Dear: Andrew
I am still interested in learning more about the interactions between
birds and cane toads including a list toad eating birds. So I hope people
continue to post their comments to the list.
I would like to know if people who raise chickens have fewer toads on
their property given that chicken 1) eat toads 2) are social and 3)
are ground birds. Last night I was reading about how pigeons learn new
feeding styles. Acquisition of a new style apparently depends on
the social structure of the flock and whether the new style (food
source) offers an advantage over an existing style. Apparently pigeons,
and presumably other species, are very discerning about when and what
they eat on a cost/benefit basis. If the pigeon results can be
generalized to other situations and species, I'm beginning to doubt that
wild birds will ever be an effective cane toad control.
On Tue, 24 Jun 1997, Andrew Taylor wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Jun 1997, Alex Appleman wrote:
> > ... In north Queensland I found cane toads to be crepuscular as well as
> > noctural; ... The canetoads young are frequently seen in daylight along
> > the banks of the Ross River and near Ross Dam after rain events.
>
> Its not clear how toxic young Cane Toads are to birds. Tyler mentions 140
> being fed to a chicken without it showing ill effects. Cane Toad
> metamorphs can be certainly numerous and conspicuous in the daytime.
> Given their small size (about 1cm long) I presume they'd be potential
> prey for many bird species.
>
> Anyway I'd be very interested in anyone who can extend Tyler's list
> of birds killed by eating toads. Either from personal observation
> or a literature reference. Maybe just e-mailed to me, I suspect
> the birding-aus collective interest in Cane Toads is being stretched.
>
> Tyler's list was
>
> Kookabaurra, Crow sp., Little Bittern and Black Bittern.
>
> Andrew Taylor
>
Cheers, Jim
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