the two specieson which Swift Parrots predominantly forage while breeding; Tasmanian Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus and BlackGumE. ovata. For both species, flower production over the past few years was greater for individual trees in thesuburb than for those in the surrounding bushland. Hence, individual trees in the suburb probably provide more nectarand pollen than do those in the nearby bushland and are potentially important to the reproductive success of SwiftParrots. Our findings suggest that the relatively poor flowering in this peri-urban bushland may be the result of poorerhealth of trees in the bushland than in the suburb, particularly the greater fire damage and sparser canopies in thebushland trees. Further research is required to determine the frequency and intensity of fire in bushland that will promotethe greatest flower production in E. globulus andE. ovata.

The Night Parrot Pezoporus occidentalis, known from just two specimens and with no confirmed sightings for just over 100 years, and having declined from being one of the most widespread of Australian birds, has surely been amongst the most enigmatic birds of the world and deservedly the ʻholy grailʼ for many birders. Amazingly, a population of this species has recently been re-discovered by John Young and the ʻquestʼ is over, but swift action is now required lest the ʻgrailʼ slip from our grasp. Steps must be taken to protect and manage the newly-located population, and to better understand the biology of the species and the reasons for its widespread decline. Much of this decline occurred before the end of the 19th century and must therefore have resulted from broad factors associated with earlier landscape changes, such as cat predation and altered fire regimes. Searches for additional Night Parrot populations also seem warranted. Progress toward these goals would benefit from acceptance of the reasonable accumulation of ʻunconfirmedʼ observations of the species and further utilizing the large numbers of ʻamateurʼ birders who would doubtless be keen to be involved. We suggest that the Night Parrot should now be viewed as an ʻiconʼ for conservation, possibly even an ʻindicatorʼ for how successful we are in terms of conservation in general. With his discovery of the Night Parrot, John Young has thus made a significant contribution to conservation, opening a new realm of necessities and possibilities.

AbstractWe analysed the supportive social networks associated with the conservation of six threatened Australian bird taxa, in one of the first network analyses of threatened species conservation programmes. Each example showed contrasting vulnerabilities. The Alligator Rivers yellow chat Epthianura crocea tunneyi had the smallest social network and no real action was supported. For the Capricorn yellow chat Epthianura crocea macgregori the network was centred on one knowledgeable and committed actor. The orange-bellied parrot Neophema chrysogaster had a strongly connected recovery team but gaps in the overall network could limit communication. The recovery teams for the swift parrot Lathamus discolor and Baudin's black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus baudinii had strong links among most stakeholders but had weak ties to the timber industry and orchardists, respectively, limiting their capacity to manage threatening processes. Carnaby's black cockatoo Calyptorhynchus latirostris seemed to have the most effective social network of any of the taxa studied but may be vulnerable to skill shortages. In each case the network analysis pointed to gaps that could be filled to enhance the conservation effort, and highlighted the importance of recovery teams. The research suggests that formal network analysis could assist in the design of more effective support mechanisms for the conservation of threatened species.

Conserving habitat for wide-ranging fauna species provides a challenge because impacts on these species tend to be dismissed based on the assumption that there is sufficient habitat in other areas of its range. This incremental loss of habitat is a serious conservation issue for a diversity of bird species. As knowledge of wide-ranging and migratory bird species increases, it often becomes evident that they select specific sites on a regular basis (i.e., the species exhibit site fidelity). Gaining a better understanding of site fidelity and selective habitat use for wide-ranging species is clearly important, but also extremely challenging. In this paper, challenges associated with conservation of the migratory and wide-ranging Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor are discussed as an example of how a recovery programme has aimed to address such conservation and management challenges. Despite the small population size (less than 2 500 birds), broad distribution (1 250 000 km2) and often cryptic nature, the implementation of the national recovery programme has been successful in the identification and protection of important habitats. This has been made possible by involving large numbers of volunteers who collect long-term sighting and habitat data over large areas, together with more detailed ecological research. This information is then used to inform the conservation assessment process and to improve habitat conservation throughout the range of the species.

It has been argued that the production of sufficient nectar to attract bird pollinators would evolve if the fitness benefits accruing from pollination services by birds, compared with insects, outweighed the cost of increased allocation of photosynthate to nectar. This hypothesis implies that the pollination services provided by birds must be considerably better than those provided by insects with which the plant has evolved. Consistent with this, we found that the endangered native swift parrot Lathamus discolor (Shaw) was a very effective pollinator of the native tree Eucalyptus globulus Labill. in Tasmania, facilitating an average of 76% of the maximum possible seed set for open-pollinated flowers in just one visit to a flower, whereas single flower visits by native insects did not facilitate any seed production. Flowers visited once by either species of introduced social bees, the honeybee Apis mellifera L. or the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L.), produced less than 7% of the maximum possible seed set for open-pollinated flowers. Hence, easily managed social bees appear to be poor substitutes for bird pollinators in commercial seed orchards of this tree. We propose three possible reasons why this largely bird-pollinated tree has not evolved characters that deter insects from removing nectar.

With the swift development of technology, the distance among people’s hearts surprisingly becomes further and further. Residents living in the congested cities feel more lonely than those who inhabit countryside. The mass media makes them consider ever ything at hand stereotyped. They parrot their designated work again and again, without passion or enthusiasm. Hence facing these social predicaments and interior struggle, Robert M. Pirsig embarks on a trip to cross America by motorcycle, in order to gain spiritual epiphany and freedom. Therefore, he finds quality is the panacea that may solve the present problems. Quality has a long history, which is closely analogous to Plato’s goodness. Quality is one, just as the supreme spirit in the Buddhist Upanishad whose universe and ego are identical. However, modern technology lacks of oneness, so that each time touching it, people only feel cruel and ugly since both the creator and the owner do not have the sense of identity for their innovative or possessive things. The injection of quality into technology may break through the difficulties resulting from the traditional method of dichotomy for the reason that quality spurs technology to melt nature and human’s soul, creating something that exceeds the two. This thesis aims to probe the meaning of quality and the account of modern crisis caused by the absence of quality. The last part points out how to reconcile the conflict between human’s value and technological needs, so as to achieve the ultimate goal that enhances people’s happiness.

The present study was carried out in the recently established Warathenna-Hakkinda EPA in the Kandy District, Sri Lanka to investigate the avifaunal diversity and conservation threats. Sampling was conducted in two main habitat types: river islands and riverine forests. Both point count (10 m radius) and line transect (200 m long) methods were utilized and maximum of 30 minutes was used to sample the birds in each point. Food habit, niche type, endemism, abundance, and diversity indices (Shannon & Margalef) were calculated to compare the two habitats in this area. A total of 74 bird species belonging to 61 genera and 35 families were encountered from the study site. Among these, seven species are endemic: Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Yellow-fronted Barbet, and Sri Lanka Hill Mynah; while six were migratory: Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Indian Pitta, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, and Grey Wagtail and the rest were non-endemic natives. Most of them were canopy and sub canopy dwellers associated with riverine forests and islands. According to the National Red List of Sri Lanka, three species, the Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Hill Mynah, and Alpine Swift, are listed as threatened. Ardeidae, Alcedinidae, Columbidae, Accipitridae, and Apodidae were the most species rich families in this habitat. Out of the sampled species, 31% and 25% of the birds were carnivores and insectivores, respectively, while 5% were nectarivores. According to the avifauna, the riverine forests are more diverse (Shannon index H’= 2.55; Margalef’s index M= 10.92) than the river islands (H’= 2.29; M= 5.07) in this landscape. The variety of habitats along the Mahaweli River at Warathenna appears to aid in sustaining a rich bird community and this Environmental Protection Area will help create a safe haven for the birds.

Understanding animal movements that underpin ecosystem processes is fundamental to ecology. Recent advances in animal tags have increased the ability to remotely locate larger species; however, this technology is not suitable for up to 70% of the world’s bird and mammal species. The most widespread technique for tracking small animals is to manually locate low-power radio transmitters from the ground with handheld equipment. Despite this labor-intensive technique being used for decades, efforts to reduce or automate this process have had limited success. Here, we present an approach for tracking small radio-tagged animals by using an autonomous and lightweight aerial robot. We present experimental results where we used the robot to locate critically endangered swift parrots (Lathamus discolor) within their winter range. The system combines a miniaturized sensor with newly developed estimation algorithms to yield unambiguous bearing- and range-based measurements with associated measures of uncertainty. We incorporated these measurements into Bayesian data fusion and information-based planning algorithms to control the position of the robot as it collected data. We report estimated positions that lie within about 50 meters of the true positions of the birds on average, which are sufficiently accurate for recapture or observation. Further, in comparison with experienced human trackers from locations where the signal was detectable, the robot produced a correct estimate as fast or faster than the human. These results provide validation of robotic systems for wildlife radio telemetry and suggest a way for widespread use as human-assistive or autonomous devices.

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is recognized as a threat for endangered psittacine birds in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Several diagnostic methods for the detection of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) infection have been developed but there are few studies comparing the relative merits or sensitivity and specificity of each diagnostic test. In this report, the results of PCR, haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) testing of diagnostic samples collected from 679 samples from a range of psittacine bird species suspected of being infected with BFDV are summarized and compared. There was a strong agreement (kappa = 0·757; P<0·0001) between PCR and HA testing of feather samples and PCR-negative birds were 12·7 times more likely to have HI antibody than PCR-positive birds. False-positive HA results with titres up to 1 : 320 were identified in six feather samples that were PCR negative; the haemagglutination detected in these samples was not inhibited by anti-BFDV antisera and was removed by filtration through a 0·22 μm filter. Similarly, one false-negative PCR result was detected in a feather sample that had a high HA titre (>1 : 40 960) and four false-positive PCR results were detected in a batch of four feather samples. Of 143 birds that were feather PCR positive, only two had detectable HI antibody, and these birds were also feather HA negative, suggesting that they were developing immunity to recent infection. All birds with HI antibody were negative on feather HA testing. The assays confirmed BFDV infection in two endangered swift parrots (Lathamus discolor) and phylogenetic analysis of the sequence data generated from ORF V1 of these isolates provide further evidence of BFDV genotypes clustering in parallel with the Loriidae, Cacatuidae and Psittacidae.

Most species produce equal numbers of sons and daughters, and sex differences in survival after parental care do not usually affect this pattern. Temporary overproduction of the scarcer sex can be adaptive when generations overlap, the sexes differ in life-history expectations, and parents can anticipate future mating opportunities. However, an alternative strategy of maximizing the competitiveness of the more abundant sex in these circumstances remains unexplored. We develop theory showing how mothers can maximize reproductive value when future mate competition will be high by producing more sons in the advantageous early hatching positions within their broods. Our model for optimal birth order was supported by long-term data of offspring sex in a parrot facing catastrophic female mortality caused by introduced predators. Swift parrots ( Lathamus discolor ) suffer high female mortality due to introduced sugar gliders ( Petaurus breviceps ) creating fluctuating male-biased adult sex ratios. Offspring hatched early within broods fledged in better condition, and in support of our model were more likely to be male in years with higher adult female mortality. We found a highly significant rank-order correlation between observed and predicted birth sex ratios. Our study shows the potential for mothers to maximize reproductive value via strategic biases in offspring sex depending on the advantages conferred by birth order and the predictability of future mate competition. Our long-term data support the predictions and appear to suggest that sex allocation strategies may evolve surprisingly quickly when anthropogenic pressures on populations are severe.

AbstractThe remote collection of animal location data has proliferated in recent decades, and higher-frequency data are increasingly available with battery-saving optimisations such as ‘snapshot’ algorithms that acquire GPS satellite data and post-process locations off-board. This is the first study to assess the effects of vegetation and topography on the fix success rate and location error of global positioning system (GPS) devices that use the SWIFT fix algorithm, developed by Lotek. To assess fix success rate (FSR—the proportion of successful fixes compared to the total number of attempts) and location error (LE), we conducted a stationary test at a predominately forested site on the South Island of New Zealand. The overall FSR was 83% (± 15.3% SD), which was affected strongly by canopy closure above 90%. Half of the locations were within 8.65 m of the true location, 79.7% were within 30 m, and 95% of locations were within 271 m. When 6 or more satellites were used, this reduced to 4.92 m and 18.6 m for 50% and 95%, respectively. Horizontal dilution of precision (HDOP), the number of satellites, and canopy closure all influenced location error. To field test the fix success rate of SWIFT GPS devices, we deployed them on forest-dwelling parrots with 2 and 3-h fix intervals, which showed similar FSR results to the stationary test when cavity-nesting individuals were removed (FSR mean ± SD = 81.6 ± 5.0%). The devices lasted an average of 147 days before depleting the battery, resulting in an average of 1087 successful fixes per individual at an average time of 9.38 s to acquire the GPS ephemeris, resulting in an average of 3.73 attempted locations per mAh of battery for PinPoint 350 devices. Our study provides a baseline for fix success rates and location errors under forested conditions that can be used for future SWIFT GPS tracking studies.

An avifaunal survey was carried out at Mengilan Forest Reserve. The MacKinnon List method was used to assess species diversity. The three-day survey recorded a total of 18 lists with 486 individuals detected. Seventy-five species from 33 families were recorded, with H=3.86 and EH=0.62. True species richness was estimated (using SuperDuplicates® online calculator) to be approximately 91 species, with approximately 16 species not detected. The seven Bornean endemics detected were: Black-crowned Pitta, Bornean Leafbird, Bornean Black Magpie, Bornean Necklaced Partridge, Dusky Munia, White-crowned Shama and Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker. Pellorneidae (jungle babblers) and Pycnonotidae (bulbuls) were the most speciose families with six species. Nectariniidae (sunbirds and spiderhunters) and Cuculidae (cuckoos) each had five species. Timaliidae had four species. Apodidae (swifts), Pycnonotidae and Cisticolidae (warblers) had the highest percentages of individuals detected with 10.7%, 9.7% and 8.4%, respectively. The five species with the highest relative abundance index were Silver-rumped Spinetail (0.084), Dusky Munia (0.058), Yellow-bellied Prinia (0.045), Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot and Green Iora (both 0.043) and the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (0.039). The majority of the species detected (68) were forest-dependent species. Of these, 55 species were strictly forest birds. Insectivores made up the most dominant dietary guild, i.e., a total of 46 species (from 21 families) with 41 species in 18 families being strict insectivores.

Abstract: Regarding the operational specifics of death penalty policy, David T Johnson and Franklin E Zimring have argued that it is extreme left or right wing authoritarian states′ aversion to a limitation of their own powers that determines high rates of executions in countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, China and North Korea as opposed to other, lesspunitive Asian nations which share similar cultural and religious characteristics. For a regime like Vietnam’s, the swift carrying out of a death sentence, especially when performed in public, serves to highlight the state’s power over life and death and enhance political control over the domestic constituency. At first glance then, little scope for the exercise of the clemency power as a form of lenient reprieve from the death sentence by the executive government appears possible under a repressive regime of this nature.However, unlike China and Singapore, a notable feature of Vietnam’s death penalty practice since the Doi Moi reforms of 1986 has been the executive’s willingness to reprieve a large minority of prisoners sentenced to death through Presidential clemency, even though executions themselves have continued. What official and unofficial justifications have been given for grants of Presidential clemency in Vietnam, and relatedly, what structural and cultural factors explain the use of clemency in a noticeable proportion of death penalty cases? These are the under-researched questions I provide plausible explanations for in this article, incorporating an empirical study of Vietnam’s death penalty clemency grants since the mid-1980s, interpreted through the lens of the relevant academic literature on clemency and pardon grants.

Introduction Historically in Australia, there has been a growing movement behind the development of quality Early Childhood Education and Care Centres (termed ‘centres’ for this article). These centres are designed to provide care and education outside of the home for children from birth to five years old. In the mid 1980s, the then Labor Government of Australia promoted and funded the establishment of many centres to provide women who were at home with children the opportunity to move into the workplace. Centre fees were heavily subsidised to make this option viable in the hope that more women would become employed and Australia’s rising unemployment statistics would be reduced. The popularity of this system soon meant that there was a childcare centre shortage and parents were faced with long waiting lists to enrol their child into a centre. To alleviate this situation, independent centres were established that complied with Government rules and regulations. Independent, state, and local government funded centres had a certain degree of autonomy over facilities, staffing, qualifications, quality programmes, and facilities. This movement became part of the global increased focus on the importance of early childhood education. As part of that educational emphasis, the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians in 2008 set the direction for schooling for the next 10 years. This formed the basis of Australia’s Education Reforms (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations). The reforms have influenced the management of early childhood education and care centres. All centres must comply with the National Quality Framework that mandates staff qualifications, facility standards, and the ratios of children to adults. From a parent’s perspective centres now look very much the same. All centres have indoor and outdoor playing spaces, separate rooms for differently aged children, playgrounds, play equipment, foyer and office spaces with similarly qualified staff. With these similarities in mind, the dilemma for parents is how to decide on a centre for their child to attend. Does it come down to parents’ taste about a centre? In the education context, how is taste conceptualised? This article will present research that conceptualises taste as being part of a decision-making process (DMP) that is used by parents when choosing a centre for their child and, in doing so, will introduce the term: parental taste. The Determining Factors of Taste A three phase, sequential, mixed methods study was used to determine how parents select one centre over another. Cresswell described this methodology as successive phases of data collection, where each builds on the previous, with the aim of addressing the research question. This process was seen as a method to identify parents’ varying tastes in centres considered for their child to attend. Phase 1 used a survey of 78 participants to gather baseline data to explore the values, expectations, and beliefs of the parents. It also determined the aspects of the centre important to parents, and gauged the importance of the socio-economic status and educational backgrounds of the participants in their decision making. Phase 2 built on the phase 1 data and included interviews with 20 interviewees exploring the details of the decision-making process (DMP). This phase also elaborated on the survey questions and responses, determined the variables that might impact on the DMP, and identified how parents access information about early learning centres. Phase 3 focussed on parental satisfaction with their choice of early learning setting. Again using 20 interviewees, these interviews investigated the DMP that had been undertaken, as well as any that might still be ongoing. This phase focused on parents' reflection on the DMP used and questioned them as to whether the same process would be used again in other areas of decision making. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that it usually fell to the mother to explore centre options and make the decision about enrolment. Along the way, she may have discussions with the father and, to a lesser extent, with the centre staff. Friends, relatives, the child, siblings, and other educational professionals did not rank highly when the decision was being considered. Interestingly, it was found that the mother began to consider childcare options and the need for care twelve months or more before care was required and a decision had to be made. A small number of parents (three from the 20) said that they thought about it while pregnant but felt silly because they “didn’t even have a baby yet.” All mothers said that it took quite a while to get their head around leaving their child with someone else, and this anxiety and concern increased the younger the child was. Two parents had criteria that they did not want their child in care until he/she could talk and walk, so that the child could look after him- or herself to some extent. This indicated some degree of scepticism that their child would be cared for appropriately. Parents who considered enrolling their child into care closer to when it was required generally chose to do this because they had selected a pre-determined age that their child would go into childcare. A small number of parents (two) decided that their child would not attend a centre until three years old, while other parents found employment and had to find care quickly in response. The survey results showed that the aspects of a centre that most influenced parental decision-making were the activities and teaching methods used by staff, centre reputation, play equipment inside and outside the centre, and the playground size and centre buildings. The interview responses added to this by suggesting that the type of playground facilities available were important, with a natural environment being preferred. Interestingly, the lowest aspect of importance reported was whether the child had friends or family already attending the centre. The results of the survey and interview data reflected the parents’ aspirations for their child and included the development of personal competencies of self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation linking emotions to thoughts and actions (Gendron). The child’s experience in a centre was expected to develop and refine personal traits such as self-confidence, self-awareness, self-management, the ability to interact with others, and the involvement in educational activities to achieve learning goals. With these aspirations in mind, parents felt considerable pressure to choose the environment that would fit their child the best. During the interview stage of data collection, the term “taste” emerged. The term is commonly used in a food, fashion, or style context. In the education context, however, taste was conceptualised as the judgement of likes and dislikes regarding centre attributes. Gladwell writes that “snap judgements are, first of all, enormously quick: they rely on the thinnest slices of experience. But they are also unconscious” (50). The immediacy of determining one's taste refutes the neoliberal construction (Campbell, Proctor, Sherington) of the DMP as a rational decision-making process that systematically compares different options before making a decision. In the education context, taste can be reconceptualised as an alignment between a decision and inherent values and beliefs. A personal “backpack” of experiences, beliefs, values, ideas, and memories all play a part in forming a person’s taste related to their likes and dislikes. In turn, this effects the end decision made. Parents formulated an initial response to a centre linked to the identification of attributes that aligned with personal values, beliefs, expectations, and aspirations. The data analysis indicated that parents formulated their personal taste in centres very quickly after centres were visited. At that point, parents had a clear image of the preferred centre. Further information gathering was used to reinforce that view and confirm this “parental taste.” How Does Parental Taste about a Centre Influence the Decision-Making Process? All parents used a process of decision-making to some degree. As already stated, it was usually the mother who gathered information to inform the final decision, but in two of the 78 cases it was the father who investigated and decided on the childcare centre in which to enrol. All parents used some form of process to guide their decision-making. A heavily planned process sees the parent gather information over a period of time and included participating in centre tours, drive-by viewings, talking with others, web-based searches, and, checking locations in the phone book. Surprisingly, centre advertising was the least used and least effective method of attracting parents, with only one person indicating that advertising had played a part in her DMP. This approach applied to a woman who had just moved to a new town and was not aware of the care options. This method may also be a reflection of the personality of the parent or it may reflect an understanding that there are differences between services in terms of their focus on education and care. A lightly planned process occurred when a relatively swift decision was made with minimal information gathering. It could have been the selection of the closest and most convenient centre, or the one that parents had heard people talk about. These parents were happy to go to the centre and add their name to the waiting list or enrol straight away. Generally, the impression was that all services provide the same education and care. Parents appeared to use different criteria when considering a centre for their child. Aspects here included the physical environment, size of rooms, aesthetic appeal, clean buildings, tidy surrounds, and a homely feel. Other aspects that affected this parental taste included the location of the centre, the availability of places for the child, and the interest the staff showed in parent and child. The interviews revealed that parents placed an importance on emotions when they decided if a centre suited their tastes that in turn affected their DMP. The “vibe,” the atmosphere, and how the staff made the parents feel were the most important aspects of this process. The centre’s reputation was also central to decision making. What Constructs Underpin the Decision? Parental choice decisions can appear to be rational, but are usually emotionally connected to parental aspirations and values. In this way, parental choice and prior parental decision making processes reflect the bounded rationality described by Kahneman, and are based on factors relevant to the individual as supported by Ariely and Lindstrom. Ariely states that choice and the decision making process are emotionally driven and may be irrational-rational decisions. Gladwell supports this notion in that “the task of making sense of ourselves and our behaviour requires that we acknowledge there can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis” (17). Reay’s research into social, cultural, emotional, and human capital to explain human behaviour was built upon to develop five constructs for decision making in this research. The R.O.P.E.S. constructs are domains that tie together to categorise the interaction of emotional connections that underpin the decision making process based on the parental taste in centres. The constructs emerged from the analysis of the data collected in the three phase approach. They were based on the responses from parents related to both their needs and their child’s needs in terms of having a valuable and happy experience at a centre. The R.O.P.E.S. constructs were key elements in the formation of parental taste in centres and eventual enrolment. The Reputational construct (R) included word of mouth, from friends, the cleaner, other staff from either the focus or another centre, and may or may not have aligned with parental taste and influenced the decision. Other constructs (O) included the location and convenience of the centre, and availability of spaces. Cost was not seen as an issue with the subsidies making each centre similar in fee structure. The Physical construct (P) included the facilities available such as the indoor and outdoor play space, whether these are natural or artificial environments, and the play equipment available. The Social construct (S) included social interactions—sharing, making friends, and building networks. It was found that the Emotional construct (E) was central to the process. It underpinned all the other constructs and was determined by the emotions that were elicited when the parent had the first and subsequent contact with the centre staff. This construct is pivotal in parental taste and decision making. Parents indicated that some centres did not have an abundance of resources but “the lady was really nice” (interview response) and the parent thought that her child would be cared for in that environment. Comments such as “the lady was really friendly and made us feel part of the place even though we were just looking around” (interview response) added to the emotional connection and construct for the DMP. The emotional connection with staff and the willingness of the director to take the time to show the parent the whole centre was a common comment from parents. Parents indicated that if they felt comfortable, and the atmosphere was warm and homelike, then they knew that their child would too. One centre particularly supported parental taste in a homely environment and had lounges, floor rugs, lamps for lighting, and aromatherapy oil burning that contributed to a home-like feel that appealed to parents and children. The professionalism of the staff who displayed an interest in the children, had interesting activities in their room, and were polite and courteous also added to the emotional construct. Staff speaking to the parent and child, rather than just the parent, was also valued. Interestingly, parents did not comment on the qualifications held by staff, indicating that parents assumed that to be employed staff must hold the required qualifications. Is There a Further Application of Taste in Decision Making? The third phase of data collection was related to additional questions being asked of the interviewee that required reflection of the DMP used when choosing a centre for their child to attend. Parents were asked to review the process and comment on any changes that they would make if they were in the same position again. The majority of parents said that they were content with their taste in centres and the subsequent decision made. A quarter of the parents indicated that they would make minor changes to their process. A common comment made was that the process used was indicative of the parent’s personality. A self confessed “worrier” enrolling her first child gathered a great deal of information and visited many centres to enable the most informed decision to be made. In contrast, a more relaxed parent enrolling a second or third child made a quicker decision after visiting or phoning one or two centres. Although parents considered their decision to be rationally considered, the impact of parental taste upon visiting the centre and speaking to staff was a strong indicator of the level of satisfaction. Taste was a precursor to the decision. When asked if the same process would be used if choosing a different service, such as an accountant, parents indicated that a similar process would be used, but perhaps not as in depth. The reasoning here was that parents were aware that the decision of selecting a centre would impact on their child and ultimately themselves in an emotional way. The parent indicated that if they spent time visiting centres and it appealed to their taste then the child would like it too. In turn this made the whole process of attending a centre less stressful and emotional. Parents clarified that not as much personal information gathering would occur if searching for an accountant. The focus would be centred on the accountant’s professional ability. Other instances were offered, such as purchasing a car, or selecting a house, dentist, or a babysitter. All parents suggested that additional information would be collected if their child of family would be directly impacted by the decision. Advertising of services or businesses through various multimedia approaches appeared not to rate highly when parents were in the process of decision making. Television, radio, print, Internet, and social networks were identified as possible modes of communication available for consideration by parents. The generational culture was evident in the responses from different parent age groups. The younger parents indicated that social media, Internet, and print may be used to ascertain the benefits of different services and to access information about the reputation of centres. In comparison, the older parents preferred word-of-mouth recommendations. Neither television nor radio was seen as media approaches that would attract clientele. Conclusion In the education context, the concept of parental taste can be seen to be an integral component to the decision making process. In this case, the attributes of an educational facility align to an individual’s personal “backpack” and form a like or a dislike, known as parental taste. The implications for the Directors of Early Childhood Education and Care Centres indicate that parental taste plays a role in a child’s enrolment into a centre. Parental taste is determined by the attributes of the centre that are aligned to the R.O.P.E.S. constructs with the emotional element as the key component. A less rigorous DMP is used when a generic service is required. Media and cultural ways of looking at our society interpret how important decisions are made. A general assumption is that major decisions are made in a calm, considered and rational manner. This is a neoliberal view and is not supported by the research presented in this article. References Ariely, Dan. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. London: Harper, 2009. 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